DOORS OPEN!
Registration closes on January 9th 11:59pm ET!
BOOST your dog's CONFIDENCE and stress resilience with fun MOVEMENT EXERCISES.
So that he can learn new skills faster and feel EMPOWERED in new or challenging situations.
MOVEMENT PUZZLES ACADEMY
Online program for dog training enthusiasts.
By Mari Valgma, CPCFT
What are
MOVEMENT PUZZLES?
Movement Puzzles are pattern movement exercises where the dog moves between 2 bowls - the 2 bowl game - and does different exercises independently from their human (no handler cues!) while moving from bowl to bowl.
The goal of these exercises is to provide dogs with an environment and structure to SAFELY - without pressure or distractions - practice things that may be difficult or challenging FOR THEM. Be it moving on elevated surfaces, stepping onto moving/tilting surfaces, move through tight spaces, run through noisy stuff, turning around in tight areas and so much more!
Because we are working with potentially scary and difficult things for the dog in front of us, Movement Puzzles are focused on the dog's choice, always giving them the option to say "No, this is too much right now", actually listening to it and making adjustments to the exercises on the go.
As a result, Movement Puzzles are a powerful training tool to improve dog's CONFIDENCE in new situations, BODY AWARENESS, COORDINATION, understanding of where their bodies are in space and how they move.
And yes, Movement Puzzles are like fun DIY obstacle courses that you can set up in your living room or garden, using the equipment and stuff you can (mostly) find at home 😉
Movement Puzzles first started as a training concept for working and sport dogs, to help them develop dynamic coordination and balance for demanding situations, where they need to move with precision and awareness while also keeping themselves safe and free of injuries.
In addition to helping working and sport dogs control their bodies better while running, Movement Puzzles also seemed to help dogs become more confident, have lower anxiety and frustration, deal with stressful situations better.
Movement Puzzles students quickly started noticing these other changes in their dogs and their behavior!
🏆 Dogs having the confidence to try new things after being scared for a long time
🏆 Previously cautious dogs wanting to interact with the environment more
🏆 Becoming less reactive to other dogs!
🏆 Feel a lot calmer in previously scary situations (like planes flying above their training area!)
🏆 Startle less when hearing household noises
🏆 More focused during training, including their sport training, not just Movement Puzzles sessions!
🏆Working confidently while further away from their humans in agility, nosework and other activities.
🏆 Learning new skills faster in their sports training
🏆 Less frustration during training sessions. Less barking, better engagement!
🏆 More clear headed and less impulsive during training without losing the enthusiasm. No more frantic and reckless movements!
All thanks to dogs having better awareness of their bodies, of what they can do, how to coordinate their movements... And also knowing that they have the choice and control over their own bodies in tricky situations thanks to the dog's choice based training of Movement Puzzles.
Pretty cool, huh!
"My youngest NW dog is a year and 3 months and has a very long body with loooong legs, and since we have been doing movement puzzles regularly I have noticed a big difference in her searches.
She is very confident in any environment and can really focus even while navigating her tricky body over obstacles, because we have already trained that 🥳
She did this search yesterday where she was in odour from the start and followed it seamlessly over and under obstacles with confidence and focus.
This way of training is so brilliant and such a great way to help our dogs be prepared for what they may encounter!
I am so glad I found this way of training and this wonderful community full of inspiration!😍"
- Linette Olsen -
Part of these changes in the dogs' behavior after starting with Movement Puzzles is due to the positive effects coordination training has on the brain chemistry and nervous system.
It helps to balance feel good hormones like dopamine and serotonin. It also helps with frustration tolerance through improving body awareness and proprioception.
Coordination training, especially motor control exercises, have also been found to reduce impulsive decisions in humans (and now in dogs 😉).
Coordination training is a vitamin for the brain, reducing the risks of cognitive decline at a higher age, making it a true MUST HAVE in every dog's life.
Plus teaching our dogs how to actually move and interact with the objects in their environment is empowering for dogs!
☝️ These benefits usually get people really excited about doing Movement Puzzles with their dogs - and who can blame them, Movement Puzzles are fun!
So they want to try these exercises themselves, set up DIY obstacle for their dogs and try to get their dogs to do the exercises... and that's where things start falling apart.
There are 2 big mistakes that I see novice Movement Puzzles enthusiasts making over and over again...
Resulting in slow progress, not seeing any results and their dogs repeating the same "mistakes" over and over again!
Mistake #1
While well meaning and hoping to create positive associations with doing the exercises, luring the dog means that the handler and the lure will be part of the cue to do the exercise.
The dog won't be doing the exercise independently, so the skills won't actually carry over to real life situations!
Also, by luring the dog, you'll run the risk of accidentally scaring your dog when they follow a tasty treat or a fun toy and suddenly discover themselves in a tricky situation.
In fact, luring the dog in these exercises can result in your dog starting to avoid your treat hand altogether because it leads to uncomfortable situations!
Mistake #2
& not delivering a reinforcement when the dog offers something different than the handler planned
I fully understand where this approach is coming from and it may work well in other training scenarios. But NOT in Movement Puzzles.
By focusing solely on the dog not fulfilling the exercise criteria, you'll be focusing on the symptoms, not the cause. You'll be trying to get the dog to do the "correct" thing without understanding why the dog offered something different in the first place.
This means that the reason for the "mistake" will still be there, slowing down your dog's learning and progress with the exercise, INCREASING the number of mistakes you see, maybe even causing frustration or your dog quitting the training session.
It also runs the risk of accidentally creating a "forced choice" - a situation where your dog is trying to tell you that he doesn't actually have the skills yet, the setup is uncomfortable, he's feeling fatigue or isn't mentally or physically ready for this level of exercise.
As a result of "forced choice" they will have to choose the "correct" behavior as the only way to get the reinforcement and do the exercise through discomfort.
These two common mistakes result in slow learning, not being able to progress in training, skills not transferring over to real life situations, dogs trying to avoid parts of the setup of the puzzle. This means the dog won't be getting any of the benefits of doing these exercises.
As you are here then you probably want to AVOID these costly mistakes. You want to do things differently.
And luckily we have a solution!
The Movement Puzzles Way!
A unique training approach that takes the most up to date positive reinforcement training concepts and shows you how you can do Movement Puzzles - fun, confidence boosting DIY obstacle courses - efficiently with fully dog's choice based training. Without the training session becoming a mix of random behaviors that you never intended to train!
The Movement Puzzles way -
Tested and proven by more than 1500 Movement Puzzles enthusiasts to progress faster in training, train new skills more efficiently & get results that actually carry over to real life situations:
Step 1. Mind your mechanics. Get your own mechanics and reinforcement delivery sorted and remove 90% of the most common reasons behind dogs "not getting it" or making mistakes in the early stages of training.
Step 2. Create a pattern that you can use for teaching every single exercise quickly and efficiently. So that your dog will always know the first step of the new exercise and will start the training session with enthusiasm "I've got this!"
Step 3. Set the environment up for success. Position all your props in a way that will make the "correct" answer most likely to happen WITHOUT removing the option to say "No" for when your dog needs it.
Step 4. Apply your dog's feedback. Your dog is the one doing the exercise and is constantly giving you feedback through her choices, movement and body language. Use that feedback for adjusting the setups! It's the most powerful tool you have to make the training ACTUALLY WORK for your dog and the specific challenges he's having!
You will discover how to use patterns and set up your training in a way that your dog will happily and confidently CHOOSE to do the EXACT SAME exercise you had planned for the session... without you having to remove the alternatives.
When "mistakes" happen - your dog chooses to avoid the exercise or offer something different - you'll know how to get to the root cause of that "mistake", so that it would be actually solved and your dog can get happily back to the exercise without having to try to communicate the same information over and over again.
You'll know how to get "no" into a "yes" quickly, efficiently and with minimum frustration for both of you, leading to much faster learning, more enjoyable training sessions and stronger relationship.
Doing these fun DIY obstacle courses
The Movement Puzzles Way
means that...
Benefits for YOU
- Progress with exercises faster and get to "bigger" sequences sooner than with any of the alternative approaches
- Make all kinds of moving through/under/over behaviors super easy, fun and logical for your dog
- Fewer frustration behaviors during your training because your training setups are so much clearer for your dog
- Fewer "mistakes" (dog avoiding props, not meeting the exercise criteria, offering other behaviors) during the training
- Getting the behaviors you planned for the session with fewer repetitions
- More trusting relationship - your dog knows that he/she won't be forced into a situation they are not comfortable with
- Understanding your dog and his/her choices better, resulting in a stronger relationship and more effective training
- Knowledge how to set your dog up for success during Movement Puzzles and also other training situations
- Get results that will actually transfer over to real life situations
Benefits for YOUR DOG
- Feeling more confident and empowered during training sessions and life
- Better focus, optimal arousal and lower frustration during training thanks to clearer setups
- Faster learning of new skills, don't have to do as many repetitions of the same thing
- Careful dogs seeing the world as a fun place and wanting to explore more
- Not being as reckless anymore, controlling his body better while moving
- Not bumping into things anymore or knocking things over
- Better control over his body and movements in not-ideal situations - like moving on an icy ground or challenging surfaces
- Know-how for solving tricky solutions on her own, trusting her body and skills
- Skills from the training sessions will actually carry over to real life situations meaning better coordination and confidence when your dog actually needs it!
Sounds pretty good, right?!
So where can you learn The Movement Puzzles Way of training and start experiencing confidence boosting success with movement exercises for your own dog?
I share all of it inside
MOVEMENT PUZZLES ACADEMY
Our unique step by step program that will show you exactly how to EFFICIENTLY use fully dog's choice based training and boost your dog's CONFIDENCE and STRESS RESILIENCE with fun movement exercises.
So that your dog will feel EMPOWERED in new and challenging situations, LEARN new skills FASTER, and trained skills would ACTUALLY transfer over to real life situations!
- Detailed How To video instructions for more than 35 movement exercises + their variations using the same equipment in new ways!
- From zero to hero with our foundations module that will help you get started quickly with all the right training techniques.
- Troubleshooting guide with the most common mistakes when getting started with Movement Puzzles and tips on how to adjust the setups for fewer mistakes.
- 4 months of PERSONALIZED INSTRUCTOR SUPPORT. Get your questions answered, get feedback on your own training videos. No video time limit + you can get support for multiple dogs.
- Everything conveniently on one platform, access 24/7 from your laptop, tablet or phone! No switching between different platforms for accessing the training, community and support.
- All the future additions, new exercises and materials to the program contents.
- Lifetime access to the materials and peer supported alumni community on Facebook.
Here's how it works:
Watch the trainings
As soon as you register, you get instant access to pre-recorded, step by step How To videos and written guidelines for over 35 exercises.
Watch on your computer, tablet or phone. Also available in an app so you can take the exercises with you on your phone wherever you go!
It's like having me and your next lesson in your back pocket!
Get effective coaching
When you are stuck or need a tip, post a question and your video in our community!
We are waiting to help you, to tell you exactly what to do next!
You'll get our response FAST, usually within 24 hours (we probably live on different continents, after all!), 5 days per week. No more waiting for A WEEK or more for the next class!
Do the Puzzles!
Follow the instructions in the How To Videos and apply our feedback to your training sessions for quick progress with the exercises and fun Movement Puzzles with your own dog!
Here's what you will find inside:
Foundations:
The KEY to your success!
In this module you will master:
- The foundation pattern for all Movement Puzzle exercises: 2 bowl game. This will give your dog the confidence and sense of "I know this game!" to approach any new Movement Puzzle exercise with enthusiasm!
- Our fool-proof pattern for introducing new surfaces to your dog, so that in the future you can just swap out the target for a new, funny, moving or noisy surface and your dog will step on it with confidence!
- The key concept exercises essential for more complex Movement Puzzles: moving over, between and under things. Made super easy and clear for both you and your dog, so you can teach them frustration free!
- Combining 2 or more exercises into a sequence for longer Movement Puzzles.
Confidence Boosters!
In this module you will discover and master exercises focusing on different confidence challenges, like:
- Moving on surfaces high from the ground
- Turning on narrow surfaces like planks and elevated surfaces
- Moving through noisy things
- Moving through things touching the body
- Moving over tilting/moving surfaces
- Stepping over gaps close to the ground and on elevated surfaces.
- Coming soon: going through a "labyrinth" of tight spaces and turning around in a tight, contained space
Oh, and by the way, these exercises sneakily improve body awareness and coordination too🤓!
Coordination Boosters!
In this module you will discover coordination exercises and how to use the SAME EQUIPMENT for creating DIFFERENT body awareness and coordination challenges (that sneakily also boost confidence 😎):
- 5 different ways you can use cavalettis/poles in your training to create new coordination challenges with as little as 2 poles
- 7 different exercises you can create with platforms, unstable surfaces (optional) and 1-2 poles for new, bigger challenges
- High precision exercises like stepping on "ladder rungs" and touching a single paw target while in motion.
Who is this program for?
🙋🏼♂️ Guardians or trainers of sensitive or cautious dogs who look new ways for building confidence and encouraging independent exploration or who need a meaningful physical activity for their dog while working through behavior challenges.
🙋♀️ Sport and working dog handlers who want to make sure their dogs are well prepared for moving with precision and awareness in challenging situations.
🙋🏽♂️ Anyone interested in teaching dogs how to interact with objects via errorless learning, loopy training and dog's choice based training (though you don't need to know about these concepts in order to successfully train Movement Puzzles with our instructions!).
🙋🏼♂️ Movement Puzzle enthusiasts who have tried teaching these exercises on their own, but often see their dogs avoiding the props in the exercise, offering other behaviors and making "mistakes".
Note: In case of problem behaviors, Movement Puzzles can only support your existing training program. Working on Movement Puzzles alone doesn't solve problem behaviors!
❌ This course is NOT A GOOD FIT FOR:
- blind dogs as the exercises rely heavily on eye-body coordination
- dogs who are not at all food motivated
- someone looking for general conditioning workouts or a course for learning the foundations of +R training
- someone not at all interested in errorless learning and dog's choice based training and who is just looking to do obstacle courses with no attention to how the obstacles are actually trained.
Hi! I am Mari Valgma
The creator of Movement Puzzles, a Certified Professional Canine Fitness Trainer (CPCFT) and a dog training nerd passionate about bringing most up to date positive reinforcement training approaches into effective, practical exercises that anyone can learn to do with their dogs without having even heard about the theory or tricky-to-understand terms before.
I'm also passionate about helping our dogs feel more confident and empowered in their daily life, work and sport activities. I strongly believe that feeling comfortable in your own body, knowing how big you are, how your feet move and what your body is capable of, is a huge part of feeling more confident in general. Knowing that you can navigate the world and challenges with ease. You are safe. Your body has got this! It's easy!
That's why I LOVE teaching Movement Puzzles - exercises that have helped already more than 1500 dog training enthusiast like yourself to combine good training with confidence boosting coordination and body awareness training.
I live in Estonia, Europe, sharing my home with an Australian Shepherd Mr Bo and the memories of my past dogs - Australian Shepherds Kino and Pipi and a mixed hunting breed rescue Mirru - who have played a huge role in developing my skills as a trainer and Movement Puzzles.
My training ideas and Movement Puzzles have been featured in Fenzi Dog Sports Academy (where I'm also a proud alumni!), Susan Garrett's Agility Nation and numerous international dog training summits.
Here's what our students are saying:
Hélène Lawler
Fenzi Dog Sports Academy instructor, Founder of Shaping Chaos and Dog Sport Scholars
USBCHA herding Open handler & coach
"My dogs and I are absolutely loving Movement Puzzles, which have become my new go-to for building foundations."
This unique skills-building program is so powerful that I believe it has the potential to completely change how we train our dogs for work and sport. Not only that, it SHOULD change how we train for work and sport.
Mari’s systematic program teaches both dog and handler the skills we need for performance excellence without danger of over-arousal (hallelujah!), all the while building confidence and developing excellence in communication.
Her step-by-step lessons are clear, easy to follow, and well organized. Her insights are paradigm shifting. Which, as a lover of rabbit holes, is my favourite part of working with Mari. But my dog is very grateful too! Particularly since the exercises allow her to tell me exactly where I need to improve, and how.
Pat Gornall
"Well, having joined MP just a week ago, I am gobsmacked/delighted at how this course is giving confidence to Tilly, my just 1 year old lurcher cross."
She is innately suspicious of randomly moving inanimate objects, plus many, many other things and activities which I would normally overcome by shaping. However, with shaping, she doesn’t seem to carry forward any confidence gained and we always have to start over at each session.
In just ONE week, we have achieved a short puzzle with her walking over a platform, a piece of noisy wrapping paper, a flattened cardboard box and a wobble mat - all done with great enthusiasm and happiness 😁
We started with FF and RF targeting, on and backwards off the platform as instructed, and she’s never looked back. Waiting for the ground to dry up so we can move outside with some poles.
Amazing! Thank you so much.
Pike Bremer
"It is an excellent and genuinely kind program for handlers and dogs alike."
The dogs and I love the Movement Puzzles and find them rather addictive! They are so much fun and we learn something new with every monthly challenge. This program provides just the right amount of theory, great explanations plus example videos for each exercise, doable challenge spacing as well as helpful and prompt feedback to our videos by the knowledgeable team members.
Movement puzzles have made me a more patient trainer and my dogs race up to the training area as soon as I grab the cones as they indicate happy play time for them.
It is an excellent and genuinely kind program for handlers and dogs alike.
I'd love to join, how much is it?
I often get asked for 1-on-1 sessions to help out with a couple of training challenges. Because of a chronic health condition, my time is super valuable to me, and I almost never have the option to offer individual consultations!
A single session with me would be 500 USD, 2 months of 1-on-1 support from me would be at least a 2000 USD investment.
Movement Puzzles Academy includes EVERYTHING I'd teach you in a 1-on-1 setting. You will basically have lifetime access to ME in your back pocket!
PLUS, inside the Academy you will get 4 months of instructor support from our knowledgeable and dedicated coaches, including me. Average working spot price in an online course is around 175-200 USD/month. So 4 months of support could be 700-800 USD in an online course.
Movement Puzzles Academy is HALF OF THAT! Yes, your read it correctly. You will get lifetime access to the Movement Puzzles materials + 4 months of support from our instructors and me for just 347 USD!
JOIN MOVEMENT PUZZLES ACADEMY TODAY
SINGLE INVESTMENT OF ONLY $347
----------- OR -----------
4 INSTALMENTS OF $95
For questions or help with enrolling send an email: support@themovingcanine.com
Do your first Movement Puzzle in 30 days or less
Or double your money back
Or double your money back
After teaching 1500+ people and their dogs to do Movement Puzzles inside Movement Puzzles Academy, I KNOW my methods for teaching these fun movement exercises work.
That's why I have a double your money back guarantee. Yes, you read it correctly - DOUBLE your money back. That's 694 USD in your pocket. Or 190 USD when you join with a payment plan.
If you follow the program, do the exercises, ask for coaching and can't make any progress in your Movement Puzzles training within 30 days of purchasing, simply send us a 7 minute video showing you and your dog practicing the 2 bowl game, moving over platform and moving over poles exercises from the Foundation module to show us that the methodology isn't working for you and your dog.
If you and your dog are still not progressing with Movement Puzzles after direct, personal coaching from me, you'll get DOUBLE your money back.
However, Movement Puzzles Academy is only for people committed to actually doing Movement Puzzles with their dog, which is why we ask for a video of you doing the work.
If you like to purchase programs, check out a couple of videos and ask for a refund, this isn't for you.
We'll do whatever it takes to make you and your dog successful with Movement Puzzles, but nothing will work for you if you don't actually do the work.
Please check Who is this program for and FAQ before joining to see if Movement Puzzles Academy is a good fit for you.
PLUS! Get these BONUSES when you join NOW:
4 Monthly Challenges
Join our Monthly Challenges, that will help you get started with Movement Puzzles and teach all the foundation exercises, step by step.
Monthly Challenges focus on one exercise at a time, helping you fit short training sessions into busy daily schedule, progress in your training quickly with our detailed step by step instructions and FEEDBACK from myself and our highly knowledgeable and dedicated coaches.
Value: $297 FREE
DIY Equipment Ideas
Get access to our Student Example Video Library, where you'll see lots of creative setup ideas with with things you already have at home! Like textile shopping bags, cardboard boxes, empty plastic bottles, broomsticks, chairs and even clever sofa placement for your exercise!
Value: $39 FREE
Puppy & Senior Guidelines
Adjust these fun exercises for puppies, seniors and dogs with physical limitations with these dedicated guidelines!
Including the list of safe exercises and guidelines for reducing the physical challenge of the exercises.
Value: $27 FREE
Optimistic Puppy course
4 month access to a recorded webinar and 4 Monthly Challenges designed especially for our youngest members while being perfect for older ones too!
These fun games will make sure your puppy will find noisy things fun, things touching his body really cool and even use the power of scentwork to make sure your puppy grows up thinking that the world is a really fun place to be in!
Value: $297 FREE
Movement Puzzle Level 1 Certificate application
Master the foundation exercises and apply for Movement Puzzle Level 1 Certificate after 4 months of being in the Academy! Perfect for showcasing your and your dog's skills or using it professionally to show your qualifications! Available ONLY to our students!
Value: $45 FREE
Emma Lee
Lighten Up Dog Training
"When I first encountered Mari's Movement Puzzles for dog training, it was a game-changer."
As a behaviour consultant, I often dealt with dogs struggling with impulsive behaviours and poor decision-making, especially in dynamic situations like agility. Many programmes focused on calmness, which wasn't the primary concern for my clients. It was the dogs' ability to make decisions on the go and control their behaviour in various settings that needed attention.
Mari's Movement Puzzles addressed this issue brilliantly. I joined the course in March 2022 and quickly recommended it to my clients. The results were astonishing. Dogs, especially the highly sensitive and impulsive ones, started having their 'lightbulb moments.' Within weeks, we observed improvements in a wide range of behaviours, from abnormal repetitive behaviour through to high levels frustration and even more simple things like leash pulling.
What sets this programme apart is its thoughtfulness. Mari has anticipated every possible challenge and provides strategies for guardians to overcome them. The monthly challenges are exceptional and cater to a variety of dog backgrounds, including sensitive working-line dogs. This means I very rarely need to make individual adaptations or suggestions for my clients' dogs – and when I’ve needed to, it’s simply been to say to re-visit Mari’s guidance.
It’s also been useful for fitness and recovery as well as confidence building. For many of the dogs I work with, they seem much more comfortable navigating the world. Having predictable patterns has also helped those dogs who need a bridge into other environments to help them settle. So often, stillness is an impossible challenge. A few short puzzles in new spaces seems to remind the dogs I work with that they make the decisions about what their body does, not the world around them.
Having worked with dogs for over a decade and seeking continual development, I can confidently say that Movement Puzzles was a true lightbulb moment in my career. I very much look forward to seeing The Moving Canine as it develops.
So, Let's Recap!
When you join Movement Puzzles Academy you get instant access to our unique step by step program that will show you exactly how to train fun movement exercises for boosting your dog's CONFIDENCE and STRESS RESILIENCE. Lifetime access to materials + 4 months of instructor support. Value at least $700!
- PLUS Our 4 foundation Monthly Challenges so you'll know exactly how to get started with Movement Puzzles + instructor feedback. Value $297
- PLUS Movement Puzzle Level 1 Certificate application to help you stay motivated with your training. Value $45
- PLUS Puppy and Senior Guidelines to help you adjust these fun exercise to any age and fitness level. Value $27
- PLUS DIY Equipment Ideas in our Student Example Library, so you can create new fun setups with stuff you have at home. Value $39
- PLUS 4 month access to Optimistic Puppy course - perfect for developing a more optimistic view of life! Value $297
That's a total value of $1405. Yours ONLY for $347!
Simply click the button below! Your new supportive Movement Puzzles community and I will be waiting for you inside!
Bobbie Lyons
CCFT, KPA CFT, Program Director CSCC, KPA Faculty
"From my first exposure to movement puzzles I was super intrigued with the concept and now I use it often for so many different things. "
I love it for puppies and old dogs. It is a great way to teach clicker mechanics to new students. It is a great way to teach proprioception to dogs and for dogs to learn and think at a distance from their handler.
I continually find more and more uses for movement puzzles. Thank you Mari for sharing this concept. It will always be part of what I teach.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What equipment will I need for this program?
- 2 bowls, 2-3 cones
- 1-2 platforms/steps. Human step platforms and Cato boards are perfect. Books or wooden blocks covered with a yoga mat work well for smaller dogs
- 2 cavaletti poles or broomsticks
- Stool or a bench that you can use for crawling
- Big cardboard boxes for creating narrow spaces
Here are other pieces of equipment that will become handy, depending on which exercises you choose to do with your dog. There are lots of DIY equipment ideas inside the program: - 1 balance disc/unstable surface. Balance discs with bases (like balance discs from Gymnic) or Propel Air Platform are the perfect. The disc/platform should not roll or slide under your dog.
- A cardboard box + empty plastic bottles or similar for a box of "funny stuff"
- Plastic bottles on strings + something to hang them on (or similar for a "noisy curtain")
- Old tires/wooden ladder or something similar to give your dog narrow surfaces to step on (like ladder rungs)
- Small thin target
How much space do I need for the exercises?
Recommended area of 4x 6 meters/13x 20 feet, however you can also make it with half of that size. Most of the how to videos and examples inside the program are made in a space 2x 3 meters (6x9ft). Make sure the surface is non-slippery!
How much feedback will I get?
You get instructor support in our members community (videos are not limited, though we ask you to keep each individual video below 2 minutes) as frequently as you need. All you have to do is video your own sessions, post a video in our community and ask for feedback. You will have access to our support and instructor feedback for 4 months from joining the program. You can post videos with multiple dogs.
Can I do these exercises with a blind dog?
These exercises rely heavily on eye-body coordination and doing them with a blind dog requires a lot of exercise adjustments. We do have students doing these exercises with blind dogs, but our instructors do not have first hand experience working with blind dogs and unfortunately our support will be limited. We recommend joining this program with a blind dog ONLY if you are comfortable troubleshooting and adjusting exercises to your own dog.
Can I do these exercises with a deaf dog?
Yes. In our instruction videos we use audible reinforcement markers (like marker words or click of a clicker). With a deaf dog you can try doing the exercises without a marker or use a visible marker instead of an audible one.
Can I do these exercises with a dog who doesn't find food/treats reinforcing?
If your dog doesn't find food/treats reinforcing at all and you can't use them for training your dog, then this course - unfortunately - isn't a good fit for your dog. If you are working with a rescue dog who doesn't feel comfortable enough to train with food yet, then we recommend working with a behaviourist first. Joining Movement Puzzles may be a good option for you once your dog is already able to do some training with food.
If your dog is a little bit interested in food, but is more motivated by toys, then you can do Movement Puzzles by alternating between a couple of repetitions of the exercises with food and play session with toys. If you are happy doing this, then Movement Puzzles program might be a good fit for you and your dog.
All of our instruction videos and How To guidelines use food reinforcement and using food reinforcement is the most efficient and comfortable way for doing these exercises.
For how long will I get access to the materials?
You will keep lifetime access to Movement Puzzles program materials and peer supported Facebook community, and 4 month access to our foundation Monthly Challenges, members community, instructor feedback and Level 1 Certificate application.
What if I discover that this program isn't for me/my dog?
If you follow the program, do the exercises, ask for coaching and can't make any progress in your Movement Puzzles training within 30 days of purchasing, simply send us a 7 minute video on our email support@themovingcanine.com showing you and your dog (both visible in the video) practicing 3 exercises - the 2 bowl game, moving over platform and moving over poles exercises from the Foundation module - to show us that the methodology isn't working for you and your dog.
If you and your dog are still not progressing with Movement Puzzles after direct, personal coaching from me, you'll get DOUBLE your money back.
However, Movement Puzzles Academy is only for people committed to actually doing Movement Puzzles with their dog, which is why we ask for a video of you doing the work.
We don't offer refunds for impulse purchases or reasons like "I just don't have the time right now". We also don't issue refunds after 30 days from purchase have passed.
If you like to purchase programs, check out a couple of videos and ask for a refund, this isn't for you.
We'll do whatever it takes to make you and your dog successful with Movement Puzzles, but nothing will work for you if you don't actually do the work.
If you have any questions about Movement Puzzles Academy and if it's a good fit for you and your dog, please send us an email to support@themovingcanine.com prior to purchasing, so we can help you make an informed decision.
Is there a Movement Puzzles Trainer certificate?
We are planning to release trainers certificate program in 2025. It will only be available to Movement Puzzles Academy members who have passed the three levels of our Movement Puzzles Certificates. If you are thinking of getting a Movement Puzzles trainers certificate, then it's best to join Movement Puzzles Academy and start working towards the prerequisite certificate levels so that you are all ready for when the trainers certificate program will be released.
When does the program start?
There's no fixed start date for this program. You will get full access to all the contents as soon as you join, so you can start working on the exercises and start getting results straight away!
From what age is this program suitable?
Most of the confidence boosting exercises are perfect for puppies as young as 3 months. The body awareness and coordination exercises are better suited from 8 months and up. I'd personally recommend taking this course with a puppy, observe what your puppy is able to do easily and focus on these exercises. Inside the program we have guidelines for adjusting the exercises for puppies.
What's the difference between this offer and Movement Puzzles membership?
Starting from June 2024 Movement Puzzles membership is only available to our existing students and is now called Movement Puzzles Academy PLUS. It is no longer available to the public.
I already have Beyond Dog Sports: Dog Walk course. Will there be anything new for me in the Movement Puzzles program?
There is some overlap between these two programs, but there will be a lot of new exercises for you in the Movement Puzzles program.
Before joining, contact us to see if Movement Puzzles is a good fit for you: support@themovingcanine.com
I'm so bad at filming myself and posting videos of my training. Will I have to do it in this program?
Posting videos is not mandatory 🙂 You can post your videos for instructor feedback, but there is no requirement to post your videos for the program to work and give you results. In fact, most students say the program instruction videos and guides are so clear and so easily understandable that they can easily train on their own, without posting training videos.
What teaching platform is the program using?
The program runs on a platform called Circle. All the activities, posting your videos and questions and getting instructor feedback happens on Circle. We also have an alumni community on Facebook.
Wow! You made it all the way to the bottom of this page :)
If you are still reading this, there is a reason.
There is some part of you that knows this is what you've been looking for.
So why not jump in and test it out?
If you do the work, ask for help and the method just doesn't work for your dog, we will give you DOUBLE your money back.
What do you have to lose?
Got a question? Email us at support@themovingcanine.com
We do not claim to solve any dog's problem behaviors with our training. If your dog is showing problem behaviors, you should consult with a canine behaviorist.
We make no guarantees or claims as to the success of any user or our programs. Each individual is unique and their abilities are unique to them. The aim is that we provide support and training to allow you to better understand your dog, how to improve confidence, body awareness and coordination.
All training provided will be general information and guidance and will not be bespoke advice. We are not responsible for any action or inaction which you take as a result of the information within our services.
We are not responsible for any loss of opportunity or any investments which you make. No content in our services should be construed as veterinary advice, whether mental or physical. If you believe that your dog requires veterinary attention you should seek assistance from a veterinary professional immediately.
