Michael McLeod

The first dog Michael trained was his sister’s mutt. That was 50 years ago.

He got serious about training dogs in the mid-1960s while in the Navy. As a civilian, he worked in Los Angeles as a senior trainer for Continental Canines before taking the head trainer position with Malibu K9 Patrol.

Marriage and children forced him to turn to more lucrative pursuits, but not to give up his love of training dogs. Today, Michael is an active member of several San Diego area dog clubs. His dogs hold multiple titles in obedience, herding, and agility in multiple national organizations. Michael has been training and competing in agility since 1998.

Training Philosophy:Be patient, with yourself and especially with your dog.

  • Have a good time—if you’re not having fun, neither is your dog.
  • Keep an open mind; give all techniques a fair shot, try everything in training and keep what works. Ultimately you have to do what works for your team, which is not necessarily what the team that won the Nationals or the World Championships last year does when they run.
  • Don’t force your dog; what works with your other dog may not be what is best for the dog you are training today.

Gabriella Ravani

Gabriella Ravani is a professional pet dog obedience trainer, teaching puppy kindergarten, “family manners” obedience and advanced off leash obedience classes. Working with over 1,000 dogs per year, she has a solid knowledge of many breeds and understands their unique traits and what motivates them

Gabriella got involved in agility in 1995 with her dog Scotch. She is a long-time member of Ups ‘N Downs agility club and has taught for the club for more than 5 years. She has over 40 titles on her three Dalmatians and all three have appeared in the top 10 ranked Dalmatians in agility.

Training Philosophy: Dogs love to play. To them, agility is a fun game to play with their human. As their trusted friend, it is our responsibility to never break that sense of fun.

There are many training philosophies and techniques. As your dog’s trainer and handler, you need to discover what techniques work for your team.Regardless of what how your train, everyone should train at a level where your dog can be successful and reward their successes with praise, play and treats.

Ups ‘N Downs Agility Club

Dog Agility:

The ultimate team sport

YourGuide to Getting Started

WHAT IS DOG AGILITY?

Dog agility is a competitive sport that tests a person's skills in training and handling of dogs over a timed obstacle course. Competitors race against the clock as they direct their dogs to jump hurdles, scale ramps, burst through tunnels, traverse a see-saw and weave through a line of poles in obstacle courses designed to challenge both dog and handler. Dog agility has become an exciting spectator event.

The Ups ‘N Downs club members find this sport to be fascinating, challenging and a very rewarding way to build a relationship with your canine companion.

Come join us and experience the fun first hand!

What does my dog need to know before starting agility?

Your dog does not have to have perfect manners before beginning agility, but there are some basic requirements. This is to insure your dog’s safety and the safety of classmates.

  • Sit" stay or "down" stay with handler at least 10 feet away
  • Have a recall with minor distractions from a distance of 25 feet
  • Be able to be approached and handled by a stranger (trainer)
  • The dog can be held by the collar and moved away by the instructor
  • The handler can take the dog by the collar and handle it without resistance

Can any dog participate?

Any dog with good physical agility and energy is a strong candidate for the sport. Though many breeds appear more naturally adapted to the sport, most breeds, including mixed-breed dogs, have demonstrated an ability to perform well.

Can Any Person participate?

Any person with a reasonable fitness level can participate. People under the age of 18 can compete in most venues as “Junior Handlers” and many venues also have a category for “Veteran Handlers”.

Where are classes held?

Lake Wohlford Canine Ranch in Valley Center. Directions to our training field are available on our website:

What Classes are Available?

Ups ‘N Downs offers classes at all levels; from Agility Foundation to Master’s Handling. The class schedule is posted on our website.

How Do I sign up for Class?

You can contact our Training Director through our website. This person will let you know what classes are available and help you determine which class best meets your needs.

If you do not have access to a computer, drop by the Lake Wohlford Canine Ranch on a Tuesday or Thursday night. One of the instructors or students can help you get in contact with the Training Director.

MEET OUR INSTRUCTORS:

Pete Hudson

Pete Hudson is a Manager in Engineering organizations and has been involved with organized dog training since Kinder Garden in 1972 where he trained with the Princeton, N.J.and Bayshore (NJ) Dog obedience Clubs.

Pete has been involved with Agility since 1994 and has trained with and competed with Five dogs – Two Dobermans, a Border Terrier, and two Malinois’.

He has instructed both Agility and Obedience and is a founding member of the North County based agility and obedience clubs.

His Malinois, Topaz, was the third San Diego County dog to earn Agility Championships in USDAA, NADAC, and AKC venues and has earned the Rally excellent and UD titles in Obedience.