06/20/2025
K9 Athletes – Week 4 Recap
“Shifting Ground: Movement, Balance & Trust”
This week, we focused on helping dogs navigate unstable surfaces: peanuts, wobble boards, rubber bowl perches, and the next levels from previous weeks, up, over and through.
The goal wasn’t performance, it was exploration.
Each dog had the chance to figure out how to shift, balance, and stabilize on their own terms. Some stepped confidently, others took their time. Every one of them made visible choices that showed us how they learn through movement.
The human end of the leash practiced observing their dogs reactions. Waiting. Reinforcing balance when their dogs found it. They learned how much their own body cues, like foot placement and pressure, can either support or confuse their dogs.
And throughout the class, we returned to their “Park It” spot: a predictable, stable space with a positive reinforcement history that helped each dog reset and prepare for what came next.
K9 Athletes gives dogs access to experiences that meet real behavioral and biological needs, through movement, exploration, sensory feedback, and choice. It’s not about what they can be made to do, it’s about what they’re built to do.
Check out the pics below to see how Eisbach and Rosie looked like in action.
