Events & Seminars
Fusion Pet Retreat’s training center offers various events and seminars on a regular basis. We are happy to partner with different community organizations to offer various events. We also offer Seminars taught by our qualified instructors in different topics including agility, behavior, and more.
Cancellation Policy for Seminars: All seminars are non-refundable unless we can fill your spot.
All events & seminars are hosted in the comfort of a climate-controlled 11,000 sq. ft. indoor facility.
Upcoming Seminar and Events
Dogs & Storks Seminar
Instructor: Alison Schramel CPDT-KA, LFPPE
Cost: $30/ per couple or co-parents
About the Seminar:
Dogs & Storks® workshop is perfect for expecting families with dogs as they prepare for life with baby. The information provided will add to your understanding and bond you already have with your dog as you both navigate preparing together and life with a baby. This one hour presentation will provide positive, practical, and ongoing solutions that will help you include your dog before and once baby arrives. Our goal is to support you as you transition from a dog family to a family with a baby and dog.
About your Instructor:
With over 15 years of experience, Alison has helped thousands of families and their pets live harmoniously together. When she became a mother herself, she quickly learned that a home with pets and kids was more chaotic than she expected – even as an animal professional! This experience jump started her journey to helping other families and their four-legged friends. Thus, Hearts and Paws was founded. Alison understands that every animal and every human is unique, so our services are tailored to meet everyone’s individual needs. Her innovative approach combines positive reinforcement techniques with a deep understanding of animal body language and human psychology. Alison has a B.A. in Psychology, is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed, and a Licensed Family Paws Parent Educator.
Dogs & Toddlers Seminar
Instructor: Alison Schramel CPDT-KA, LFPPE
Cost: $30/ per couple or co-parents
About the Seminar:
Dogs & Toddlers™ is the ideal workshop for families with dogs and babies who are soon to be crawling or walking. Often the first 3 months have gone smoothly and many families are caught off guard when their dog begins to show discomfort with the new developmental changes of their mobile baby. This one hour presentation offers insight and proactive options for some of the common challenges families with dogs experience as baby becomes mobile.
About your Instructor:
With over 15 years of experience, Alison has helped thousands of families and their pets live harmoniously together. When she became a mother herself, she quickly learned that a home with pets and kids was more chaotic than she expected – even as an animal professional! This experience jump started her journey to helping other families and their four-legged friends. Thus, Hearts and Paws was founded. Alison understands that every animal and every human is unique, so our services are tailored to meet everyone’s individual needs. Her innovative approach combines positive reinforcement techniques with a deep understanding of animal body language and human psychology. Alison has a B.A. in Psychology, is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed, and a Licensed Family Paws Parent Educator.
Mini Seminars with Anna Eifert
Dates: Friday through Sunday, April 3-5
Cost: $130 – working spot, $25 – auditing spot
About Anna:
Anna works as a full-time agility trainer in her own company in Hungary. Agility has
been part of her life for 16 years, and she also has a sports background in amateur gymnastics.
As a handler, Anna describes herself as ‘the crazy one’: “I’m the one who runs the Bull Terrier!” She enjoys independent obstacle skills, distance work, and unique handling solutions, which she can select herself.
When Anna is coaching, she is almost always smiling, because she love dogs and she also loves to teach agility. “I’m very patient and precise. I like to make hard courses easy for my students,” Anna says.
Anna thinks all good coaches have a few things in common: “They are patient, they are passionate to teach, help, and share knowledge. They are flexible. They can explain very well. They can motivate. They love dogs. They are positive. And they have a great sense of humor.”
Help, my dog turns the wrong way!
– Wraps vs Slices w/ Anna
Dates: Friday, April 3th from 8:30am-12:30pm
About the Seminars:
You will understand what happens on the agility field when your dog turns around the wing or slices the jump, and you will learn how to handle these situations clearly to avoid misunderstandings between you and your dog.
Connection and Commitment in Agility w/ Anna
Dates: Friday, April 3th from 1:30-5:30pm
About the Seminars:
This seminar helps you to understand what connection and commitment mean in agility and will teach you how to keep the connection while you are running the course, and how to commit your dog to the obstacles in the most efficient way. You will learn how to use your motion, your glance, your head, and what you have to see and where you have to look on the course.
“Your Performance Can Be Only as Good as Your Plan” w/ Anna
Dates: Saturday, April 4th from 8:30am-12:30pm
About the Seminars:
This seminar will help you to make the best decisions quickly and effectively for your dog during the course walking. We will go through the course together and discuss the “golden rules” of course walking techniques, different types of course analysis – Take away actionable tips you can use on your next agility run!
Take Your Agility to the Global Stage!
w/ Anna
Dates: Saturday, April 4th from 1:30-5:30pm
About the Seminars:
International Coursework seminar with ISC and UKI-style challenges. Get ready to compete with confidence at international events by perfecting your body language and the timing of your verbal cues. If all handling elements support the same goal, you can shave off precious seconds and enjoy the smooth teamwork with your four-legged teammate.
Novice and Young Dogs: Between Foundation and Course Work
w/ Anna
Dates: Sunday, April 5th from 8:30am-12:30pm
About the Seminars:
Sequencing with jumps and tunnels. How to advance in training with keeping up the the fun – we will focus on body language of the handler, motivation and the correct rewarding.
FUNdation: Important Skills for Healthy and Happy Agility Careers w/ Anna
Dates: Sunday, April 5th from 1:30-5:30pm
About the Seminars:
How to teach and train obstacle and handler focus, lead changes, and turning away from the handler, how to even the difference between the weaker and the stronger side of your dog. Foundation of back side send, Lap Turn, Tandem Turn and Flick. Suitable for all ages including PUPPIES
Mini Seminars with Stefanie Theis
Dates: Friday, April 10th
Cost: $135 – working spot, $25 – auditing spot
About Stefanie:
Stefanie Theis, a seasoned dog trainer and two-time WAO team member, has a lifelong love for dogs. Her journey from raising service dog puppies to competing in agility has shaped her into a dedicated coach.
Stefanie’s focus is on creating a positive and enjoyable experience for both dogs and handlers. She tailors her training methods to each individual team, ensuring they reach their full potential in the exciting world of agility.
Advanced/Masters Handling w/ Stefanie
Dates: Friday, April 10th from 8:00am-Noon
About the Seminars:
Take your handling skills to the next level and learn how to train the challenges you will see in Premier, ISC, and upper level UKI & USDAA courses. Weaves and contacts may be used.
Novice Handling w/ Stefanie
Dates: Friday, April 10th from 1-5pm
About the Seminars:
Build handling and teamwork skills for teams who have started trialing or are almost ready to trial. Jumps and tunnels will be used (no contacts or weaves). Dogs should be a minimum of 15 months old. They do not need to be jumping full-height, but should be familiar with sequencing.
Mini Seminars with Peyton Green
Dates: Saturday-Sunday, May 9-10
Cost: $135 – working spot, $25 – auditing spot
About Peyton:
Peyton fell in love with dog training at a young age and spent her childhood training her family dogs, learning from any resource she could find, and volunteering at every local trial. Since then, Peyton has trained and trialed in many dog sports including agility, mondioring, herding, obedience, rally, flyball, dock diving, disc dog, and trick dog. She believes that learning from a wide variety of people and dog sports makes her a better trainer and helps her come up with creative solutions using tools from other sports.
While she loves training many sports, running international style agility is her biggest passion. In recent years she has won and placed in multiple regional and national agility events with her border collie Dash and Belgian Malinois Vivid—Most recently making podiums with both dogs at European Open team tryouts and making finals at the Polish Open.
International Challenges w/ Peyton
Dates: Saturday, May 9th from 8:00am-12:00pm
About the Seminars:
Take your handling skills to the next level and learn how to train the international-style challenges you will see in AKC ISC and upper level UKI & USDAA courses. This seminar will include jumps, tunnels and weaves and is open to dogs training at senior/champ UKI, masters USDAA, or AKC ISC courses.
Verbals w/ Peyton
Dates: Saturday, May 9th from 1:00-5:00pm
About the Seminars:
Time to polish those listening skills! Learn how to use generalization and patterning to train your dog to respond instantly and confidently to their verbal cues as well as to discriminate between them, all without creating frustration. This seminar is open to young or more advanced dogs and will be tailored to each dog’s skill level. Young dogs should be at least 8 months old and have exposure to shaping a few foundational skills like cone wraps or jump bumps.
Commitment w/ Peyton
Dates: Sunday, May 10th from 8:00am-12:00pm
About the Seminars:
Learn how to build and proof obstacle commitment so you can get down the line. We’ll work through drills to teach commitment and to help our dogs understand how to switch between handler and obstacle focus. We’ll also discuss important handling mechanics that will help your dog commit. This seminar is open to young or more advanced dogs and will be tailored to each dog’s skill level. Young dogs should be at least 8 months old and have exposure to shaping a few foundational skills like cone wraps or jump bumps.
Focus and Engagement w/ Peyton
Dates: Sunday, May 10th from 1:00-5:00pm
About the Seminars:
This seminar is all about focus & engagement for agility! You'll learn how to train your dog to focus on you and to choose you over distractions. Our goal is to create a dog that always opts in to training instead of you having to beg them to work for you! This session is appropriate for puppies & young dogs getting started and also for more experienced teams who want to improve their relationship. Dogs should be a minimum of 16 weeks old and comfortable eating treats (or playing) in a training facility.
Mini Seminars with Teri O’Neill
Dates: Saturday-Sunday, June 6-7
Cost: $150 – working spot, $25 – auditing spot
About Teri:
Teri has ranked as one of the best agility competitors in Canada for 30 years. She has represented Canada on all of the world teams – IFCS, EO, AWC, and WAO – with several different breeds and brought home many medals. In addition, she has been the Team Canada coach for 3 years. Teri has trained and owned many breeds, everything from hounds to terriers, and currently herding dogs. Teri’s style is smooth and silent and she easily adapts her methods and experience to all types of handlers and dogs.
Perfecting the Basics:
Front, Rear, & Blind Crosses w/ Teri
Dates: Saturday, June 6th from 9:00am-12:30pm
About the Seminars:
- Are you and your dog bridging the gap between foundations and sequencing obstacles? Or do you want to brush up on your fundamentals? Consider this one!
- Short sequence setups will be presented to focus on perfecting your execution of the foundational side changes – front, blind, and rear crosses. When, where, why to choose one over the other and how to handle them well!
- Only jumps and tunnels will be used in this seminar.
- Great for adolescents or dogs new to agility! Open to all teams who need work on these skills, but minimum dogs should be 10 months of age or older with solid agility foundation skills, or have approval from the host. Dogs do not need to be jumping full height.
Drills for International Skills w/ Teri
Dates: Saturday, June 6th from 1:30-5:00pm
About the Seminars:
- This session will focus on current trending advanced/international level skills, breaking them down into drills to teach them to our dogs and to help us learn how to handle them.
- Drills may include discriminations, layering, verbal commitment, challenging weaves, or whatever Teri sees as “what’s next” in course design, presented in bite sized training pieces.
- Dogs should be 12 months of age or older with a foundation for advanced skills.
International Coursework w/ Teri
Dates: Sunday, June 7th from 9:00am-12:30pm
About the Seminars:
- This seminar will address handling challenges trending in international-style course designs such as verbal skills, how to set and commit dogs to big lines, layering obstacles, discriminations, and working to get ahead and stay ahead.
- Jumps, tunnels, and weave poles will be used in this session. Contact obstacle(s) MAY also be included at the discretion of Teri.
- Dogs should be competing at or have the skills to compete at the UKI Champ/AKC ISC level and handlers should have an interest in training and running FCI/European course trends and skills.
Just Jumps & Tunnels for Novice and Beyond! w/ Teri
Dates: Sunday, June 7th from 1:30-5:00pm
About the Seminars:
- Novice/Intermediate level sequences building up to 15-20 obstacles to piece together skills, practice handling, and build teamwork with your dog.
- Only jumps and tunnels will be used in this seminar.
- Dogs should be 12 months of age or older with solid agility foundation skills, or have approval from the host. Dogs do not need to be jumping full height.