Clean Run - May 2017 - 66

department. Instructors contact classes by email or phone
if they are cancelled. If weather
is bad enough that we feel it is
dangerous for them to drive or
the temps are so severe it isn't
safe to have dogs traveling, we
cancel and add a make-up session on at the end. If they miss
a class that is being held, we
do let them make up a class on
another night.
Do you observe holidays? If
so, how do they affect the
class schedule?

Regular class sessions are not
scheduled on major holidays,
nor between Christmas and
New Year's
How do you accommodate injured dogs or handlers that will be out for a
month or more? Do you
keep their place in class?

We have a lot of classes so we
usually can just fit them back
in either to their own class
or into another when they
return. But we like to keep a
class together if possible, as I
feel it is important that they
enjoy the classes. I realize it
is a social night for many of
them as well as dog training and we see many of the

classes become a cohesive
close knit group so we try
to keep the student in that
group when they return even
if it means a smaller group
while they are gone, or filling
in with someone temporarily. I do not charge them to
keep their spot.
What is your policy on
when a handler misses class
due to vacation, dog show,
or something like that? Do
they get fees back, class
credit, a make-up lesson,
attend another class, get a
sub to take their spot...?

They must pay for the entire
session but can drop in on
another class as a make-up. If
it's a beginner we may schedule a short make-up to keep
them from getting behind.
How do you compensate
instructors?

We pay them a flat rate per
dog per week.
How do you handle it when
you just don't mesh with a
particular student and you
need to part ways?

We have six instructors, so
it usually works well to suggest another class/instructor
if needed. Usually things
just seem to work out that if
someone isn't meshing they
just ask the office to be put
in another class. That
usually works out as it
seems to be a two-way
street and everyone
is happy about the
change. Luckily, it is
something that does
not happen often.
What program do
you use to do your
books?

Peach Tree.

What program do you
use to schedule and book
classes?

We do not use a program.
We have devised an Excel
spreadsheet to track what
class is in what training
area and at what time as
it is getting trickier now
that we have four training
areas and six instructors. It
is a work in progress as we
have recently expanded and
we are still feeling our way
through the tremendous
growth spurt and dealing
with six instructors and 5060 classes a week. Because
the majority of classes are
advanced students and the
same every session, it really isn't that hard to keep
up with them just through
email as each instructor
does their own scheduling.
The office tracks the new
classes. The trainers keep
the same days and time
slots as much as possible so
that helps keep it organized.
Do you offer private lessons?

Yes.
Do you offer discounts on
privates to existing students?

No.
How and when do you recommend a private lesson to
work on a team's specific
issues?

If I feel the problem they
are having in class is specific to only them and not
likely to get resolved in
class without holding up
the rest of the students, I
will mention to them that it
may be beneficial to them
to take a private so we can
work on their problem.

When do you schedule private lessons (before class,
after class, or have a day
set aside for just privates)?

A lot of my advanced level
training is out-of-town students who travel a few
hours. So, to give them more
individual time, they take
private/semi-private lessons
and are just booked weekly
as a class spot. But I do keep
one day that is saved for
"occasional" privates so that
we can fit in lessons for students needing extra help or
out-of-town requests. We do
not give any privates during
prime evening hours as we
need to keep the floor open
for as many students as possible in group lessons. Our
schedule flows one class into
the other with a 15-minute
break in between so we are
not able to fit privates in before or after classes.
Do you have items for sale
at your facility like treats,
toys, and human food and
drinks?

We sell clickers, touch
boards, balance discs, cones,
2x2s, practice jumps, tippy
boards, [and so on] to the
beginner students as needed
now. My husband manufactures agility equipment so we
do have all agility equipment
available to the students by
request. We have a large retail room built in to our new
facility that will sell treats,
toys, dog food, crates, [and
more] in the future.
We do not sell any human
food/drinks except at the
agility trials on the weekend.
Thank you, Denise, for sharing the details of the business side of running Countryside Agility! D

Brenna Fender is a freelance writer and editor who works for Clean Run. She lives in Florida with her husband, two children, a Papillon (Spark), a Beagle (Wrigley), a
Border Collie (Tessa), her daughter's Chihuahua (Chase), and a variety of other creatures. Tessa has agility titles, UpDog Challenge disc achievements, and a Trick Dog
Champion Title. Over the years, Brenna's dogs have been titled in conformation, agility, Junior Hunter, Junior Courser, rally, obedience, and Canine Good Citizen. Brenna
can be reached at brennafender@gmail.com and you can visit her website at brennafender.com.
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