In The Zone Puppy Program
Preparing your Puppy for Performance:
Creating Confidence, Connection
and Teaching Cues & Distance
It is very exciting to get a new pup!! Sometimes we want to jump right into training the puppy in agility. But we have to be very careful of puppies growing bodies and minds. So what can we safely train our pup in their first year of life?
The key to preparing your puppy for performance is having a strong connection and a solid training foundation. Bonding and connecting are the most important things to do with your pup. In this class we will go over connection games to do with your pup to keep your pup in the Connection Zone with you. Additionally, we will work on teaching your pups your cues. We will use toys, targets and cones to work the groundwork exercises that will teach your pup to follow your body language, learn your verbal cues and understand motion that helps give them the confidence and understanding of your cues before ever seeing any agility equipment. We will also start working distance right from the start so that you are your pup get comfortable working away from each other.
This class is jammed packed with great lessons on:
- Connection Exercises
- Shadow-Handling
- Groundwork Exercises
- Targeting (Toys and Bucket)
- Teaching Your Pup to Understand Your Cues
- Teach Your Pup your Turn Cues
- Teach Your Pup to Drive Forward
- Distance Foundation Training
- Start-Lines
Teaching groundwork exercises will help your puppy learn to follow your body language, learn your verbal cues and understand motion. It also helps to teach distance skills.
In this class I will be performing these exercises with my puppy Inspire! You will see the actual learning process of how I train my pup. I will also use my advanced dogs for some exercises to show you that even very advanced dogs still need a refresher on these exercises. I have never had a dog understand my cues and body language as a pup/young dog as Inspire does and I attribute this to the new groundwork exercises that I have done! He has amazing distance already. I am so excited about our agility journey and would love to share some of the great exercises I did with him as he grew from a pup to a dog that just started to compete with great success!!
This class is great for puppies as well as older dogs that need to learn these skills and more advanced teams that want a “tune-up”.
Equipment: elevated foot target ( I use feed bucket), toys and cones.
You will have access to this class a year after enrollment, giving you plenty of time to train, video and get feedback on your videos.
Working Spot: $150 This fee includes video analysis and feedback of your homework assignments.
Auditors: Can view all material and ask questions. No video submittal. If you audit and would like me to look at a video of a specific exercise, the fee is $20 per lesson.
Get started now!
Your Instructor
Train Smart. Run Connected. Stay In The Zone.
Agility • Distance • Puppy • Fitness • Massage
Dr. Lisa Schmit
PhD Public Policy Analysis
Certified Canine Fitness Trainer
Certified Pet Massage Practitioner
Certified Canine & EquineMyo-Manipulative Functional Practitioner
Certified Animal Cold Laser Practitioner
Certified Canine & Equine Cranio-Sacral Practitioner
Certified Canine & EquineKinesiology Tape Practitioner
Certified Human, Pet, Equine & Livestock Magnawave Practitioner
Dog/Puppy Agility Training Expert
Lisa Schmit is a passionate and dedicated dog trainer who believes in building confident, connected canine athletes—at every stage of life. With a deep commitment to both training and wellness, she focuses on helping dogs stay sound, strong, and happy through thoughtful fitness, clear communication, and smart agility handling.
As the founder of In The Zone Training, Lisa has created a supportive learning environment for agility handlers of all levels. Through individual skill classes or her All-Access Membership, she offers step-by-step guidance for everything from foundational distance work to advanced Bonus handling, along with fitness and massage techniques to keep dogs in peak condition.
Lisa isn’t just an expert—she’s a teacher at heart. She makes complex skills accessible, and she’s known for her practical, encouraging style. Whether helping a handler build their first start line stay or coaching a team to their 25th NATCH, Lisa blends science, experience, and heart in every lesson. Her goal is to help dogs and handlers thrive—not just in competition, but in every moment they share.
She doesn’t just want to train her own dogs—she wants to empower others. She builds structured learning communities (like All Access Membership), pays attention to what her students need, and she is always looking for ways to make information clearer, more inspiring, and easier to apply.
Lisa is detail-oriented, practical, and experienced—but also warm and approachable. She values connection: with her dogs, her students, and her community. At the same time, she is not afraid to advocate—whether it’s for better course design, more fairness in the sport, or just helping others understand what’s realistic to train. She strikes a balance between expertise and empathy.
With a PhD in Public Policy Analysis and certifications in canine fitness and massage, Lisa brings both academic depth and hands-on expertise to her work. Most importantly, she understands that great agility comes from trust, connection, and a whole lot of joy.
In short: Lisa is a passionate dog trainer, a generous educator, and a thoughtful advocate for both dogs and the people who love running with them.