The next Running Contacts Class – Beyond The Target starts May 4th, 2026 and you can register now.
About the Class
My goal when teaching dogwalk running contacts is to minimize unsuccessful attempts throughout the learning process. To achieve this, we first focus on building understanding in a calm environment. Then, as we introduce speed, handler motion, and obstacles after the contact, we guide our dogs through every step of the process. This approach ensures they can use their drives while still meeting the criteria, maintaining a consistently high success rate.
We will expose our dogs to all challenges early on when still working on the ground, which will significantly reduce the number of repetitions needed on the actual equipment later.
This method helps build confidence, establish correct muscle memory, and make the training process super fun for both the dog and the handler!
Who is this class for?
The class is suitable for every dog, including:
- Sensitive dogs who struggle with repetition,
- High-driven dogs who find training itself rewarding,
- Dogs you would like to retrain from 2on2off.
I believe in a holistic approach. Alongside running contacts, you will also work on body awareness exercises—since hitting a specific spot of the contact at high speed requires excellent body control—as well as impulse control exercises. Agility, including running contacts, is all about finding the perfect balance between speed and control. We want our dogs to be fully driven to reach maximum speed while still able to think and maintain criteria. Each of these skills must be trained separately before being combined.
Minimum age requirement for the class:
- 9 months for small breeds
- 11 months for larger breeds
Equipment used & needed
We’ll start with a target and/or a frame, along with some stride regulators—nothing fancy needed, all can be homemade. Later, we’ll of course need the dog walk (which can be lowered), a jump and tunnel.
How the Class works
All materials are available in the online classroom, allowing each team to work at their own pace. As part of the registration process, you’ll be asked to provide details about your dog. This will help me gain insights into their strengths and potential weaknesses so I can tailor the approach to each team. Every dog is different, and I will adjust the training accordingly.
Class details
Duration: 12 weeks + a 3-week break in between
Dates: Starts May 4th and ends August 21st 2026
Price: 300 EUR for a working spot, 180 EUR for auditing (can’t post videos, but can ask questions)
The start of the next class will be announced later!
REGISTER FOR THIS ONLINE CLASS BELOW:
What Others Say About Running Contacts Classes
18. January, 2025.
Training with Maruša has been a game-changer for us! I initially taught Koda stopped contacts but decided to retrain to running contacts after a year. Maruša has helped us through many challenges by adjusting the exercises to our needs, and providing valuable feedback making the training enjoyable and frustration-free.
I also appreciate that the initial training is done on the floor with minimal equipment, making it easy to practice almost anywhere, while keeping the exercises low impact on the dog’s body. By the time we moved on to the dogwalk, Koda was already familiar with the correct motion, making the whole process much smoother.
Before, Koda was unsure on the dogwalk, often stopping in the middle of it, or jumping over the contact. Now, she runs with confidence and rarely misses, even though we’re still beginners. I am incredibly happy with the progress we have achieved with Maruša’s help and would recommend her course to anyone wanting to learn, retrain or improve their running contacts.
Tjasa & Brownie
20. January, 2025.
Brownie’s RC journey was truly a wild one. While many have told us that they would just give up and switch to 2on2off, Marusa never gave up on us. She saw our problem, understood Brownie and knew how to adjust the learning process to Brownie’s way of thinking. She gave us hope that we can do it - not just through encouraging words but by backing them up with an effective training plan that brought real results. Every
time we bumped into a problem, Marusa was there to get us through. She saw the issue, understood the root behind it and adjusted the training to get us back on track. Thanks to Marusa we finally achieved what once felt impossible.
Zala & Jon
22. January, 2025.
I am so grateful I’ve met Marusa. I started training with her two years ago and she encouraged me to retrain my dog from 2on2off to running contacts. Since this is my first dog, I had no idea what I was doing. I took a running contact class, but we didn’t get nowhere. My dog is a border collie mix, so his drive is not that high. He hates a lot of repetitions, and he really needs to understand the assignment to do well. We didn’t enjoy our trainings anymore and it was really sad and frustrating.
But then Marusa happened! She took the time to see where the problem lays and she introduced me to her method. She explained everything to me in a way I understood, she carefully analyzed and commented every video I made, and she always answered to my questions (and there were a lot).
Her method is easy, simple, but it works like a charm. What I like best, is you can adjust everything to your dog’s needs. And if you are a beginner, Marusa is there to help you since she has a lot of knowledge, is an amazing observer and she always thinks outside of the box. She understands that every dog is an individual and she is capable of accommodating the training for a specific dog and its handler.
In my case, she accommodated the method and learning process in a way that my dog understood the criteria right away with very little repetitions. So not only the training was successful, but it was also fun for us. Because the method is effective and I had all the support needed, we managed to reach our goal very quickly. With Marusa’s help, my dog has no problems with RC whatsoever, no matter the entrance or the exit on the DW.
Marusa, thank you for encouraging me and not giving up on us. I am going to be forever grateful!