Shari and the Wild Weezels
Canine Freestyle Corner
What is canine freestyle? Canine freestyle is a choreographed musical routine performed by handlers and their dogs. It can involve dancing, dog tricks, acting and any other skills the dog and handler have to bring to the performance. There are several organizations which promote the sport of canine freestyle. Currently, the most active competition group in the United States is the World Canine Freestyle Organization (WCFO) (http://www.worldcaninefreestyle.org/).
Shari Heino has been training dogs for most of her life. She has earned a variety of titles in freestyle, agility and flyball with her dogs. She has been teaching freestyle since the fall of 2007. Her prior dog training instruction experience includes teaching all levels of agility classes and developing a curriculum for an entire agility training program. Shari has been competing in WCFO freestyle for about two years. She has put freestyle titles on four dogs so far and currently has one dog competing in the advanced level and two at the intermediate level. Shari also has a couple beginner dogs in training. In addition to titles and placements, Shari and her dogs have received many special awards for their creative moves, choreography and musical interpretation at competitions. Most of Shari.s dogs are rescue dogs. Shari has a background in ballroom dancing and extensive popular musical knowledge thanks to her experience as a mobile DJ.
Shari.s daughter Lucy, who is 8, also performs with the dogs and competes in freestyle. Lucy and Tofu earned their Junior Musical Freestyle Championship from WCFO in 2009. Shari.s son, Owen, age 3, has not yet competed in freestyle but enjoys performing (i.e., spinning, weaving, rolling over) with the dogs at nursing homes and festivals.
Freestyle videos:
- Shari and Tofu, intermediate routine
- Shari, Tofu and Yo-Yo, beginner routine
- Shari and Tofu, Darren and Chicken Dog, beginner routine
Freestyle seminars: Shari is available for seminars on many freestyle topics, such as:
- clicker training for freestyle
- attention work
- using targeting in freestyle
- foundation positions and moves for freestyle
- fading cues and training new cues
- developing a routine (musical interpretation, choreography, character development and storytelling through a routine)
- preparing for and getting a good performance in competition
- Tricks Class Starting September 20
- August 14 Seminar
Photos courtesy of
- Steve Bull, Sirius Photography: http://siriusphotography.zenfolio.com/
- Jim Poor: http://www.jimpoor.com/
- Eric: flickr.com/onefiftyfour
