In this episode, the team discusses the impact of Covid-19 on major dog agility events in the United States, highlighting various adjustments and postponements including the recently announced changes for Westminster 2021.
You Will Learn
How Covid-19 has impacted major agility events.
How the US Open went 100% virtual.
What Covid-19 precautions are in effect at the AKC Invitational.
When European Tryouts for Team USA have been postponed to.
Westminster’s new date and location for 2021.
Why dog agility is being featured on a South Korean variety show.
The important of mask wearing to the future of dog agility.
In this episode, Sarah, Jennifer, and Esteban highlight the challenges of dog agility’s “extending” obstacles: the tire, the double/ascending, the triple, the panel, the wall/viaduct, and the broad/long jump.
You Will Learn
Why these obstacles tend to cause dogs to extend their jumping/striding.
How dogs measure their take off point: which bar do they consider the “main” one?
In this episode, Jennifer, Sarah, and Esteban discuss the three elements of “wise feedback” in dog agility. Learn how you can give yourself (or your students) more valuable feedback that leads to immediate improvement.
In this episode, Jennifer, Sarah, and Esteban talk about how you can make the best possible use of your training time when you rent a facility or field for agility practice.
You Will Learn
Why you should have a plan before you arrive at the field.
Tips for pre-training preparation.
When you should quit before your rental time expires.
This podcast is taken from a live video presentation. In this podcast, Sarah, Esteban and Jennifer use the front cross as an example to show you how to advance from one stage of competence to the next.
You Will Learn
How to use the knowledge-execution paradigm to advance your skills.
The how, what, where, when, and why of front crossing.
You can watch the video replay here (available until June 30th, 2020): “Moving Toward Mastery“. What was your biggest take away from this workshop video? Leave us a comment on the replay page!
This podcast is taken from a live video presentation. In this podcast, Sarah, Esteban and Jennifer discuss how handlers acquire competence in dog agility. Instructors usually talk about training the dog, but we believe the handler has even more to learn than the dog!
You Will Learn
How to apply the four stages of competence to dog agility.
How determining your stage of competence can reduce your frustrations.
How agility handling is like driving a car.
The stage where most agility trainers get stuck.
Mentioned/Related
You can watch the video replay here: “What Stage Are You In?“. What was your biggest take away from this workshop video? Leave us a comment on the replay page!
In this episode, we share numerous examples of proofing that you can do with your dog while training. Proofing in practice will give you better performance in the ring as your dog will feel more confident.
You Will Learn
Why you should proof against distractions that you will likely see at agility trials.
The most common distractions a novice dog faces in the ring.
At what point in training you should start proofing.
All information is researched but not exhaustive and not reviewed by an outside expert. Although Esteban is a licensed physician, this is NOT medical advice → you should get medical advice specific to your situation and health from your doctor, not from us or this podcast.
Study came out 3 weeks ago titled “Universal Masking is Urgent in the COVID-19 Pandemic:SEIR and Agent Based Models, Empirical Validation, Policy Recommendations”
The authors (who are from Hong Kong, UK, France and Finland) compared countries with high levels of mask-wearing to ones with low levels. Using computer modeling and real-world data, they found masks could reduce transmission.
The study concluded that if 80% of the population wore masks, there would be more than a 90% drop in infection rates.
Etiquette and Politics Concerning Masks
Wearing a mask does not give sick people permission to attend a trial.
Allergies and upper respiratory infections can look similar, don’t assume the best case (that you have allergies). Instead, assume you are sick and stay home.
Risk tolerance is key, but this is subjective and based on personal risk factors. However, understand that you will likely be unhappy for two different reasons:
Either you feel that there are not enough rules in place (and/or too many violations) so that you don’t feel comfortable being there because you fear getting the virus. If so, STAY HOME.
Or you feel that there are too many rules in place (and they are unnecessary) so that you don’t feel comfortable being there because people are upset with you for “bending” or breaking the rules. If so, STAY HOME.
Sample statement from AKC premium: “If you are concerned about the possibility of exposure to the coronavirus OR if you are unwilling to follow the states rules, it would be best if you did not enter this July trial.” Every personal situation is addressed by that statement.
CDC Guidelines
Who Should Wear?
People older than 2 years of age in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain
Who Should Not Wear?
Anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance. In Esteban’s opinion, these people should not be at agility trials because they are at high risk for complications from coronavirus infection.
General Considerations
Fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face.
Comfort is important. Kap 7 masks 82% Polyester/18% elastane
Shopping time, you should have a mask for every day of the week, like underwear! Children require a smaller fit. Leave your children at home. Leave guests at home–don’t bring them to agility trials.
If it doesn’t fit well, especially around the nose, you will suck in unfiltered air from around your face.
Include multiple layers of fabric
PM2.5 N95 Activated Carbon Filter Mask Insert (100 for $100)
Blocks at least 95% of viruses as small as 0.3 microns
Virus even smaller but carried on droplets that are 5-10 microns
Thread count of 180 or better for materials like sheets/pillowcases
HEPA vacuum bags (hard to breathe)
NO A/C BAGS DUE TO FIBERGLASS
Be secured with ties or ear loops.
Ties are more adjustable than a rubber band behind the ear!
Metal to form the nose helps contour the mask to avoid gaps
Allow for breathing without restriction.
Remove very carefully, don’t touch the mask part, just touch the ties.
Be able to be laundered and machine-dried without damage or change to shape.
Air dry is okay, leave it in the sun if possible.
Hotter is better than colder for washing and drying.
Two situations for masks: low risk and high risk. Agility trials will be high risk. Crowded grocery stores are high risk. Walking outdoors alone is low risk. Use your filters and higher quality masks for higher risk situations and opt for comfort and no filters in low risk situations.
CPE Guidelines effective May 11: http://www.k9cpe.com/premiums/covid19letter05112020.pdf Philosophy: As dog sports are very “social”, we are choosing not to use the term“social distancing” rather refer to it as “physical distancing”.
MASKS: Masks are to be worn by anyone within the ring (building, walking, running, judging). Masks are up to the individual, club, local, state and government guidelines when not within the ring. Exhibitors who will be wearing masks will need to bring enough masks for the duration of the trial and dispose of single use masks properly.
Make sure your dog is ok with people wearing masks. We don’t want a dog becoming fearful due to something they’ve never seen before.
From Esteban: We can come together as a community in order to save our sport and rebuild it in the coming years.
In this episode, Sarah Baker joins the podcast to explain the difference between management and training, and how you should apply those concepts to addressing behaviors, from barking in the crate to missed weave pole entries.
You Will Learn
When you should “manage” and when you should “train”.
How good management protects your training.
Why management is not just for puppies.
How management can halt your progress in training.
In this podcast, we talk about two different handler strategies: reaction and anticipation. Many times during a run, a handler will react to an action by their dog—the dog does something (good or bad) and the handler decides what to do next based on what the dog does. At other times, a handler will anticipate that their dog will do something (usually good) and make a decision BEFORE the dog acts. Confused? Listen to the podcast!
You Will Learn
How competitors REACT or ANTICIPATE when they run courses.
When you should strive to anticipate your dog’s actions on course.
When you should react to your dog’s actions on course.
How the presence of refusals shape handlers to favor reaction over anticipation.
The difference between a dog’s mental and physical commitment to an obstacle.
In this podcast, Jennifer Crank goes from podcast co-host to interviewee. Jennifer and border collie P!nk won the overall Masters Champion at this past weekend’s Masters Agility Championship at Westminster held in New York City and made history as the first non-20″ dog to earn the title.
You Will Learn
How the Westminster Masters Agility Champion is selected.
The results of the 2020 Westminster Masters Agility Championship.
Our thoughts on the broadcast and answers to the most common questions from our listeners.
This week we introduced a new speed-based ranking, the All-Decade Power 70. In this podcast, we discuss this ranking and the trends we see in agility over the past 10 years.
You Will Learn
How the All-Decade Ranking was created.
Why there are 70 ranked dogs instead of 60.
Why we think so many of the ranked dogs are from the last few years.
In this episode, Director of Westminster Companion Events joins Sarah and Esteban to talk about the upcoming Masters Championship at Westminster, including important changes for both competitors and viewers.
You Will Learn
What upgrades Westminster has made for competitors.
How you can view the preliminary rounds on livestream.
Which network the Finals will be broadcast on tape delay.
Who the judges are for this year. How the prize pool will be distributed.
Why Meet the Breeds will not take place in conjunction with agility this year.
Fix and Go at Westminster
After the podcast, we received confirmation from Paul Campanella, Director of Agility for the Westminster Kennel Club, that Fix and Go WILL be allowed during the Preliminary rounds at the Masters Agility Championship at Westminster. However, FNG runs are scored as an E, and an E in a preliminary round disqualifies the team for the finals. Fix and Go will NOT be permitted during the Finals.
In this episode, Denise Fenzi returns to the podcast to talk about the common strategies that we use to help our dogs cope with distractions and anxiety-provoking situations in agility.
You Will Learn
the relationship between a dog’s emotional state and agility performance
Dr. Amy Cook joins Sarah and Esteban to talk about noise sensitivity in agility dogs. Dr. Cook earned her PhD in Psychology at the University of California at Berkeley and has been training dogs and dog trainers for 25 years. Part 2 of 2.
You Will Learn
Why agility dogs can be very sensitive to noises.
Common noises that often cause problems for agility dogs.
How to implement the solution to noise issues.
What type of conditioning you need to fix the problem.
How to “prehab” rather than “rehab” your agility dog.
Dr. Amy Cook joins Sarah and Esteban to talk about noise sensitivity in agility dogs. Dr. Cook earned her PhD in Psychology at the University of California at Berkeley and has been training dogs and dog trainers for 25 years. Part 1 of 2.
You Will Learn
Why agility dogs can be very sensitive to noises.
Common noises that often cause problems for agility dogs.
How to implement the solution to noise issues.
What type of conditioning you need to fix the problem.
How to “prehab” rather than “rehab” your agility dog.
In this episode, Jennifer, Sarah and Esteban talk about success in the sport of dog agility: how do we define it and how do our perceptions of success influence our training and trialing?
You Will Learn
The difference between traditional and non-traditional definitions of success in agility.
Members of the Aces High Flyball Team that won Crufts join Sarah and Esteban to talk about breeding, raising, training, and competing with their dogs in the great sport of flyball.
You Will Learn
Traits that make great flyball dogs.
Why Whippets are gaining popularity as sport dogs.
Why flyball competitors value tugging.
How social media increased visibility for flyball around the world.
In this episode, AKC Director of Agility Carrie DeYoung stops by to talk about the AKC’s newest marquee event–the AKC Agility Premier Cup Presented by EEM.
In this episode, Jennifer and Sarah address the differences between training a skill that encourages a thoughtful response from the dog and training a skill in a higher drive state.
You Will Learn
Why you need to recognize whether you are encouraging a thoughtful response or a more action-oriented response.
How to bridge the gap between thinking and action.
How to manipulate food to increase your dog’s drive for the reward.
How to manipulate toys to decrease your dog’s drive for the reward.
In this podcast, Jennifer and Esteban interview Perry DeWitt, the Masters Agility Champion from this year’s Masters Agility Championship at Westminster.
You Will Learn
All about border collie Verb.
How Perry uses a strict visualization routine in agility.
Why Perry’s agility career was possibly delayed by 5 years.
The top 10 dogs registered in the AKC in 2017 and why it matters to dog agility.
In this episode, Greg Fontaine shares how he has worked with the AKC to experiment with course design strategies aimed at providing better spacing for large dogs.
You Will Learn
What Greg was trying to achieve with his designs.
Two different course design strategies Greg used to provide additional yardage between jumps for large dogs.
In this episode, Sarah and Esteban discuss the concept of proofing, pointing out common misconceptions and explaining exactly how you should use proofing in your agility training.
In this podcast, Director of Agility for the American Kennel Club Carrie DeYoung joins Sarah and Esteban to talk about the upcoming AKC Invitational, which will be held December 14-16, 2018 in Orlando, Florida.
You Will Learn
Why many agility organizers outside of the United States are interested in the Invitational.
In this episode, Sarah and Jennifer outline four international championship events and explain how they differ in format, jump height, and governing organizations.
You Will Learn
Which international organizations are associated with which championship event.
Which USA organization controls the team selection for which championship event.
The differences in jump heights between the various events.
Which championship event does not allow mixed breed dogs.
In this podcast, Sarah and Esteban talk with Leslie Eide, DVM about structuring your agility training in a way that gives you peak performance at a specific event.
You Will Learn
How to plan your time off from agility.
How to taper for an event.
How to design a training plan for the entire year.
In this podcast, Sarah and Esteban chat with Jessica Ajoux. Jessica and her border collie Fame(US) won the overall Masters Champion at this past weekend’s Masters Agility Championship at Westminster held in New York City.
You Will Learn
Why you should consider competing at Westminster at least once.
Jennifer Crank and Sarah Baker join Esteban to share their thoughts on the upcoming Masters Agility Championship at Westminster. They also give some advice to dog agility newcomers and discuss being “results oriented” versus “process oriented” in your approach to the sport.
In February 2015, Raphael was watching the Masters Agility Championship at Westminster on TV with his rescue dog Ringo and decided, in that moment, that he wanted to be there. In June of 2015, he began training in agility. And now, in February of 2018, he will compete at Westminster. Listen to their remarkable story!
In this episode, Sarah catches up with Stacey Campbell whose rescue dog Roo! became the first “Highest Scoring Mixed Breed in Trial” at the Masters Agility Championship at Westminster.
In this episode, Sarah and Esteban talk about three different phases with respect to the start line behavior, and common mistakes made by trainers in each phase.
You Will Learn
The most common start line mistakes that handlers make in trials, in practices, and during retraining.
The concept of ring sustainable training.
Why Esteban never rewards a dog in position at the start line.
A sneaky way to train and proof start lines in the trial environment.
In this episode, Sarah and Esteban talk about the upcoming Masters Agility Championship at Westminster with Paul Campanella, the Director of Companion Events for the Westminster Kennel Club. They will cover new changes to the event, including the $10,000 grand prize, as well as plans for future events.
You Will Learn
Which club is older, the Westminster Kennel Club or the American Kennel Club.
Which agility clubs are eligible for the $10,000 award.
Which height the overall Masters Agility Champion will likely come from.
When entries to Westminster open and why you need to enter on the first day.
In this episode, Sarah and Esteban talk with Silvia Trkman about her recent European Open win and how she continues to be competitive in an ever-changing sport.
You Will Learn
How your attitude toward challenges can affect your enjoyment of the sport and set you up for a career of success.
Silvia’s thoughts on course design in Europe.
What to watch for when reviewing your runs to increase your dog’s speed and reduce their confusion.
How beginners can achieve success with their very first dog.
Why is it sometimes so difficult to make changes in your handling? In this episode, Sarah and Esteban apply the concept of homeostasis to dog agility, and explain how you can “reset” your agility equilibrium.
You Will Learn
The definition of homeostasis.
How to leave jumps sooner.
A helpful tip for handlers who “body block” their dogs on down contacts.
How to get ahead while your dog is weaving.
The real secret behind Romeo and Juliet’s love affair.
In this episode, Sarah and Esteban talk with Jennifer Crank and Sarah Baker about how they manage their time and their dog from the moment they take them out of a crate for a run to the moment they put them back in the crate after the run.
You Will Learn
When and how to get your dog ready to run.
How to structure your dog’s reinforcement schedule around each run at a trial.
Common mistakes people make before and after runs.
The big mistake people make when using food before their run.
