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For dogs with naturally high arousal levels, excitement can sometimes create the same challenges we see with stress responses. While the emotion may be positive, the nervous system is still operating in a heightened state, and that can make it difficult for a dog to think clearly and perform effectively. In scent work, this can show up in several different ways. Some high-arousal dogs become busy and chaotic in their searches. They may race around the search area, bounce betw

Every competitor heads to the start line hoping to hear one word: "Yes." A "Yes" means your training came together. It means you earned the title, qualified, or accomplished the goal you set for yourself. But eventually, every competitor hears another word. "No." It can be disappointing. After weeks—or even months—of preparation, a "No" can feel discouraging, especially if you've traveled long distances or invested significant time and effort to compete. However, that little

When we think about preparing for a nosework trial, it's easy to focus on one thing: finding more hides. While search experience is important, it is only one piece of what truly prepares a team for competition. Trials are demanding—for both the dog and the handler. Ask yourself: Is your dog ready to step to the start line with only a few seconds to acclimate to a completely unfamiliar environment, whether it is exciting, distracting or scary? Can they confidently ignore distr

Puppyhood is a critically important time in a dog’s life. Dogs learn more in the first 16 weeks of their lives than at any other point. If something goes really wrong during this time in their puppyhood, it can take a lot of time and effort to fix unwanted behaviors later. Corgi puppy with heart shaped tag sitting. That’s one of the many reasons why we recommend that you begin building a good relationship and bond with your puppy as soon as you bring your them home. Relations

Startline stays are a very useful and important skill in agility, there are also useful components to a stay for everyday life and other...

Descriptions of Volunteer Roles Below are brief descriptions of each volunteer role for an NW1, or NW2 or NW3. There are slight...

Control Unleashed created by Leslie McDevitt, started as a way to help struggling agility dogs learn how to cope with a highly...

Just as we start to think that all the possibilities for fun and exciting activities with our dogs has been thought of, another one pops...