664 Posts Tagged With "agility"
Dana Pike Courses Inspired by UKI US Open 2024 Judge Ivan Amez - Video
12 Jul 2024
Dana Pike modified a course by one of this year's US Open judges Ivan Amez for class this week. There are two sequences for the same setup. They were a blast to run!
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Spark's First A-Frame Session
24 Jun 2024
I'm teaching Spark to do the A-Frame using Justine Davenport's method. Here's his first session.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Snap! Injury Update
17 Jun 2024
Snap! was injured at the UKI Midwest Cup and I took him to see Dr. Woodside at Ready to Go Veterinary Rehabilitation today. Here's an update.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Mike Murphy UKI Midwest Cup Masters Series Jumping Course
16 Jun 2024
This was the course I wanted to run more than any other at the UKI Midwest Cup. Mike Murphy's Masters Series Jumping course from Saturday.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
UKI Midwest Cup 2024 - Snap! Injured
15 Jun 2024
Definitely not the "comeback" I was hoping for at the UKI Midwest Cup with Snap!
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Agility Course Master Website Update
26 May 2024
Folks try out my Agility Course Master software and think it is a course design program. To avoid confusion and frustration I've updated the website.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Filling Gaps in Dog Walk Skins
05 May 2024
My old DW has two piece skins, so there is a small gap between them on each plank in which a dog's toe nails could get caught.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Recovering from a Disappointing Agility Practice
13 Apr 2024
Sometimes training can be frustrating or disappointing. Here's how I've learned to deal with it.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Course Design Teeter/Seesaw Safety
12 Apr 2024
Judges and trainers who design courses need to think carefully about placing a teeter where a handler's path could bring them moving toward the up end. During a run a handler misjudging their location can run into the up end and be seriously injured. It has happened numerous times.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Make the Second Obstacle Free - UKI Invitational Finals - Video
05 Apr 2024
In the UKI Invitational finals I failed to take my own advice and it almost cost me the run. Here's a video of the run and my thoughts on the importance of setting up your dog on the start line to help you both.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Dana Pike Small Space Sequence - Can You See the Paths?
04 Apr 2024
Can you see and handle the four possible dog paths through this sequence? Dana Pike's AKC-ish sequence last night had a little section that had four interesting dog paths.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Spark's UKI Invitational Experience - Video
03 Apr 2024
Spark's first UKI Invitational experience and what I learned about running a young dog in a high energy environment.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
UKI Invitational 2024 Overview - Snap! on the Podium
01 Apr 2024
It was a mix of sleep deprivation, excitement, waiting, strategizing, and "the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" at the UKI Invitational. Snap!, Spark and I had some wonderful results.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Dog Agility Events and the Barkley Marathons
23 Mar 2024
The 2024 Barkley Marathon finished yesterday with it's first ever woman finisher and it got me thinking about unsanctioned dog agility events!
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Titling in Agility
24 Feb 2024
People have "feelings" about earning titles in dog agility and how others feel about earning them. Here's my take.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Dana Pike Masters Training Sequence - Video
24 Feb 2024
I enjoyed running this Dana Pike training course and I think you will too! It has a little bit of everything and is a great way to work on your handling skills.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Staying Connected and Visual Focus - Video
18 Feb 2024
See what folks mean about connection and focusing on the dog's line to help dog's see the path you desire.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Snap! - UKI Masters Series Agility - Video
18 Feb 2024
First trial back actually running since last October! Well it was 0-fer 6 in the Q department but our 2nd place in Masters Series was good…
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Loretta Zich AKC Premier Course
14 Feb 2024
A really nice AKC Premier course from local judge Loretta Zich. I like the lines, challenges, and the jump spacing appears to be at the max allowed. Folks who ran it said they really enjoyed it and would like to see more courses like it!
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Agility Training, Software Development, and Writing Have a Lot in Common!
11 Feb 2024
Agility training, software development, and writing all follow a similar flow. HUH? See how they are similar and how you can use a common process to improve your agility training!
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Take Your Course Concerns to the Judge!
10 Feb 2024
It is easy to see a course and think it is "bad". But, before you leave comments berating the judge, I want to talk about taking your concerns about a course to the judge before the trial starts.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Daisy Peel's Agility Challenge Tip 3 - Engraving Approach
16 Jan 2024
Daisy Peel has an interesting podcast about the "engraving approach" for learning/improving a skill as applied to dog agility handling.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Dog Agility Jump Height Calculator Updates!
13 Jan 2024
I've corrected two errors in the Dog Agility Jump Height Calculator website.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Iwona Golab's Challenging Training Course
06 Jan 2024
A really nice training course from Iwona Golab with many challenges packed into a 25mx20m or 80'x65' space!
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Dana Pike Course - Jan 1 2024
05 Jan 2024
Fun and challenging course from Dana Pike. Here's my handling approach/notes.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Compassion: Agility Training Facilities
01 Jan 2024
A mean email sent to an agility training facility owner inspired me to share my thoughts on the hard work and dedication of the owners of the facilities we are fortunate to train at.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Masters/Premier Workshop Sequences
26 Oct 2023
Here are two masters/premier sequences that I've used at a recent evening workshop. They had some good challenges!
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Novice Optional Weave Workshop Sequences
25 Oct 2023
Here are two novice sequences that can be used with and without weaves that I've used at a recent evening workshop.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Taking Advantage of Not For Competition (NFC) and For Exhibition Only (FEO) - Video
05 Sep 2023
I've put together some notes about the Not For Competition (NFC) and For Exhibition Only (FEO) options at agility trials and how I've used them.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
AKC Premier-ish Seminar Sequences
20 Aug 2023
I thought I'd share four challenging AKC Premier-ish sequences I've used at seminars in smaller spaces. They've got "all the things".
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
(Re)Training Weaves with Guides and 2x2s
18 Jun 2023
In this blog post, I'll explain how to train a dog to weave using 2x2s combined with weave guides, whether they have previous experience or are new to weaving.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Stacie Cwik Inspired Small Space Sequences
07 Jun 2023
I loved running Spark and Snap! on Stacie Cwik's class course last week and the opening/closing made for a perfect small space practice setup. So I mashed the opening and closing together into one sequence and came up with three additional (and challenging!) training sequences.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Dog Agility Podcasts in 2023
19 Jan 2023
I like to listen to podcasts while I'm driving and working around the house. I asked folks on the AgilityNerd Facebook page for their favorite dog agility podcasts and put them in this post for easy access.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Are You Training Enough Threadle Handler Locations?
16 Jan 2023
I want my threadle physical and verbal cues to be proofed enough that I don't have to be perfectly positioned for my dogs to take the obstacle as a slice or a wrap. How accurate does your dog need you to be?
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Two Proposals for Determining Invitees to the AKC Agility Invitational
06 Jan 2023
I present two proposals for selecting teams that can perform well at the AKC Agility Invitational without requiring popular breeds to trial nearly every weekend.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Dana Pike/Steve Skills Sequences
25 Nov 2022
I loved running Spark on Dana Pike's skills sequence at this week's class and she kindly let me share it. I've added two more sequences to give you three jump-only skills sequences for a long narrow space that let you work on jump wraps, 270s, back side slice/wrap, and a threadle.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
AKC-like JWW/Premier Novice through Masters Practice Courses
12 Nov 2022
Three of each AKC-like Jumpers/Premier sequences for novice/advanced and excellent/masters teams from a recent seminar of mine.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Fun AKC-like JWW Novice/Advanced Practice Courses
07 Nov 2022
Five fun and challenging AKC-like Jumpers sequences for novice/intermediate teams from a recent seminar.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Four Jumps, Two Tunnels, Eight Sequences to Train All the Things - Video
18 Sep 2022
Here are eight sequences for a long narrow space using four jumps and two tunnels that let you work on a lot of different handling skills!
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Three Backyard Back Side and Threadle Practice Sequences
02 Sep 2022
Snap! and I need to work on him taking the jump on a back side slice while I'm moving fast away from the jump he is taking. Also threadle wraps when I'm past the plan of the jump. So I created these three sequences and thought I'd share them.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Birgitta Hermansson Tunnels/Jumps Practice Sequences - Video
26 Aug 2022
I always enjoy the practice courses Birgitta Hermansson posts on Facebook. After having so much fun running one of her sequences I came up with three more sequences for the same equipment setup. I also shot some video of me practicing with Snap! and 8 month old Spark for fun.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Ultimate Guide to Filling Dog Agility Tunnel Bags
09 Jun 2022
After 10 years, I've updated my step by step instructions for filling up dog agility tunnel bags.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
"Jumperified" Dana Pike Advanced/Masters Sequences
15 May 2022
I've removed the contact obstacles from the Dana Pike Advanced/Masters class courses, that I posted recently, for folks who have a slightly narrower space or who don't have contacts. These sequences will test your skills!
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Challenging Dana Pike Advanced/Masters Sequences
06 May 2022
Two challenging Dana Pike Advanced/Masters class courses that will test all your skills!
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Practice Sequences Based on Stefanie Semkat's 2022 Polish Open Large Agility
06 Feb 2022
Stefanie Semkat's 2022 Polish Open Large Agility course had some challenging handling sequences! I created a smaller layout, with the same spacing/alignment of her three middle jumps, and came up with three sequences so we could practice her challenges at home.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Fun/Challenging Medium Sized Practice Courses
01 Jan 2022
Three fun and challenging sequences for working on weave entries/exits and lots of handling challenges! I had a great time practicing on this layout!
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Flyer's and My Emotional Journey to the 2021 USDAA Cynosport Veterans All Around
29 Oct 2021
After two years of rehabilitation Flyer got the OK to run in the USDAA Cynosport Veterans Team Event and, even with a few bumps in the road, it was a dream come true. I've included all the course maps and videos of our runs at the big event.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Weave entries/exits from Courtney Keys' UKI Midwest Cup Masters Series Jumpers
01 Oct 2021
Handlers were really challenged by Courtney Keys' UKI Midwest Cup Masters Series Jumpers course. Specifically, the weave entry/exit was tough for a lot of teams. I created four smaller variations of her course to work on in your training.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Leveling You Jumps
22 Aug 2021
A quick tip for leveling your jump uprights on uneven ground.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Small Space Jump Slice Sequences
01 Aug 2021
I was working on slice approaches to the front and back sides of jumps. I created six small space sequences so you can work on them too!
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Hack for Organizing Your Dogs' Agility Entry Info
11 Jun 2021
I share a super simple hack for storing your dog's info for filling out trial entry forms.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Practice Sequences Inspired by the 2021 AKC NAC Finals
29 May 2021
I've created six practice sequences in three different sized obstacle layouts to let you practice the closing sequence and a lot of different handling skills. You can practice front/rear/blind crosses, jump wraps, serpentines, threadles, and back sides in these sequences!
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Handling the 2021 AKC NAC Finals Closing Sequence
28 May 2021
I set up the closing sequence of the 2021 AKC NAC Finals course and handled it all the ways I could imagine and video taped them. See what worked best for Snap! and me and some handling options you can practice at home.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
PVC - Screw It Don't Glue It!
10 May 2021
Screwing together PVC and fittings holds the pieces together and gives you the ability to replace any cracked/broken pieces and the flexibility to redesign your obstacles in the future.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Follow/Subscribe to AgilityNerd By Email
04 May 2021
Get an email notification about new articles on AgilityNerd. I've moved current followers from Feedburner (which is shutting down) to the follow.it service.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Backyard Mastery - All the Crosses
28 Feb 2021
My August 2020 Clean Run magazine Backyard Mastery article with sequences that fit in your backyard or garden. This month shows using all the crosses on the same sequence to increase the challenges of any sequence.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Backyard Mastery - Move It!
25 Oct 2020
My April 2020 Clean Run magazine Backyard Mastery article with sequences that fit in your backyard or garden. This month covers moving obstacles to increase the challenges of ANY SEQUENCE.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
My Home Dog Agility iPhone Recording Setup
01 Sep 2020
Here are the inexpensive wide angle lens, mount, and tripod I use to record dog agility at home.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Backyard Mastery - Changing Sides & Cutting Corners
22 Aug 2020
My December 2019 Clean Run magazine Backyard Mastery article with sequences that fit in your backyard or garden. This month covers changing the side of the jump and bypassing obstacles to increase the challenges of any sequence.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Dana Pike Weave Entry/Exit, Straight Tunnel Challenges
03 Jul 2020
Dana Pike has been designing medium and small space at home practice sequences for her students. She let me share these great weave pole entry and exit challenges!
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Backyard Mastery - Turning the "Wrong" Way
28 Jun 2020
My October 2019 Clean Run magazine Backyard Mastery article starts my series on ways to challenge your team using any sequence that fits in your backyard or garden. This month covers changing the direction you turn your dog around a jump for front and back side approaches.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Save Your Grass From Your Weaves
18 Jun 2020
A simple tip to keep your weaves from killing your grass.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
DIY Dog Agility Teeter Mover
14 Jun 2020
A dog agility teeter can be awkward to move by yourself. Here's a video showing how I move mine with a small, cheap hand truck and a bungee cord.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Around The Clock/Around The World Training
06 Jun 2020
"Around the clock" or "around the world" training is an approach for systematically training and proofing the dog (and handler's) ability…
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Backyard Dogs Practice Sequences - 2019 May
18 Apr 2020
My May 2019 Clean Run magazine Backyard Dogs courses for small spaces requires a wide range of handling skills! There are setups with and without weaves and also a slightly larger setup using 12 weave poles.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Backyard Agility LED Lighting
05 Apr 2020
I replaced two old halogen yard lights with modern outdoor waterproof LED lights to extend our training and playtime into the dark winter nights.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Tiny Space Training Sequences/Drills
29 Mar 2020
All my training sequences and exercises for tiny spaces with no or only a few obstacles.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Backyard Dogs Practice Sequences - 2019 Mar
21 Mar 2020
My March 2019 Clean Run magazine Backyard Dogs courses for small spaces require a wide range of handling skill and have some of my most challenging sequences yet! Also includes a setup using 12 weave poles.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
My Home Agility All Season Practice Area
15 Mar 2020
How I converted part of my yard into an all season agility practice area and what I'd do differently next time.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Landing Side, Non-Obvious, Off-Flow Obstacle Approaches
01 Mar 2020
I explain why trainers use these terms for when they need to direct their dogs to take the side or end of an obstacle that is not directly in their path. There are more than just "Threadle" and "Back Side" elements.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Backyard Dogs Practice Sequences - 2019 Jan
26 Feb 2020
This is an expanded version of my Backyard Dogs article originally published in the January 2019 issue of CleanRun. These sequences contain a full range of handling challenges including some interesting tunnel to weave and weave to tunnel entrances.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Dan Butcher PSCA Premier Std - Cool Bidirectional/BackSide
27 Jan 2020
Dan Butcher's Pyrenean Shepherd Club of America Sep 21 2019 Premier Standard course with video of Flyer and I trying it out. A fun and flowing Premier course with a great bidirectional jump to back side challenge!
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Tunnel and Tunnel Bag Cart/Mover
24 Jan 2020
Check out these clever homemade carts for moving and storing tunnels with their sandbags.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Agility Nerd Speaks! Training Tuesday Video Interview
14 Jan 2020
During the 2019 USDAA Cynosport Games I was interviewed about my training strategy, mental preparation for a run, and a common challenge for competitors. The video was just released.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
USDAA Please Require Four Paws on the Ground Before Calling an Off Course
06 Jan 2020
This contact performance is considered an off course/standard fault by some USDAA judges. I'd like them to move inline with the other agility organizations.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
2019 Readers' Favorites
30 Dec 2019
Looking back at readers' favorite dog agility articles and courses for 2019.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Backyard Dogs Practice Sequences - 2018 Nov
20 Dec 2019
This is an expanded version of my Backyard Dogs article originally published in the November 2018 issue of CleanRun
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Sandbags for PVC Ring Dividers/Gates/Fencing
08 Dec 2019
My experience using my moveable PVC ring dividers/gates outdoors lead me to invest in photographer sandbags.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Backyard Dogs Practice Sequences - 2018 Sep
22 Nov 2019
This is an expanded version of my Backyard Dogs article originally published in the September 2018 issue of Clean Run magazine.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Weave Safety in One Photo
15 Nov 2019
Whitney Rupp of Chops Photography took this action shot of Snap! and I loved it because it showed three potential weave safety issues in one shot; can you spot them?
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Backyard Mastery: Turning the "Wrong Way" now in Clean Run
10 Nov 2019
The first article in my Clean Run magazine mini-series: "Backyard Mastery" called "Turning the Wrong Way" has been published!
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
PVC Moveable Ring Dividers/Gates/Fencing
27 May 2019
How to build your own moveable ring dividers/gates from PVC with a spreadsheet calculator for materials and saw cuts.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Backyard Dogs Practice Sequences - 2018 July
07 Mar 2019
This is an expanded version of my Backyard Dogs article originally published in the July 2018 issue of CleanRun . For this month's Backyard…
Backyard Dogs Practice Sequences - 2018 May
30 Dec 2018
This is an expanded version of my Backyard Dogs article originally published in the May 2018 issue of CleanRun . For this month's Backyard…
Backyard Dogs 2019 Jan Course Setups
24 Dec 2018
There wasn't room in the Jan 2019 Clean Run for the 50 ft x 50 ft (15 m x 15 m) layout of my Backyard Dogs article using a full set of…
Backyard Dogs Practice Sequences - 2018 March
19 Sep 2018
This is an expanded version of my Backyard Dogs article originally published in the March 2018 issue of CleanRun . For my first Backyard…
Use Sight Lines to Accurately Setup/Build Agility Courses
01 Sep 2018
The "baseline" method of course building ( Daisy Peel how to video , 2004 Clean Run article by Dave Hanson ) is the most accurate way to…
Jump Bar Cavaletti
06 Apr 2018
A simple way to convert any PVC jump bars into dog training cavaletti.
Beautiful Coordinate Numbers for Your Agility Ring
22 Nov 2017
Whether you call them "numbers", "coordinates", "wall numbers", "grid numbers", "yard lines", or something else, having coordinates posted…
Adjusting Dog Walk Height with Rotating Supports
19 Oct 2017
I love my dog walk (made by Iowan Mark Ries 10+ years ago) because it's easy to move on rough terrain, tunnels can be placed anywhere…
Pull Across Jump and Push to Back Side - Video
02 Oct 2017
Here is the general obstacle setup: When you set it up you want the wrong side of 3 to be what the dog sees when coming over jump 2. Play…
Six Advanced to Masters Challenge 40x40 Small Space Courses
11 Aug 2017
I was inspired by a course from judge Gabi Steppan and I took part of her layout, added a jump, and came up with six training sequences…
Small Space Masters Handling Seminar Sequences
27 Apr 2017
Here are my small space masters handling "Steeplechase-ish" courses from my fun weekend of seminars with Talcott Moutain Agility Club in…
Small Space Front/Rear Cross Seminar Sequences
10 Apr 2017
I'm back from teaching a fun weekend of seminars with Talcott Moutain Agility Club in Manchester, CT and thought I'd share the smaller…
Contact Equipment Safety in Photos
20 Mar 2017
I'm always concerned about our dog's safety on course and I'm collecting photos of dog agility contact equipment and highlighting unsafe…
2017 Feb Wisconsin Agility Cup: Courses and Video
23 Feb 2017
This past weekend Flyer , Snap ! and I got up at "o-dark-thirty" in the morning to drive the two and a half hours to Canine Sports Zone…
You Screwed Up
18 Jan 2017
Sometimes we make mistakes, loose our tempers, and regret how we or someone else has treated our dogs. Well known trainer Denise Fenzi has…
Dog Agility Online Training/Coaching
16 Jan 2017
It's been quiet here at AgilityNerd because I've spent the past month updating the Dog Agility Search/Googility website to the latest…
Backyard Handling Mastery: 2 Jumps + Tunnel = 24 Challenges
11 Nov 2016
I wanted to create some sequences to demonstrate my "Backyard Handling Mastery" philosophy so I came up with these four obstacle layouts…
Agility Jump Height Calculator
31 Oct 2016
Lately there have been a lot of discussions about jump heights due to the USDAA adjusting some of their jump heights . That got me…
AKC Premier Standard Courses by Tim Pinneri and Arlyn Sigeti - Video
01 Jun 2016
This past weekend Smack Dab's Agility Club held an AKC agility trial featuring both Premier Standard and Jumpers classes each day. The…
WAO 2016 Relay Small Space Weave Entry/Exit Drills
21 May 2016
I really enjoyed watching some of the world's top teams tackling Portuguese judge Jorge Pires's World Agility Open Team Speedstakes Relay…
Seesaw or Teeter or ?
03 Apr 2016
I was at Canine Sports Zone for their awesome 2016 National Agility Championship fun match and we were watching the AKC event on the…
Flyer and Steve in the 2016 AKC NAC Finals - Video
22 Mar 2016
All the courses and the official AKC results are posted AKC NAC Results site . I liked the courses I saw, I heard some folks say they weren…
NDAL 2016 March 50x50 Int'l Course Analysis/Video
06 Mar 2016
Here's the layout and sequence for my March 2016 National Dog Agility League 50 x 50 "International-style" course - this time I've…
Dispel the Dementors
02 Mar 2016
Today's Dog Agility Blog Action Day on the subject of "FUN" got me thinking about what makes training and trialing agility fun for me. For…
Starters/Advanced/Masters Challenge Small Space Courses
21 Feb 2016
Here are eight practice courses based on the layout for my March 2016 National Dog Agility League 50 x 50 "International-style" course. I…
Moving Towards Mastery: 14 Layouts to Challenge Your Handling
16 Feb 2016
As I mentioned in my previous article: "Move Obstacles to Challenge Your Handling" , you can take any sequence and move the jumps (along…
NDAL Feb 2016 Course With Handling Analysis
02 Feb 2016
As promised here's the competition 2016 February National Dog Agility League 50 x 50 "International-style" course I designed and, since…
Moving Towards Mastery: Move Obstacles to Challenge Your Handling
28 Jan 2016
In this second in a series of articles I'll show you another way to improve the quality of your training; even in a small space with a few…
Eleven Starters/Advanced/Masters Small Space Courses
18 Jan 2016
Here's the obstacle setup in English and Metric units: Here are some sequences that would be appropriate for Starters/Novice level teams and…
Finding Motivation in Success
09 Jan 2016
I'm probably unusual but I thought I'd share how a "successful" agility run helped motivate me to improve my health and Flyer's skills on…
Christmas Tree Sequences
25 Dec 2015
I imagine I'm not the only one who would love to run a course (or two or three) on Christmas Day; so I came up with these Christmas tree…
Moving Towards Mastery: Change Paths to Challenge Your Handling
13 Dec 2015
I want to change how you train and help you improve the quality of your training; even in a small space with a few obstacles. Most training…
Multiple Dog Paths to Challenge You Handling
29 Nov 2015
I've just updated AgilityCourses with a brand new feature I've wanted since I first dreamt up the web site: automatically drawing the…
NDAL October 2015 Competition Course
05 Oct 2015
As promised here's the Steeplechase course I designed for the October 2015 National Dog Agility League . I ran it with Flyer to "debug…
NDAL October 2015 Practice Courses
12 Sep 2015
Here's the obstacle setup: Here are some sequences that would be appropriate for Starters/Advanced level teams and can be broken into…
Handling a Two Jump 360 - Video
28 Aug 2015
Updated 2015-Aug-28 with more handling options/video . I don't recall seeing this course element on a physical course myself; but a handler…
Progressive Jump Spiral
22 Jun 2015
A little while ago I posted about using a Progressive Jump Circle to help Flyer learn to adjust his stride/commitment point on long…
Weave Entries and Back Sides
09 Jun 2015
I was inspired by the weaves to Holmberg Double on Rolf Franck's Course and came up with this challenging mini-course using only weaves…
Just DO Agility!
03 Jun 2015
I sometimes get questions from novice handlers asking about preparing for competition and especially about getting stressed out at…
Handling the Quad Back Side - Patrick Bucher Course/Video
31 May 2015
Swiss judge Patrick Bucher posted an interesting course that caught a lot of people's attention because it contained four consecutive…
Dana Pike Inspired Small Space Sequences
26 May 2015
The fun and challenging Dana Pike international class course I shared recently was too big for some folks' training spaces. So I made…
Dana Pike International Skills Class Course/Video
22 May 2015
Here's Dana's full course: I setup the section from 3-9 to play with and video tape: Here are some notes on the rest of the full course…
Progressive Jump Circle
10 May 2015
There are many ways trainers work on this problem. With Meeker I used Suzanne Clothier's Natural Jumping Method and some people like…
Private Lessons Course/Sequence with Video
06 Apr 2015
When I give private lessons during a Seminar weekend I like to set up a course with elements that let me work common challenges…
Handler Focus/Holmberg Double Class Course
13 Mar 2015
I had two goals for the course I put together for my Open and Masters students: handler focus while moving past off course obstacles and…
Handling the "Holmberg Double"
12 Mar 2015
Norwegian judge Peter Holmberg put an interesting challenge in his two small dog courses at a recent trial that started a buzz in the…
"Inverse" Ketschker or Ketschker to "Back Side"
13 Feb 2015
This is a handling "move" that I haven't seen used often but I find it interesting and, like the Ketschker to which it is related, dogs…
Some Fun Challenges to Practice
21 Jan 2015
Here's a full size and small space version of last night's class course containing: Serpentines , Back Sides , Jump Wraps and…
Seeking Inspiration
30 Dec 2014
We all want to improve our agility game and we often look to the top handlers and trainers for inspiration. In fact, there are many amazing…
Kathy Keats' World Championship Challenges - Video
09 Dec 2014
I've been a subscriber to Kathy Keats' "The Agility Coach" email Newsletter for a while and have enjoyed her thoughts on the mental…
Improve Your Game by Training Away Your Weaknesses
18 Nov 2014
When it comes to dog agility training there are two areas where many of us need to focus: "Removing the Buts" and "Removing Issues". If you…
Scott Lovelis - Masters Challenge Standard/Jumpers
13 Nov 2014
Scott Lovelis had some "spot on" Masters Challenge courses at the recent Contact Sports Agility trial here in Illinois. The courses had…
Open/Masters Course - They Didn't Kill Me...
29 Oct 2014
I love my students; they are always up for a challenge and they didn't try to kill me after running this course. This course isn't that…
Fast Masters Discriminations
22 Oct 2014
I wanted another open and fast course for last night's class and I worked in some tunnel discriminations and weave pole entry challenges; it…
Big, Fast, Fun Masters Course
15 Oct 2014
Until I arrived to set up a course last night I forgotten that I would have access to the whole training space for my course. With all the…
The Impact of Wings on Back Side Jump Wraps - Video
13 Oct 2014
I thought it would be interesting to see how our dogs set themselves up and jumped a Back Side with and without wings. So I setup a jump and…
More Handling Fun!
24 Sep 2014
Last night's class had a number of skills packed into a single course; I put in: a 90 degree weave entry, a Pin Wheel , back side tunnel…
Back Side Entry to 270/Training Opportunity - Video
19 Sep 2014
I set up this fun sequence with a Back Side approach to a 270 and found some training issues Flyer and I needed to work on. Here's the…
Back Side Entry to 270/Training Opportunity - Video
19 Sep 2014
I set up this fun sequence with a Back Side approach to a 270 and found some training issues Flyer and I needed to work on. Here's the…
Contact Resurfacing - Part 2: Upgrading the Frame Structure
15 Sep 2014
In the first article of this series I showed how to remove the old surface of your A Frame, Teeter and Dog Walk. In this article I'll show…
Masters/Advanced Handling Fun!
10 Sep 2014
Last night's course was a lot of fun for my Masters and Advanced students! I put together some Back Side jump and tunnel handling…
The Connection Between Threadles and Back Sides
09 Sep 2014
Near the end of a recent International Handling In Action seminar I threw together a quick exercise to work on Threadles and…
Please Warm Up Before Entering the Ring!
03 Sep 2014
All teams do specific things before they enter the ring. Potty the handler, potty the dog, get their treats/toy, go through the Seeing…
The Power of Recall to Side/Heel - Video
29 Aug 2014
Training a Recall to Side or Recall to Heel is an important foundation agility skill that is often overlooked or brushed past when starting…
Contact Resurfacing - Part 1: Removing the Old
25 Aug 2014
My dog walk, teeter and A frame all needed their original plywood surfaces replaced. As an example, I have an aluminum framed A Frame that…
Serpentines, Threadles, and Back Sides
13 Aug 2014
In last night's course I put together Serpentines , Threadles , and optional Back Sides in this fast, flowing class course. The Advanced…
Medium Space Courses: Serps, Threadles, and Back Sides
15 Jul 2014
In last night's course I had Serpentines , Threadles , and Back Sides in quick succession and I created a "medium space" non-contact…
Flyer's Third Birthday and First AKC Trial - Video
14 Jul 2014
Flyer was born on 7/11 and I always say I should have called him "Little Gulp" or "Slurpee". We celebrated by going to our first AKC trial…
Course for a Discriminating Team! Video
10 Jul 2014
I really like this fast moving course from class last week - it obviously has tunnel/A Frame discriminations but it has more: Serpentines…
Small Space Courses for a Fun Fourth!
04 Jul 2014
For the Fourth of July I took a small section from one of my class course working on tunnel/A Frame discriminations and came up with three…
Elizabeth Diehl - Masters Challenge Jumpers - Video and Analysis
30 Jun 2014
At the Fly Right Over trial Flyer and I ran a fun and challenging Masters Challenge Jumpers course by local judge Elizabeth Diehl. Big…
Triple Threat Game
18 Jun 2014
I learned the Triple Threat drill from Stuart Mah at a seminar last weekend and thought we'd play it in class. The Whatcom Agility Team…
Converting Weaves to 24 inch Spacing
16 Jun 2014
In the past couple years all the agility venues we compete in have converted to 24 inch weave spacing and I had two sets of weaves with…
Tagg Pet Tracker Review
12 Jun 2014
For some reason people think microchips are an alternative to tracking collars. They solve two very different problems. Microchips help…
Confident and Faster Obstacles: Speed Circles
10 Jun 2014
I'm always looking to build my dog's confidence when performing obstacles and with that confidence comes speed. I thought I'd share a simple…
More Thoughts on Goals and Success
04 Jun 2014
Five years ago I wrote an article on goals and success and I'm revisiting the subject on today's Dog Agility Action Day on Success along…
Frank Holik Masters Challenges Jumpers - Video
02 Jun 2014
Frank was kind enough to let me share his course - thanks Frank! The course was set fairly close to the diagram. If you look at the video…
Nested Masters/Master Challenge/Novice Fun Run Courses
28 May 2014
I dreamt up these nested courses for the Meeker's Pals Memorial Day Fun Run and they include all sorts of fun challenges. The equipment…
Rafael Quiñones "Minions" Practice Course - Video
25 May 2014
Rafael Quiñones was one of the judges at the USDAA North Central Regionals this year and prior to the trial he posted a fun exercise…
Oops I Did It Again... and Almost Felt Bad
30 Apr 2014
I guess I was subconsciously inspired by a challenging international practice course I liked when I came up with these courses for my…
Backyard Skills Courses! Video
25 Apr 2014
As my backyard changed from mud to sparse grass I got the itch to set up a backyard sequence and came up with two "regular" and two…
USDAA Spread Jumps Made Easy!
14 Apr 2014
As of this writing these are the applicable equipment regulations . Dave's technique is to build a pair of jump uprights with four feet on…
Emily Klarman - UKI Masters Agility/Jumpers - Video & Analysis
14 Mar 2014
This past weekend Flyer and I competed in UKI Agility at Lucky Dog Academy and competed in the Masters Agility biathlon where you run…
Dog Agility Coaching: Front Cross Execution and Convergence
11 Mar 2014
Here's my latest video coaching session with Susan and Moon where we concentrate on front cross execution and discuss converging on the…
Puppy Agility: Connection Comes First
05 Mar 2014
Many performance dog owners want to start "working on agility skills" immediately with their new puppies. Some have the goal of having that…
Westminster Agility Finals Inspired - Video & Analysis
18 Feb 2014
The Westminster dog agility finals round had an interesting challenge that I wanted to set up in my weekly class courses. The dogs came off…
Emily Hurt - MC Jumpers - Course Analysis and Fun Video
14 Feb 2014
Earlier this month Flyer and I ran a fun and challenging USDAA Masters Challenge Jumpers course designed by Emily Hurt and she kindly…
I Almost Felt Bad About This Course!
06 Feb 2014
I setup this course for my Intermediate and Masters students this week and almost felt bad about working all the moving past tunnels; almost…
Don't Judge a Run by the Score!
17 Jan 2014
Here's the video: One of the best parts was missing the second jump after the A Frame. I was too close to the A Frame with my Front Cross…
Dog Agility YouTube Video Playlists
03 Jan 2014
The other day I noticed I've posted 150 videos on the AgilityNerd YouTube channel ! To celebrate the New Year I've organized all the videos…
Shoulder Pull to Blind Cross - Video
25 Dec 2013
Here's another "specialty" dog agility handling combination that I found interesting and wanted to share with you. As usual Dana Pike had…
Sheri Boone MC Jumpers Competition Course - Video
18 Dec 2013
Last week I wrote about running judge Sheri Boone's really fun and challenging USDAA Masters Challenge Jumpers course without a walk…
Remembering Courses and Conquering Missed Walk Throughs
04 Dec 2013
Just a few weeks ago I arrived at a local USDAA trial thinking we wouldn't be running for at least an hour and as I walked in to the…
Dog Agility News/Links: Jun-Nov
26 Nov 2013
Since Meeker 's diagnosis with lymphoma back in July I had been updating the AgilityNerd Facebook page more than posting here on my blog…
"Add One Obstacle" Dog Agility Course Game
22 Nov 2013
I think I have Stuart Mah to thank for this fun dog agility course visualization/memorization/handling game. In what I'm calling "Add One…
Dog Agility Coaching: Identifying Timely Front Crosses
12 Oct 2013
When we first saw Susan and Moon she was looking to increase her intensity while running courses with Moon and we found she was…
Handling 360 Jump Wraps aka "Over and Over" - Video
29 Sep 2013
As some US agility venues start to include more challenging handling puzzles, what I'm calling a 360 Jump Wrap has become a fixture on some…
Flyer Trialing Firsts - Video
23 Sep 2013
This month marked two firsts for Flyer : his first CPE trial and his first Starters USDAA trial. There were a lot of good moments and…
Coaching: Intensity and Front Crosses
16 Sep 2013
Susan contacted me with a desire to increase her intensity while running courses with her dog Moon and have me identify any handling issues…
AgilityNerd & Bad Dog Agility: Happy Handling!
10 Sep 2013
I read the Bad Dog Agility blog and know Esteban and Sarah's handling is influenced by Greg Derrett and, while my handling style has…
Aging in Agility - Choosing Retirement?
04 Sep 2013
I always thought that our dogs' age would determine when they should retire from agility. I figured, like any sport and any aging athlete…
Announcing Video Analysis!
31 Aug 2013
I've finalized my video handling analysis offering and have made it available for purchase! I'm really excited to have the chance to work…
Can You Handle It? Seminar Chalk Talk Video
27 Aug 2013
I recently gave a 1/2 day "Can You Handle It?" Seminar and enjoyed the challenges in the course so much I thought I'd share it and my…
More Gabi Steppan Inspired Backyard Sequences - Video
18 Aug 2013
I really enjoyed playing around with my Gabi Steppan Inspired Course and left it set up in my yard all week. I came up with some more…
Gabi Steppan Inspired Backyard Course - Video
12 Aug 2013
Here is her original course: I especially wanted to work the Back Sides at jump 2/19 and coming through the box in front of the A Frame…
Coaching: Handling a Fast Dog and Dropped Bars
09 Aug 2013
When my AgilityNerd Facebook page went over 5,000 likes I offered remote coaching to two randomly chosen handlers and their dogs; here are…
June in August: AgilityNerd Elsewhere
04 Aug 2013
Yep it's August already, but here are all the links of AgilityNerd cool stuff I posted elsewhere on the web back in June: Hope you found…
Coaching: Speed and Motivation
25 Jul 2013
When my AgilityNerd Facebook page went over 5,000 likes, which still amazes me, I offered remote coaching to two randomly chosen handlers…
OMG! A Back Side in AKC Standard!
01 Jul 2013
Surprisingly that was the reaction from more than a few competitors when faced with Linda Robertson's Masters Standard course at the recent…
Voelker - Masters Snooker - Meeker Bronze ADCH
28 Jun 2013
I planned to start bottom left and go to the top weave entrance (knowing that if Meeker missed the tough acute angle entrance I could fix…
Our 2013 USDAA NC Regionals: Bah Bye - Videos
25 Jun 2013
Well it's been a month now and I hadn't yet posted any details on our adventures! I had two goals for this regional competition: earn "byes…
May Days: Elsewhere in May
18 Jun 2013
So much agility going on and not enough time to blog about it all! Here's some cool stuff I've posted elsewhere back in May:
Flyer's 1st Trial - Julia Lane Intro Courses
11 Jun 2013
This past Sunday Flyer and I were involved in a lot of firsts! Flyer's first agility trial was Agility at the Farm's first USDAA trial…
Let's Open Source Dog Agility!
05 Jun 2013
For today's Dog Agility Blogger Action Day on Improving Dog Agility Organizations I'm proposing that adopting Open Source Software…
Elsewhere in April
28 May 2013
Looks like April sped past and I didn't update you on AgilityNerd stuff elsewhere on the web; a lot of interesting links so let's get right…
Hanson - MC Standard - Video/Play-by-Play
21 May 2013
The course was designed by veteran USDAA judge Dave Hanson and judged by Seth Dunn. This course had a number of interesting challenges and…
Running A Frame - "Nerd Box"
07 May 2013
I'm using Rachel Sanders' running A Frame technique with Flyer and I thought I'd share my "Nerd Box" design with you. I came up with…
My Half Biathlon Challenge
01 May 2013
My class course this week was inspired by the opening of 2013 IFCS CCOA Biathon Jumpers course I chalk talked earlier this week and I…
Chalk Talk: 2013 IFCS CCOA Biathon Jumpers
28 Apr 2013
Yesterday USDAA posted the day's courses for the 2013 IFCS Continental Championship of the Americas being run in Ft. Worth, Texas and…
Challenging Big & Small Courses
26 Apr 2013
My class course this week was inspired by the two jump, A Frame, tunnel discrimination in one of Eduard Bonet's European Open qualifier…
Are We Qualified for Nationals Yet?
22 Apr 2013
That is the question many competitors ask throughout the year in their agility venue(s) of choice and you can use Agility Record Book to…
Protect Your (Jump) Feet!
14 Apr 2013
I was looking over my jumps after the winter and saw that a couple had cracked and broken end caps. Water had collected in the based of the…
Top Spin
05 Apr 2013
This is a handling move I found myself doing as part of a Dana Pike course and didn't know it had a name until she told me it was called a…
March Madness
02 Apr 2013
Most of my non-AgilityNerd blog dog agility activity in March was around Internationalization; but there were also the AKC National…
WAO Team USA Practice Inspired Course - Video
29 Mar 2013
This week's class course was inspired by the interesting A Frame jump sequence in WAO USA Team Practice Course #4 . I only have a 60' x 6…
Don't Get Mad, Quit!
25 Mar 2013
I met a handler at a Seminar a couple years ago whose dog would sniff on course when they disconnected. We were working on a sequence when…
Big/Small AKC NAC Inspired Course & Sequences
22 Mar 2013
My class course this week was inspired by the 180 jump to weave entrance in last weekend's AKC NAC Hybrid round course and I came up…
Add-On AKC Triple Jump
18 Mar 2013
I bought jump cup strips for building a triple jump over 5 years ago and never got around to building a frame to hold them. I was just too…
What's International? International Two Jump Drills
06 Mar 2013
You don't need a lot of equipment to train yourself and your dog to master the "International" handling challenges that are coming to USDAA…
Tires, Tori, Title, Totes, & Masters Challenge
28 Feb 2013
I've decided to publish an agility news article at the end of each month. Here's what I've been commenting on since the last news article…
All the Dog Agility Blogs!
23 Feb 2013
Yep that's right, now you can read all the Dog Agility Blogs! Agility folk frequently ask me what blogs I read and I finally found a way to…
Awesome Meeker Cynosport Photo
21 Feb 2013
I just received my photo from the 2012 Cynosport Games of Meeker coming out of a tunnel with his intense "What's next?" look on his face…
Masters Challenge Courses w/Video
21 Feb 2013
The judge was Francisco Berjon from Mexico. I really felt for him traveling to Wisconsin in February! It was a smaller trial with about 3…
All In One Courses - Big & Small Spaces
11 Feb 2013
Here's my "action packed" class course from last week at FYK9 from which I also created a small space sequence. These courses contain a…
Full & Small Space Sequences
03 Feb 2013
Here's my class course from this week at FYK9 from which I also created a small space sequence. This sequence contains a bunch of handling…
Cold/Wet Training Gloves
18 Jan 2013
I really want to continue training Flyer throughout the Winter. Here in Chicago it can get pretty cold and wet in the winter and my hands…
AgilityNerd Swag!
10 Dec 2012
Remember over a year ago when I was designing new AgilityNerd logos ? Well I've finally tweaked those logos and created some AgilityNerd…
Seventy Two Backyard Courses!
05 Dec 2012
For today's Dog Agility Bloggers' event on the subject of Backyard Training I put together seventy two training sequences that should…
Challenging Full Size Course
03 Dec 2012
I came up with this interesting course with a couple challenging sections for class this past week. There are Threadles , Back Sides…
Ban Dangerous Steel Jumps Now!
28 Nov 2012
There is no reason to use dangerous steel jumps anymore! Period. There are just too many opportunities for injury. Eye injuries and…
AgilityNerd Handling Seminar Courses
21 Nov 2012
I gave an Intermediate/Advanced level Can You Handle It? Seminar last month at For Your K-9 with a fun bunch of handlers and dogs. I…
Blind Cross to Ketschker on Dana Pike Course
17 Nov 2012
I put color coded handler/dog icons and some description in the following diagram of Dana's course to help demonstrate this handling…
Silas Boogk Inspired Sequences With Video
14 Nov 2012
Silas asked us not to share his courses or video online. So I put together sequences demonstrating some of his handling ideas and lumped…
Seminar False Starts
02 Nov 2012
As I've mentioned I attend a number of dog agility seminars each year and I'm always a little disappointed when a seminar starts and the…
Interesting Jumping/Weaves Sequence
29 Oct 2012
I came up with this sequence as the opening to my jumpers with weaves course at my Can You Handle It? seminar this past weekend. At first…
I Love Agility Seminars!
26 Oct 2012
Just sayin'! I go to 4-5 dog agility seminars a year and without exception I love the experience. I think this past year I was at seminars…
Full Size and Small Space Sequences
20 Oct 2012
I came up with a fun and challenging course for class this past week and broke out a couple small space sequences from it. You can work on…
Full Size and Small Space Courses Based on Cynosport Courses
12 Oct 2012
My students always kid me about the courses I design when I come back from a seminar or an important trial . This week I created a course…
Our Cynosport 2012 Experience
04 Oct 2012
I wasn't going to go at all; and up until the week before I didn't know if we could go! Well Nancy, Meeker , Milo , and I are back from…
Coach This!
05 Sep 2012
I know what I like in a coach, I've had a few dog agility trainers and instructors over the years and I've been happy them and extremely…
Test Your Agility Age!
24 Aug 2012
You've been in agility as long as me if this was once common on a piece of standard agility equipment: here are some hints: Spoiler Alert: I…
Is Common Courtesy/Altruism Dead?
13 Aug 2012
Every week I get an email from at least one AgilityNerd reader. Sometimes it is a quick thank you note, a question about an article or an…
My AKC Tire Safety Proposal
06 Aug 2012
Lately there have been many discussions on agility email lists and among competitors around the subject of tire safety; specifically with…
Mark's Agility Equipment Pause Table
31 Jul 2012
My old pause table delaminated and warped years ago and I kept putting off making a new one. So rather than DIY I came up with a list of…
Dana Pike/Steve Small Space Challenge With Video
24 Jul 2012
Dana had weaves along the left side of the course ending around jump 7. Her challenge was obstacle sequence 7-12; I found it interesting for…
WAG AKC Trial: QQs, MX/MXJ and a Gift - Video
17 Jul 2012
I've always joked: "You need to actually enter/go to trials to earn Qs". So I've signed up Meeker and me for four weekends in a row of…
Fun Small Space Courses With Handling Options - Annotated Video
08 Jul 2012
I extracted this smaller sequence from my class course last night at For Your K-9 . This sequence contains a 270 , Jump Wraps , a…
Lori Michaels: Running with Blinds or blindly running?
28 Jun 2012
Earlier this year I was blogging a lot about Blind Crosses and Jump Wrap Blind Crosses (aka Ketschker or Ass Pass). I've been using them…
Can You Handle It? Novice & Intermediate Courses
10 Jun 2012
I gave my first Novice and Intermediate level Can You Handle It? Seminar this past Friday night at Agility at the Farm . It was…
Handling With Intensity
06 Jun 2012
For today's Dog Agility Blog Action Day on the subject of "Attitude" I've written about the attitude I strive for when handling on course…
Tunnel Bags - Filling 'Em
29 May 2012
My tips for filling up tunnel sand bags.
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Small Space Octagon Handling Drills
19 May 2012
I enjoyed running Kurt Jensen's Octagon Jumpers course and I decided to create some more sequences based on a smaller version of the…
Are You Aware of Your Dog's Environment?
18 May 2012
As I'm sure you know, part of being a good trainer is adjusting your criteria when you change the dog's environment. Just because "Fluffy…
DcH Aalborg - Kurt Jensen Jumpers - Video
17 May 2012
Meeker and I traveled to Aalborg, Denmark to run a Jumpers course with an interesting layout. Well maybe we didn't actually go to…
Mother's Day Course
15 May 2012
I was giving some private lessons at Agility at the Farm this past Sunday and came up with this course based on some changes to the…
Maybe it is Time to Train my Dog...
05 May 2012
I was at the NOCI AKC agility trial this past Friday with Meeker and I've decided I actually need to train my dog. Meeker has had a…
Unexpected Rubber Contact Danger
20 Apr 2012
In almost all regards rubber coated contacts are "a good thing" TM . The most common "danger" about them is to the people moving them…
Four Small Space International Exercises
15 Apr 2012
I've created four small space exercises based on the opening jump layout of my International Flair! Seminar Course from a couple weekends…
Photos of Meeker at 2011 Cynosport Games
06 Apr 2012
Great photos of Meeker at Cynosport 2011
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Back Side of Jump Handling Combinations - Video
27 Mar 2012
After giving my International Flair! Seminar I thought I'd put together a diagram showing the handling combinations possible for Pushing…
Greg Fontaine Courses Blog
25 Mar 2012
Here's a link to his blog I'm adding it to my list of agility blogs in Google Reader and looking forward to his future posts. Maybe we can…
Is Your 12 or 16 inch Dog Ready to be a Champion?
23 Mar 2012
I got this urgent request for help for the Australian Agility Team coming to Fort Worth, TX for the IFCS World Agility Championships , your…
iPad, iPhone and Android AgilityNerd
13 Mar 2012
Thanks to Google Currents you can now read AgilityNerd nicely formatted on your iPad, iPhone and Android phones and tablets. Google…
If I Knew Then... Proactive Handling
07 Mar 2012
For today's Dog Agility Blog Event Day : "If I knew then what I know now" I want to share the most important agility handling concept I…
Challenging Full Course & Exercises
29 Feb 2012
Here are the two Masters level full size sequences from my class at For Your K-9 and I've created four small space exercises based on them…
Can You Handle It? 2011 Courses
29 Feb 2012
My next Can You Handle It? Seminar is coming up at For Your K-9 on Sunday March 18th and I thought I'd share a couple of my seminar…
Some Two Jump Drills - With Flyer Video
27 Feb 2012
Years ago when I posted my One Jump Drills article I got requests for Two Jump exercises. Well now that I'm starting to work on ground…
Small Spaces: Run Both Sides
24 Feb 2012
I've created an exercise from my class course at For Your K9 for working on a bunch of skills: 270s , Threadles , and Jump Wraps . Of…
Back Side Jump Wrap Exercise - Flyer Video!
19 Feb 2012
I've created an exercise from my class course at For Your K9 for working on Pushing to the Back Side of a jump and Wrapping the dog…
Small Space Jump Wrap Exercises
03 Feb 2012
I've extracted part of my It's a Wrap! mini seminar courses and come up with three sequences to fit in a 30ft by 50ft space. When you look…
Jump Wrap Handling Tips
31 Jan 2012
Here are some tips about jump wraps for my Mini Seminar: It's a Wrap! - Fast & Tight Jump Wraps . There are five main methods for…
AgilityNerd Announcement Email List
27 Jan 2012
To make it easy to find out about new ones I've created an announcement email list in which I'll post links to upcoming seminars and other…
AgilityNerd Seminar Descriptions
21 Jan 2012
I have some agility seminars coming up in the next couple months and I've been contacted by a couple other clubs about giving some seminars…
Mini Courses for a Beautiful Winter Weekend
07 Jan 2012
Many parts of the US will have unusually warm winter weather this weekend, so I came up with some interesting smaller sequences taken from…
Calling Dog Agility Bloggers!
02 Jan 2012
Last year I organized a Dog Agility Blog Action Day on the subject of volunteering and recently I've had some bloggers contact me about…
Advanced Class: Two Great Tastes... Small Space Too!
22 Dec 2011
This week I smashed the opening of the 2011 USDAA Cynosport Grand Prix Quarter Final course on to Dana Pike's fun class course from this…
Small Spaces: Weave Entries & Fun Handling
08 Dec 2011
Thought I'd pull out a fun sequence from my class course at For Your K-9 and turn it into a mini course for smaller spaces. These three…
Advanced Class: Be Aggressive! - 18-Nov-2011
18 Nov 2011
This course is all about running the course with conviction, keeping connected with your dog and cuing tight jump wraps using a Shoulder…
Advanced Class Course: Attentive Handling - 09-Nov-2011
10 Nov 2011
My Advanced class course at For Your K-9 incorporated an interesting challenge from a Silas Boogk handling seminar I attended at Ann…
Our 2011 USDAA Cynosport Experience - With Videos
25 Oct 2011
I was glad to have visited Cynosport last year so I was familiar with the expo center layout and the general flow of events. We left Chicago…
Cynosport Here We Come!
09 Oct 2011
Bright and early Tuesday morning Meeker and I hit the road and drive to Louisville, KY for the USDAA Cynosport Games aka USDAA Nationals…
Turning Dogs out of a Curved Tunnel - Diane Carson's NC Regional Relay Course - With Video
04 Oct 2011
Diane Carson's Team Relay course at the 2011 USDAA North Central Regionals had a challenge that many teams couldn't solve. It was all due…
"International" Threadle Sequence - With Video
12 Sep 2011
I received an email from an Italian agility enthusiast asking how I would handle a training exercise he had found. It was an interesting…
Confession of an Agility Nerd
03 Sep 2011
Now a days there are so many good agility resources available to students of the sport. I always want to get all the latest books, ebooks…
Two Becky Dean USDAA Courses - A Tale of Two Ketschkers
24 Aug 2011
I liked all of her courses on the weekend but I wanted to focus on her Masters Pairs course on Saturday and a really nice Masters Jumpers…
Dana Pike - Awesome International Sequence - With Video
22 Aug 2011
If you want to work on some international handling challenges Dana Pike designed this little beauty as part of her class course last…
Advanced Class: Would You Be Skunked? - 18-Aug-2011
19 Aug 2011
Typically at least one of my Advanced (i.e. Masters/Excellent level) students gets through my class course with only a bobble or two (it may…
Dog Agility Demographics
18 Aug 2011
There was a question on the Clean Run email list asking why 13 of 15 US team members at the World Agility Open Championships were women…
Watch YouTube Dog Agility Videos in Slow Motion
15 Aug 2011
I recently discovered that YouTube is releasing the ability to watch uploaded videos at two slow motion and two fast motion speeds. This new…
2011 USDAA North Central Regionals
10 Aug 2011
It was a big trial (I think I heard 1400 runs?), run in 3 rings on field turf in a great facility with plenty of crating space. I love…
Class Course: Wrap Your Head Around This
03 Aug 2011
My course from last night at For Your K-9 is on the more technical side featuring Serpentines , Threadles and a generous helping of…
Advanced Class Course: Easy Peasy Fast and Breezy!
28 Jul 2011
This course was a fun one and kept the dog and handler moving. It let teams work on On and Off Side Weave Entries , Jump Wraps , and…
Advanced Class Course: Where Did This Come From?
25 Jul 2011
Sometimes my students will ask me things like this when they come to class. I tell them I have about 15-30 minutes and whatever equipment is…
The "Ketschker" is Dead!
19 Jul 2011
This past year there has been increased interest in the Reverse Front Cross Jump Wrap aka Ketschker here in the US. But people have always…
Advanced Class: Speedy Serpy Solution? - With Video
10 Jul 2011
My intention in this week's class course at For Your K9 was to open things up a little and get the teams moving with good challenges…
Today is "Why Volunteer?" Blog Action Day!
28 Jun 2011
I was motivated by the vigorous discussion on the Clean Run Email list about volunteering at agility trials to spread the discussion among…
Make Volunteering Easy!
28 Jun 2011
Lately there has been a lot of discussion on the Clean Run Email list about volunteering to work at agility trials. Rather than discuss…
Advanced Class: Run This Course, Really! - 15-Jun-2011
21 Jun 2011
The week I set up the Northeastern regional IHC jumpers course in my backyard I decided to base my class course on the middle of the IHC…
Advanced Class: Run This Course, Really! - 15-Jun-2011
21 Jun 2011
The week I set up the Northeastern regional IHC jumpers course in my backyard I decided to base my class course on the middle of the IHC…
USDAA NE Regionals IHC Jumpers - Video
17 Jun 2011
The USDAA Northeastern Regionals were streamed live on CynosportTV (free!) last weekend. I watched some of it Sunday morning and after…
Exercises from USDAA SE Regionals Grand Prix - Video
10 Jun 2011
The USDAA Southeastern Regionals were streamed live on CynosportTV (free!) last weekend. I was interested in a couple of the courses and…
Double Back Side Exercise
07 Jun 2011
As I mentioned in my course description from last week Meeker and I enjoyed Linda Mecklenburg's International Handling Seminar. Linda…
Advanced Class: A Little Piece of Evil - 01-Jun-2011
04 Jun 2011
Thanks to a Linda Mecklenburg International Handling Seminar I attended last week, I was inspired to add a double Back Side handling…
Advanced Class: Balancing Cues and Choosing Sides - 25-May-2011
25 May 2011
Here's the course from my classes last week at For Your Canine where you can work on 270s , Jump Wraps , and end on a Threadle or a…
Skill Based & DIY Double Box, Star Box and Box Training Sequences
16 May 2011
Over the weekend I added a great new feature for creating training sequences to Agility Courses.com . You could always choose the skills…
Steve & Meeker - Columbia Individual Open Jumpers
10 May 2011
The Americas and Caribbean Agility Championships were held in Bogota Columbia in March of this year. The courses were quite challenging. I…
Jump Wrap Example Exercises - With Video(s)
27 Apr 2011
At the end of my Jump Wrap Handling article I came up with a couple example exercises with a jump wrap in them. I asked how many ways can…
International Flair - Dan Butcher AKC Courses
25 Apr 2011
There have been discussions on various agility email lists lately about AKC courses getting more difficult and/or including more…
Advanced Course: International Evil - 20-Apr-2011
21 Apr 2011
I've been playing around with more International style courses lately and came up with this course primarily to work on Back Side to 18…
Advanced Class: Smoother Than It Looks! - 06-Apr-2011
16 Apr 2011
Better late than never! Here's a couple challenging sequences containing a Pin Wheel , a Threadle , some Jump Wraps and some interesting…
Jump Wrap Handling - With Video
11 Apr 2011
The Jump Wrap is a very common handling maneuver where the goal is to have the dog collect as they approach the jump so that they can turn…
Advanced Class: I Like This One - 30-Mar-2011
31 Mar 2011
Here's a challenging sequence containing a Pin Wheel , a Threadle , a bunch of Jump Wraps and some interesting handling options from my…
Advanced Class: Analysis and Execution - 23-Mar-2011
24 Mar 2011
Here's a sequence containing 270s , Jump Wraps , Pull Throughs , and some interesting handling options from my Advanced classes this week…
Max 200 Break-Away Tire
20 Mar 2011
I've written in the past about the need for break-away tires in agility. Well I ordered one from Max200 after seeing one at a USDAA…
Advanced Class: Just a Dash of Evil - 16-Mar-2011
18 Mar 2011
Here's a course setup with two different sequences containing Jump Wraps , Pull Throughs , Threadles , a Pin Wheel , and general…
Advanced Class: Meat and Potatoes - 09-Mar-2011
10 Mar 2011
Here's a course setup with two different sequences containing 270s , Jump Wraps , Serpentines , a Threadles , and general handling from…
ADCH Meeker and Qualified for Nationals
07 Mar 2011
Well Meeker and I finally did it and it wasn't pretty! We earned his USDAA Agility Dog Champion (ADCH) title at the Boone County Dog…
Advanced/Intermediate Classes: A Mixed Bag - 03-Mar-2011
03 Mar 2011
Here's a course setup with two different sequences containing 270s , Jump Wraps , Pull Throughs , Threadles , a Pin Wheel , and general…
My Agility Handling and Training Philosophy
27 Feb 2011
While preparing for my agility handling seminars I've been trying to "codify" my thoughts on handling and training. When I give a seminar I…
Advanced Class: No Frills Course - 23-Feb-2011
24 Feb 2011
Here's a course setup with two variations on a sequence containing Jump Wraps , Pull Throughs , Threadles , a Pin Wheel , a Back Side…
Advanced Class: Not Evil Courses - 16-Feb-2011
21 Feb 2011
Here's a course setup with two sequences containing Jump Wraps , Pull Throughs , Threadles , a Pin Wheel , and general handling from my…
Para Agility - Bruno, Eric & Sun
17 Feb 2011
I saw video of blind agility handler Bruno Menoncelle with his Belgian Tervuren Sun on YouTube and was captivated. From poking around and…
Advanced Class: Kinda Evil Courses - 09-Feb-2011
09 Feb 2011
Here's a course setup with two sequences containing 270 s, Jump Wraps , Pull Throughs , Threadles , Pin Wheel , and general handling…
Contact Sports Agility USDAA Trial - With Video
07 Feb 2011
The judge for Masters and Grand Prix was Mike Wagner and I liked his courses. New local judge Jennifer Siegel handled Starters, Advanced…
Meeker Qualifies for Steeplechase and Grand Prix
23 Jan 2011
The judge was Judy Reilly from New York state and I really liked her courses a lot. They were challenging but fair; there was a little of…
Dana Pike - Awesome Course with Video
17 Jan 2011
I've said it before, but you have to set up this Dana Pike course. If you don't have room for the whole thing at least set up 5-10, that's…
Fun Course - Sorry That Page Doesn't Exist
15 Jan 2011
Here's a course where probably only web developers and other technology nerds into agility will see the joke. If you want to try running it…
FarmTek Electronic Timer Sound Recordings
13 Jan 2011
Ever since electronic timers have been introduced to dog agility competitions there have been dogs that were startled and scared by the…
Meeker's USDAA Return - RACE Agility 2011-Jan
09 Jan 2011
On Saturday, I was in the wrong place when the Gamble timer went off and screwed up his line into the Gamble, it hurts because it was a "do…
Two Exciting Seminars: Agility and Flyball
05 Jan 2011
I'm very excited about two upcoming seminars: "Can You Handle It?" and "Building a Solid Foundation for Competition Flyball". I am giving…
Dana Pike - Another Class Course w/Video
01 Jan 2011
In the diagram below there are two ending options, Dana had me run the second closing in the second run in the video. My "take away lesson…
Octagon Serpentine/Threadle Handling Drills
30 Dec 2010
We had a few minutes at the end of class and I converted part of a Double Box in the middle of a course into another classic jump layout…
Meeker's Return to Trialing - FYC CPE Trial
28 Dec 2010
Not only did Meeker have fun, run well and wasn't sore, I won the worker video raffle! Larry at Agility Videos kindly donated video of all…
Back Side/Back Side Jump
26 Dec 2010
Until recently, in the US Pushing a dog to the back side of a jump was rarely seen. But in the past couple years we are starting to see…
Advanced Class: More This and That - 22-Dec-2010
23 Dec 2010
Here's a course with 270 s, Jump Wraps , a Pin Wheel , and general handling from my classes this week at For Your Canine . Take a look…
Dana Pike - Class Course w/Video
22 Dec 2010
This week Dana Pike came up with yet another course I really liked. This sequence had a 270 with off course potential, Jump Wraps , a…
Advanced Class: This and That - 15-Dec-2010
17 Dec 2010
Here's a course with little of everything from this week's classes at For Your Canine . Here are some quick handling notes: Flipped the…
Advanced Class: - 22-Dec-2010
17 Dec 2010
Here's a course with little of everything from this week's classes at For Your Canine . Here are some quick handling notes: Flipped the…
Dana Pike - Fun to Run Course
07 Dec 2010
Run this course and let me know how it went for you. Meeker and I had a blast, thanks Dana!
Advanced Class: Serpentines and Threadles - 24-Nov-2010
05 Dec 2010
Here's a course for working on Serpentines , Jump Wraps and a Threadles from this week's classes at For Your Canine . A lot of…
Dana Pike - Super Serpentine Course
25 Nov 2010
In the opening there are at least three ways to handle the 3-4-5-6 Serpentine : What to do 17-18-19-20? There was some "gnashing of teeth…
Advanced Class: Just Ugly! - 17-Nov-2010
17 Nov 2010
Here's a challenging, dare I say ugly, sequence for working on Serpentines , Jump Wraps and a Threadles from this week's classes at…
Advanced Class: Pin Wheel, Wraps, Serpentine and a Threadle - 11-Nov-2010
15 Nov 2010
Here are a couple fun, fast, and challenging sequences for working on Pin Wheels , Serpentines , Jump Wraps and a Threadles from this…
Double Box Sequence Generator
08 Nov 2010
The seven jump Double Box offers handlers and dogs longer training sequences than the Box Layout and adds the ability to train 18…
Star Box Sequence Generator
02 Nov 2010
The six jump Star Box offers handlers and dogs even more training opportunities than the venerable Box Layout . To help other agility…
Double Box Sequences
01 Nov 2010
The Double Box is a well known jump layout that allows for working on many handling skills. The nice thing about this layout is the skills…
Star Box Sequences
29 Oct 2010
While working on my Jump Box Generator for agilitycourses.com it occurred to me that a variation on the Jump Box layout would make it…
New Jump Box Sequence Generator
26 Oct 2010
One reason I created AgilityCourses was to have a place to experiment with software I've had in mind for generating practice courses and…
Come Train With Me!
21 Oct 2010
I'm happy to announce For Your Canine in Melrose Park, IL has asked me to give an agility handling seminar. It is titled "Can You Handle…
Jumpers with Weaves, Serpentines, Wraps and a Threadle - 13-Oct-2010
14 Oct 2010
Here are a couple sequences for working on Serpentines , Jump Wraps a Threadles and general handling I threw together for my classes at…
Jump Wraps, Threadles and More - 6-Oct-2010
06 Oct 2010
Here are a couple interesting sequences for working on Jump Wraps , Threadles and general handling I threw together for my classes at…
More Weave Entrance/Exit Handling - 29-Sep-2010
30 Sep 2010
Here are a couple interesting sequences for working on weave entrance and exit courses I threw together for my classes at For Your Canine…
Advanced Class Courses - 22-Sep-2010
22 Sep 2010
Here are a couple interesting courses I threw together for my classes at the new For Your Canine facility. This course works tunnel/A…
Weave Entrance/Exit Sequences
15 Sep 2010
I wanted to work on weave entrances and exits this week at For Your Canine . So I grabbed four jumps and a set of weave poles and came up…
Print Blank Courses for Training and Seminars
13 Sep 2010
I'm very pleased to announce the release of a new web based agility tool on a new website agilitycourses.com . I've put together a simple…
Wrapping the Last Weave Pole - With Video
30 Aug 2010
When the dog exits the weaves and the next obstacle is on the same side of the weaves as the entrance the dog needs to wrap around the final…
Start Line Stays - "Stay" This Time I Mean It!
12 Aug 2010
I'm hesitant to post this tip because it only applies in a very narrow set of circumstances and could be detrimental if applied…
Advanced Class Mini Course
12 Aug 2010
Here's this week's class course from For Your Canine with a number of different handling possibilities; if there is a message to go with…
Sports Bras for Agility Competitors
05 Aug 2010
I was late to Dana Pike’s class this week, due to taking Meeker to TOPS , and as I walked in Dana said I needed to blog about the most…
Course Analysis Seminar Thoughts
12 Jul 2010
I'd love your thoughts on my rough plans for a course analysis seminar. Recently I've been asked to give a couple agility seminars: a…
USDAA Rule Changes Announced
01 Jul 2010
The USDAA just announced a number of rules changes that should make competitors happier:
Meeker's Back? Injury
20 Jun 2010
As folks on my FaceBook page know Meeker came up limping before going to agility class on June 1st. I've been meaning to post…
Clean Run Article Search Updated
20 Jun 2010
With Meeker 's injury it may have appeared a little quiet around here, but I haven't been slacking. I've just finished entering all the…
Daily Worldwide Agility Updates - Aylen Duvarod & El Hechizo Ypsilon
17 Jun 2010
Pretty much every day the website Aylen Duvarod & El Hechizo Ypsilon adds an update containing links to agility blog articles, videos…
Advanced Class Mini Course
10 Jun 2010
I came up with an interesting class course this week at For Your Canine containing On and Off Side Weave Entries , Jump Wraps , a 27…
Do You "Handle in Drive"?
03 Jun 2010
People always talk about dogs "having drive" but I am starting to think it can be more important for the handler to have drive. I started…
Backyard Course Based on Masters Pairs Jumping Sequence - Annotated Video
03 Jun 2010
I enjoyed a recent Carol Voelkner USDAA Masters Pairs Course, it had a surprisingly tricky jumping sequence for the second dog, which I…
K-9 OTC AKC Trial - Meeker Gets His AXJ and his 1st QQ - Annotated Video
27 May 2010
This past weekend Meeker and I competed at the three day K-9 Obedience Training Club AKC AKC agility in Menomonee Falls, WI (love that…
IFCS World Agility Champs Individual Snooker with Video
19 May 2010
I was intrigued by J. L. Gauntt's Individual Snooker course from last weekend's 2010 IFCS World Agility Championships and decided to set…
Going to Great Heights
17 May 2010
I try to go to great lengths to bring the nerd to agility (and vice versa) but now I'm also going to great heights. When agility videos are…
NOCI AKC Trial - Meeker Gets His AX - With Video
13 May 2010
This past weekend Meeker and I competed at the Northwest Obedience Club Inc AKC AKC agility in Crystal Lake, IL. At our last AKC…
2010 AKC USA World Team Tryout Courses/Video
11 May 2010
The AKC World Team tryout competitions took place this past weekend in St. Paul Minnesota. AgilityVision covered the two day event and…
Lisa Jarvis - Jumpers and Snooker Courses - With Video
03 May 2010
At the RACE Agility USDAA trial early last month, the judge was Lisa Jarvis from Texas and she had really challenging Jumpers and fun…
Team Small Dog Sequence - With Updated Video
22 Apr 2010
Laura at Team Small Dog posted a mini sequence on her blog last week asking readers "how'd you handle it?". I got home late from work…
Agility Right from the Start Seminar - Eva Bertilsson & Emelie Johnson Vegh
19 Apr 2010
I've mentioned before that I'd like to improve at using a clicker as part of agility training; and I just attended a seminar that really…
Clean Run on iPhone, iPad and Android
14 Apr 2010
It was announced on the CleanRun email list that the electronic version of Clean Run can now be viewed on iPhone, iPad and Android…
A Strategy Note for Relay/Pairs in DAM Team Events
07 Apr 2010
As I mentioned previously thus far I've only competed in one USDAA DAM Team competition. I learned something that is probably obvious to…
RACE USDAA Trial - 2010-Apr - Meeker is MAD!
05 Apr 2010
Well there is nothing more tedious than a blog post describing every run of a 3 day weekend; the executive summary is it was one of our best…
Mini Jumpers Course
23 Mar 2010
Here's a fun jumpers mini course that I set up for my students last week. It works handling at speed, Jump Wraps , a 270 , independent…
Our 1st Snooker Super Q - RACE Agility USDAA Trial - Video
15 Mar 2010
For a while I consistently screwed up Meeker's Snooker runs with my indecisive handling (I got to 0 for 7 in Starters Snooker). Then I…
Peggy Hammond - USDAA Courses 2010-03 - Annotated Video
14 Mar 2010
At the RACE Agility USDAA trial this weekend , the judge was Peggy Hammond from Texas and I really enjoyed all of her courses. They…
RACE Agility USDAA Trial
13 Mar 2010
Judge was Peggy Hammond from Texas and these were some of the nicest flowing and challenging courses I've run; I'll definitely look for her…
3 Titles in 1 Weekend - Smack Dab's AKC Trial
11 Mar 2010
I'm thrilled with how well Meeker and I did at the Smack Dab's AKC trial in Naperville, IL this past weekend. It was a big trial with…
Can You Handle a Running Dog Walk?
07 Mar 2010
I got a kind email from Gary at www.running-contacts.com alerting me to his article Are You Fast Enough to Handle a Running Dogwalk? and…
iPhone Dog Agility Record Keeping Now Available!
07 Mar 2010
Ever since the iPhone was released folks have been asking for an application that would record their agility scores on their phone; well one…
Think Pawsitive USDAA Trial - Almost MAD
02 Mar 2010
The executive summary was we were 3 for 4 and now Meeker only needs a Relay Q for his MAD. Here is the video of our Standard and Jumpers…
Class Jumpers Course
25 Feb 2010
I put this Jumpers and Weaves mini-course together at For Your Canine only minutes before class started; it contains a Box linked to a…
Building a Double Jump
22 Feb 2010
Even though the backyard was still covered with snow and ice, yesterday's temperatures in the 30s got me itching to do something agility…
RACE Agility UKI Fun Match or UKI is A-OK
19 Feb 2010
This past weekend Meeker and I attended our first UK Agility International fun match and had a wonderful time. I recently blogged…
Stuart Mah's 30 Second Drills - With Video
13 Feb 2010
When Stuart Mah was at For Your Canine in Chicago last year, students who went to his seminar were telling me about a 30 second drill he…
Make the Second Obstacle Free
11 Feb 2010
This is a tip that is obvious but is often overlooked by agility handlers. In fact I see handlers who would benefit from this tip at every…
European Agility Courses
28 Jan 2010
I've always been interested in the technical and athletic challenges of European style agility courses. With the introduction of UKI here…
Skills for Pin Wheels
18 Jan 2010
In a recent class course I had students working on three jump Pin Wheels and 270s by using just two of the jumps in the Pin Wheel. That got…
Five Sequences
17 Jan 2010
Sorry no video of Meeker and me running these so you'll have to settle for my handling comments. Sometimes I like to warm up with a fast…
Agility Engineer Blog
15 Jan 2010
I recently ran across Jessica's Agility Engineer Blog and thought other agility enthusiasts should know about it. She has a lot of good…
Susan Garrett $5 Certainty Challenges
07 Jan 2010
Two weeks ago Susan Garrett posted a $5 Certainty Challenge , where she challenges handlers to get to the crux of their dog's stress…
Non-English Agility Websites Made Easy!
04 Jan 2010
I've been looking around the web at foreign language agility websites and I thought I'd pass along how to add the easy to use Google…
UK Agility International (UKI)
02 Jan 2010
I'm primarily interested in UKI because they will be offering "European Style" courses, with multiple Pull Throughs and other challenging…
180 and Offset 180 Sequences
31 Dec 2009
Standard 180 The 180 obstacle sequence is a very common element in agility courses. A "180" is when the dog takes two obstacles and the dog…
Meeker Advanced Agility Dog
27 Dec 2009
This weekend Meeker and I were at the RACE USDAA trial in Round Lake Beach, IL and earned Meeker's Advanced Agility Dog (AAD) title…
Four Backyard Sequences with Video - Clean Run Sourcebook
20 Dec 2009
Occasionally Anne Riba uses variations on courses from the Clean Run Course Sourcebook and they have been really interesting to handle…
Videos and Blog Posts for Clean Run Articles
18 Dec 2009
I sent emails to some agility lists but didn't have time to update my blog with details of a cool new feature I added to Googility.com. As…
Meeker at Hounds for the Holidays AKC Trial
09 Dec 2009
I took Meeker to two of the four days of the "Hounds for the Holidays" AKC trial in Milwaukee, WI this past weekend. I thought I should…
Class Course - 2-Dec-2009
06 Dec 2009
Here's a fun course I threw together for last week's class at For Your Canine , it works on and off side weave entrances , tunnel A Frame…
Clean Run Search Now On Googility!
30 Nov 2009
I was behind in updating my Clean Run magazine search because it was a tedious manual process. So I spent a couple weeks extending the…
Looking Back at First Agility Trials
28 Nov 2009
I was consolidating data from my various old computers in preparation to loading my new laptop and I found videos of Mr Peabody and Milo…
Birthdays, Trialing, and Titles
14 Nov 2009
Well today is Milo's and my birthday, we think Milo is 11 years old and I'm... err, err,... let's just call it old :^) To celebrate I took…
Class Course - 11-Nov-2009
12 Nov 2009
Here's a technical-ish class course I invented last night at For Your Canine that works Threadles , Jump Wraps and weave entries. Here…
Team Small Dog: Agility, Make It Fun
12 Nov 2009
Laura at Team Small Dog has just written a great post titled "Thinking different to make a change" . I think it is required reading for all…
Snippet: Rear Cross to On Side Weave Entrance
10 Nov 2009
The sequence above can be handled a couple ways with the dog on the handler's right or left going in to the weaves. When Meeker was on my…
Bite Alignment for Performance Dogs?
10 Nov 2009
I saw some of the local news tonight and during the sports segment they showed a football player who demonstrated his range of motion…
Can't Remember Googility?
06 Nov 2009
I had a couple people mention to me that they either couldn't remember the name or the correct spelling of my dog agility search site…
Four Backyard Sequences - Serpentines, Threadles and 180s
30 Oct 2009
A couple weeks ago Meeker and I were at to For Your Canine for a CPE trial and the Jumpers course had a section that I thought would…
AKC News/Judges's Newsletter Email and RSS Updates
21 Oct 2009
The AKC judges's newsletter contains clarifications of the official AKC rules and is sent automatically to AKC judges. The AKC agility…
Get Email and RSS Updates of USDAA News and Events
19 Oct 2009
A number of months ago I made a request via the USDAA email list for an RSS feed for the News and Events page . That page is updated with…
Rand Park Dog Training Club AKC Novice Trial
17 Oct 2009
A big thanks to Liz for taking the video, she and her pup River ran very well all day, especially impressive for a youngster. So I'm…
Advanced Class Course + 2 Sequences/Video - 2009-Sep-23
24 Sep 2009
Here's another challenging course that I created out of the previous class' equipment layout. It has Jump Wraps , pull throughs, 180 s and…
2009 FCI Championship Course Diagrams
20 Sep 2009
Here's a link to the FCI 2009 World Championship Course diagrams . Can't wait to set some of them up and try them!
Advanced Class Course - 2009-Sep-15
18 Sep 2009
So if you are looking for an ugly course this is one of them. As I've mentioned before I usually make up my courses from the equipment that…
Free Video FCI World Champs Practice Day
14 Sep 2009
Eric at AgilityVision and CleanRun are providing a free video stream of the 2009 FCI Agility World Championships practice day - in…
Backyard Practice Course/Video - Jumps and Weaves
13 Sep 2009
Earlier this week I threw together a Jumpers With Weaves backyard sized layout with five sequences to play with and thought some folks might…
24 inch Weave Pole Spacing Survey Results
26 Aug 2009
Last week Susan Garrett started a survey a weave pole spacing for USDAA and the results are now in. 2658 people completed the survey and…
24 inch Weave Pole Spacing
23 Aug 2009
There has been a lot of discussion on the USDAA email list trying to convince the board to change to 24" weave pole spacing. I chimed in…
Malaysian Courses
08 Aug 2009
Malaysian agility courses: https://tinyurl.com/lhyeua . Some of the trial results also include course diagrams. There are some unusual…
Courses for 2009 European Open
07 Aug 2009
Courses for the 2009 European Open are posted here: https://www.belgians.nl/Parcoursen/2009/072509EO.htm I definitely want to run some of…
Mental Aspects of Front and Rear Crosses
26 Jul 2009
After discussions on the challenges of timing crosses with some students I wanted to pass along some thoughts about Front and Rear…
Rubber Contacts and Training
21 Jul 2009
Rubber chip coated contacts are becoming more and more popular and are a "good thing" due to the excellent traction they provide, but they…
Running-Contacts Blog
02 Jul 2009
Just came across a cool agility blog: Running-Contacts.com . What do you think it's about? Yup, running contacts. The site is created by…
Intermediate Class - 2009-Jun-24
25 Jun 2009
Here is last night's "spur of the moment" intermediate class course, it gives some "city and highway driving", 270 s, a Pin Wheel , and…
Intermediate Class - 2009-Jun-17
21 Jun 2009
It has been a while since I posted any of my class courses, I usually just dream up a sequence based on the equipment locations when I walk…
Agility Course Maps Website
17 Jun 2009
There is a new website for agility enthusiasts where you can upload, view and search for agility course maps. It was just started recently…
One Snooker Q and Meeker AD
15 Jun 2009
Well we finally did it, Meeker 's first Starters Snooker qualifying score happened at the Cream City Canines USDAA trial in Wilmot…
Weave Poles
31 May 2009
I really feel like I'm living up to the Nerd in AgilityNerd now; not an article on the Weaves themselves, only the poles! Here are a few…
Some Thoughts on Goals and Success
22 May 2009
In a recent trial post I made what I thought was an innocent remark: "from a Q perspective we didn't do very well (only 3 for 7)" and…
Melissa Frye's Blog
22 May 2009
I first heard of agility trainer Melissa Frye's blog when it was added to Googility . I started reading it recently and it has a lot of…
Teeter Whip and Base Hop
14 May 2009
I was at a trial a while back and the club was using a new teeter in one of the rings. If I recall correctly it was a two piece 1/…
Contact Sports Trial - Mental Side of Snooker
10 May 2009
From a Q perspective we didn't do very well (only 3 for 7) and our Starters Snooker Q was one of the elusive ones. We did earn our Advanced…
Putting a Cross In Only to Take it Back Out
01 May 2009
If you walk a course and end up putting a cross in at an obstacle only to take it back out again before the next obstacle you should take a…
RACE USDAA Trial
25 Apr 2009
Here's the video (It is only missing our final Adv Jumpers run): A big thanks to everyone who videotaped us! Here are the "highlights…
CleanRun Exercise of the Month
17 Apr 2009
So now we all have another set of exercises to play around with.
Snippet: Rear Cross Into Contact/Tunnel Discrimination
30 Mar 2009
There was a Fun Run at For Your Canine today and it uncovered another "snippet" that Meeker and I need to work on. Lisa B had set out…
Track Your Performance - Agility Record Book
22 Mar 2009
I use Dave Connet's Agility Record Book (ARB) software to track how Meeker and I do at our trials and wanted to share its features with…
CPE - For Your Canine - Mar 2009
20 Mar 2009
I won't bore you with play by play of all eight runs. So here are some highlights: So overall we were 6 Qs for 8 attempts, 5 1st places and…
Pushing on the Last Pole
08 Mar 2009
When there are an even number of weave poles the dog always exits the weaves on the side of the weaves opposite of the side on which they…
Snippet: Contact With Cross to Weaves
02 Mar 2009
This snippet is about challenges due to sharp turns from contacts to 90 degree weave entries. Dana Pike's class course this week…
Snippet: Chute/Tunnel to Spread Jump
20 Feb 2009
There is a pretty common challenge created by following a chute or tunnel with a double, triple or broad jump. The challenge is due to the…
Post Run Note Taking
14 Feb 2009
At a recent trial I was talking with agility pal and local trainer Ashlee Trotter after her run and was intrigued by her after run note…
Great Lakes Belgian Tervuren AKC Trial - 02-Jan-2009
13 Feb 2009
Well Meeker and I went to his second AKC trial over a month ago, but I've been so busy with Googility that I haven't had time to write…
5 Tips for Better Dog Business Websites
03 Feb 2009
A website is no longer a luxury for dog trainers, clubs and agility services; more and more people rely on the internet to find businesses…
Cues
01 Feb 2009
As dog trainers and handlers we talk a lot about "cues" and "cueing" our dogs. As more people are evaluating Handling Systems a lot of the…
Ouch is Spelled...
30 Jan 2009
flexor digitorum superficialis. A couple weeks ago at class Meeker was laying in his crate and had wedged himself into a corner of it so…
Got a Minute? Help Us All
25 Jan 2009
I'm really excited. I just added a Map Search feature to Googility . So now you can enter an address into the search box and all the…
Putting the Community in Googility.com
11 Jan 2009
Well it's been quiet here on AgilityNerd because I've spent all my spare time on a complete rewrite of Googility.com. I have changed the…
CPE - For Your Canine - 30-Nov-2008
09 Dec 2008
Two weekends ago I decided to do a day of show entry at Our first run was Level 4 standard and for some reason I pulled off on the approach…
Rachel Sanders' Reliable Running A-Frames DVD
27 Nov 2008
I just watched Rachel Sanders "Reliable Running A-Frames" Two DVD Set and was really impressed. I first learned of Rachel's running A…
Susan Garrett Blog
26 Nov 2008
A big thanks to Rikke for blogging that Susan Garrett has started a blog about dog training and agility . One of her first posts was…
Five Practice Sequences
23 Nov 2008
I almost forgot about this practice course I setup and videotaped back on a warm, sunny day in early October. This course is a combination…
Meeker CPE and AKC Trials
16 Nov 2008
I've been to two one day trials with Meeker recently, a CPE trial at For Your Canine in Schiller Park, IL and his first AKC trial at…
2008 USDAA Steeplechase Sequences Video
10 Nov 2008
As I mentioned in my article on six sequences based on the 2008 USDAA Steeplechase Semi Final Course I video taped Meeker and me running…
Home Course Building
07 Nov 2008
I've been setting up more courses at home and I thought I'd share some steps I took to make that easier. I help build courses at every trial…
USDAA Steeplechase - Six Sequences
01 Nov 2008
I was taking a look at the USDAA Cynosport Games courses and decided to come up with sequences based the Steeplechase Semi-Finals course…
USDAA Nationals Online Video!
29 Oct 2008
The USDAA is planing on providing on demand videos and some live streaming video of the Cynosport World Games each day on their website…
Clean Run Magazine Search Updated
25 Oct 2008
I took advantage of a muddy backyard today to enter the latest Clean Run Magazine and article descriptions into my Clean Run Magazine…
Replacing A Frame Slats
20 Oct 2008
With all the rain at the end of this summer my A Frame became too decrepit to put off repairing. It didn't need to be fully "re-skinned…
Six Practice Sequences With Video
16 Oct 2008
It has been ages since I've setup any courses in my backyard, so I decided to "riff" on this section of a Dana Pike course. I video…
Contact Sports Agility Trial
11 Oct 2008
Before I get to the details here is what I recorded in Agility Record Book : The Gamblers NQ was all my doing. Here's part of the gamble…
How Would You Handle It? Video
03 Oct 2008
Well I finally setup a similar course to the one I described in this article and shot a video of the six different handlings outlined in…
FCI 2008 Championships Online!
26 Sep 2008
The FCI Championships in Finland are being taped by Eric Larson from AgilityVision and he is posting the videos on this website…
How Would You Handle It? Dana Pike 20-Sep-2008
20 Sep 2008
This past week Dana Pike had a good Jumpers With Weaves style course that had a section for which we were all discussing the handling…
Contact Sports Agility - Aug 9-10, 2008
08 Sep 2008
Saturday had some good and bad moments. Meeker was quite excited and I was able to get him to tug while in the warm up area. He was…
Stuart Mah Seminar - Jul 2008
08 Aug 2008
I attended my first Stuart Mah seminar last month at Meyer's Kennel in Belvidere, IL. Stuart is certainly a very successful handler and…
AgilityNerd Store Open!
01 Aug 2008
Recent visitors to AgilityNerd.com may have noticed some small colorful images fading in and out in the left margin that appeared a couple…
Fast Forward Dog Sports - Rachel Sanders
20 Jul 2008
Here is the direct link to her library page . I really like Rachel and have attended all of her local seminars. I especially like her…
New Agility Search Engine!
06 Jul 2008
Ever search for agility terms and been frustrated with the results returned by conventional search engines? I've taken the web sites, blogs…
Working The Little Grey Cells - Course Memorization
27 Jun 2008
There was a discussion on the AgileTeach Email List this past week about helping students with learning difficulties remember obstacle…
Cream City USDAA Trial - 15 & 16 Jun 2008
18 Jun 2008
This past weekend Meeker and I trialed in Wilmot WI at the Cream City USDAA trial. It was an outdoor trial with two rings. Our judge…
Linda Mecklenburg's Awesome Paws Website
07 Jun 2008
Top agility competitor and trainer Linda Mecklenburg now has a website . That in itself isn't notable, now a days most trainers have an…
Honda Element "Dog Mobile"
02 Jun 2008
In response to a comment on my Window Film Application post here are my thoughts on the Honda Element as a dogmobile and how I store my…
Window Film For Cooler Cars
25 May 2008
Now that the heat of summer is coming I've started looking for ways to keep our dogs cooler and safer while traveling in the car. Like many…
Unattended Equipment Safety
09 May 2008
I saw a tragic story come through on a number of agility email lists a couple weeks ago that I thought I should share it with those of you…
Can You Name This Agility Game?
24 Apr 2008
I was at a Suzanne Clothier seminar in CT this last weekend and was speaking about agility with dog behaviorist and researcher Dr. Rudy de…
Meeker's First USDAA Trial
16 Apr 2008
Well Meeker and I put on our "big boy pants" and tried his first USDAA agility trial this past weekend (only my second USDAA trial…
Contact Cozies: Keeping Contacts Safe
07 Apr 2008
Here's my interpretation of the Contact Cozies Steve Stochaj wrote about in his comment on my article about the dangers of frost on…
USDAA Course Design Guidelines Document
21 Mar 2008
The USDAA just posted its course design guidelines document on its website. The news post is here . The PDF of the guidelines is…
Team Small Dog Blog: Small Fast Kick Yer Ass
15 Mar 2008
I just discovered Laura Hartwick's blog: Team Small Dog and all I can say is wow! Unlike other dog agility blogs that are mostly about…
Dana Pike Advanced Class Sequence - Weave Entries
06 Mar 2008
Don't pay strict attention to the dimensions in the diagram, they are rough estimates from my memory. Here's how you should set it up. The…
Serpentine Handling Techniques
15 Feb 2008
The Serpentine is a common obstacle sequence and there are many ways to handle it. I'll present the most common approaches and I've…
500+ Courses and 80 Drills
05 Feb 2008
The AAC Canadian World Team, going to the IFCS World Agility Championship in Belgium in May, has put together 7 PDFs containing over 500 AAC…
Do We Need to Change the Tire?
20 Jan 2008
In the past month there has been a lot of discussion on the AgilityDogs and USDAA SoundingBoard email lists about serious injuries to…
Minuet - Two Jump Drill - Again
15 Jan 2008
Two weeks ago I posted two handling approaches for Bud Houston's two jump Minuet setup. After my post I got some good handling…
How Would You Handle It? - Sequence 2
10 Jan 2008
This "How Would You Handle It" is a middle sequence of a longer course I ran at Anne Riba's Apex Agility this past summer. It is a pretty…
Agility Needs a "Most Aggressive Handler" Award
04 Jan 2008
I've got some ideas that will stir some folks up! Some agility organization should reward fast and daring handlers who aggressively handle…
Dancing the Minuet - Two Jump Drill
28 Dec 2007
Agility pioneer Bud Houston posted some simple setups as part of a game idea with several interesting handling possibilities. He…
The Benefits of Reversing Course
26 Dec 2007
There was a discussion of Flatwork on the I replied to the trainer that one way that helps handlers and dogs break out of their handed…
A Frame Mover
14 Dec 2007
The best A-Frame mover I've ever used!
![tag cloud of all blog subjects]()
Free Clean Run Online Issue
11 Dec 2007
I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank the dozen readers who placed their Clean Run orders through the link in the left hand menu…
PVC Cutter
25 Nov 2007
I had never bothered using a PVC cutter before; I always used a hand saw or my powered miter saw if I had a lot of PVC to cut. The downside…
Handling Tunnel to Dog Walk Wraps
16 Nov 2007
In the last year or so I've seen a slightly different method for handling tunnel to dog walk wraps that might of interest for some dog and…
Contact Frost Warning!
03 Nov 2007
As the weather turns colder here in the Midwest we are seeing temperatures dropping below freezing overnight. I was at agility class bright…
How Would You Handle It? - Sequence 1
02 Nov 2007
In recent weeks I've run some practice courses with interesting subsequences in them and I thought I'd start blogging them as little…
Early Release, Self Release, and Quick Release
17 Oct 2007
On the Clean Run Email List Linda Mecklenburg posed the question "What exactly is a quick release?" from a contact stop position. So I…
Outdoor Compact Fluorescent Floodlights
15 Oct 2007
The previous owner of my house had installed fixtures for three pairs of incandescent floodlights lights pointing out to the yard. This time…
Stride Regulators
21 Sep 2007
As their name suggests, Stride Regulators are used to assist dogs in using a particular stride pattern when performing the A Frame. The…
Mary Ellen Barry on Threadle Handling
08 Sep 2007
What I like about this article is that Mary Ellen doesn't just say "I handle the threadle this way"; she explains why her handling system…
Weave Pole Entrance Challenges
02 Sep 2007
After writing up my definitions of On and Off Side Weave Entries I started to think about what might make a really difficult weave entry…
On Side/Off Side Weave Entries
23 Aug 2007
Sometimes you'll hear a weave pole entry described as "On Side" or "Off Side". These terms can be confusing because they raise the question…
CPE - For Your Canine - Meeker's First Trial
14 Jul 2007
I had originally planned to wait until the fall before entering Meeker in his first trial. But due to a fortunate turn of events I took…
Lisa Potts - CPE - For Your Canine Jul 2007
13 Jul 2007
With the kind permission of CPE judge Lisa Potts I am posting her courses from the trial at For Your Canine from the end of June. Lisa…
Learning the Collapsed Tunnel/Chute
04 Jul 2007
I saw some good posts on the Agile Teach email list about teaching the Chute . So I thought I'd jot down my approach and some other's…
Practice Course - Discriminations And More
29 Jun 2007
I'm still working Meeker on contacts and obstacle discriminations and after this earlier setup I came up with this setup and some…
Practice Equipment for Agility Students
16 Jun 2007
There was a discussion on the Agile Teach email list about the importance of agility students practicing outside of class and approaches…
Handling Confusion
08 Jun 2007
The other day I was reminded of some tips I've learned for dealing with those times when we forget where we are going on course or it is our…
Across The Feet/Across The Toes
05 Jun 2007
Several years ago I came across this interestingly named handling manuver on Guy Blanke's website. I haven't found need to use it too…
Dana Pike Advanced Class Course - May 1, 2007
20 May 2007
I just realized it has been over a year since I featured one of Dana Pike's class courses. I assure you that is only due to my lack of…
Practice Course - Obstacle Discriminations
07 May 2007
An open and fast sequence. Begins with a Serpentine to the Dog Walk. I tried handling from both sides; for me handling with the jumps on…
"Pick Up Sticks" Course Design
04 May 2007
Need a practice course and don't have any ideas? Here's a really easy method that I've used when I get stuck. Take some jump bars by their…
DIY Chute
11 Apr 2007
Well I've had the parts for almost a year now and I finally made time to put together my own Chute. This isn't exactly a "how to" article…
Rear Cross Drills - 4 Jumps and a Tunnel
07 Apr 2007
I threw together some Rear Cross exercises using only four jumps and a tunnel in response to a request to the AgileX Email List . I can…
Practice Course - Serpentines, Threadles, Weave Entries and Contacts
03 Apr 2007
For the first backyard course of the year I wanted to setup a course that I could run as a whole and that I could leave set up for a while…
Grass
23 Mar 2007
Grass as agility equipment you might ask? Sure. I want Milo and Meeker to have a comfortable and safe surface on which we can play and…
Reading Course Maps
19 Mar 2007
While working on another project I created a legend for the symbols used on an agility course map. So I decided to post it here for folks…
Training Journal for Devon and Jaime - Agility Blog
16 Mar 2007
I've been reading another good agility blog Training Journal for Devon and Jaime lately. Cedarfield has good training discussions and…
USDAA To Lower A Frame
06 Mar 2007
After the annual Board of Directors meeting the USDAA has posted an announcement indicating that it will drop the height of the A Frame…
Contact Wicket
04 Mar 2007
Previously, I had made a Contact Hoop for helping Meeker hit his contacts; after working with Dana Pike on contacts she pointed out I…
Raven and Cypher Cover Greg Derrett in Australia
02 Mar 2007
Australian agility blogger Simone is posting on her Raven and Cypher Blog a number of detailed articles about a Greg Derrett seminar she…
AKC Mixed Breed Participation Survey
22 Feb 2007
The AKC is conducting a survey to try to gauge interest in allowing neutered and spayed mixed breeds to compete in Companion Events…
Agility Matting For Indoor Training
21 Feb 2007
I've taken the plunge and put rubber matting down in My house has hardwood floors throughout and the sun room has a tile floor. The…
Single Sided Threadle Handling
30 Jan 2007
I learned this technique from Rachel Sanders at Dana Pike's "2006 Fall Maintenance Camp" . It was remarkable that the vast majority of…
AKC Agility Handler Clothing Clarification
24 Jan 2007
The AKC has posted its policy for clothing worn in the agility ring on its website : Advertising is not allowed in the AKC agility ring…
Suzanne Clothier's "The Clothier Natural Jumping Method"
18 Jan 2007
As far as I know Suzanne Clothier's book The Clothier Natural Jumping Method (Copyright 1989) was the first book written for dog…
Traditional Threadle Handling
12 Jan 2007
There are three "traditional" methods for handling Threadles . Two of which have the handler perform crosses and the third uses only…
Contact Hoop
08 Dec 2006
It seems when I train with Rhonda Carter I not only learn to be a better handler and trainer but I find she has come up with an idea for a…
"Run the Dog You Brought" and "Run the Dog Not the Course"
04 Dec 2006
I am very much still training Meeker for the agility game. I've noticed times when I use handling with him that he doesn't fully…
Snow Jump
01 Dec 2006
Ok just a little wintery agility update. The northern suburbs of Chicago got a lot of snow overnight. Here's a jump in my backyard, the bar…
Practice Standard Course Built Around A Jump Chute
30 Nov 2006
Now that I finally have all my contact equipment and Meeker is confident running over all of it at full height I decided to set up some…
Fall Maintenance Camp: Barry, Carter, Moureaux, Pinder, and Sanders
10 Nov 2006
Wow! Phew! That's how I felt after attending a five day camp at Dana Pike's facility in Wilmington, IL. I was happy and exhausted by the…
Online Map of Agility Training/Ring Rental Locations
23 Oct 2006
Prompted by a query on the AgilityDogs email list Blake Stafford has put together a website for locating Agility training facilities…
Thoughts On Choosing Seminar Presenters
22 Oct 2006
Dearlove Nested Class Course - Oct 12 and Oct 19 2006
11 Oct 2006
These are my final Dearlove Agility class courses of the season. I hope you've enjoyed running them as much as I have. I greatly enjoyed…
Clean Run Free Sample Issue
03 Oct 2006
Let's Make a Deal!
29 Sep 2006
I was fooling around with a tunnel and three jumps in the backyard with Meeker and came up with this obvious setup that I found was useful…
Dearlove Nested Class Course - Sep 28 and Oct 5 2006
26 Sep 2006
This week's sequences have a little of everything in them: There are two Intermediate team sequences. The first opens with a three jump Pin…
Dearlove Nested Class Course - Sep 14 and 21 2006
12 Sep 2006
This week's sequences focus on choosing crosses and There are two Intermediate team sequences. The first opens with a jump-tunnel-jump…
Clean Run Magazine Online Search
04 Sep 2006
I regularly read the Clean Run agility email list and there are always requests from magazine readers to locate the issue(s) containing…
Dearlove Nested Class Course - Aug 31 and Sep 7 2006
29 Aug 2006
This week's sequences focus on choosing crosses and There are two Intermediate team sequences. The first opens with a jump-tunnel-jump…
Jump Chute
25 Aug 2006
The term Jump Chute typically refers to a set of jumps arranged specifically for training dogs to improve their jumping skills. I have also…
Seal Skinz Waterproof Socks
23 Aug 2006
Socks? you might ask. Yep socks. I was just miserable during a rain soaked three day agility seminar with squishy shoes and many changes of…
Learning the Rear Cross
17 Aug 2006
I walk you through learning the footwork for a rear cross and demonstrate with pictures and video clips.
Dearlove Nested Class Course - Aug 17 and 24 2006
15 Aug 2006
This week's sequences all contain 270s within Serpentines . You have Anne Riba to "thank" for planting this idea in my head. I've been…
Rear Cross
13 Aug 2006
The Rear Cross is a handling manuever that, like all crosses, is used to allow the handler to change from one side of the dog to the other…
Learning the Outside Arm Turn
09 Aug 2006
The Outside Arm Turn can be used to initiate turning your dog during a Rear Cross . It is effectively a partial "spin" cue. In itself this…
Long Serpentine Course Opening
11 Jul 2006
I started writing this post back at the end of March and got distracted without finishing it (if I recall I was trying to fit it into my…
Dearlove Nested Class Course - July 6 and 13 2006
05 Jul 2006
There are two Intermediate team sequences. The first opens with a couple jumps to a Serpentine (it is almost two back to back Serpentines…
Dana Pike Agility Foundation Seminar
02 Jul 2006
I took Meeker to Dana Pike's Novice Agility Seminar this past Sunday at Nancy Reyes' For Your Canine facility in Schiller Park, IL. I…
Bar Bells
01 Jul 2006
At Dana Pike's 2006 Spring Maintenance Camp Rhonda Carter mentioned temporarily attaching small bells to each end of a jump bar. If…
Running Dearlove Nested Class Course - June 8 and 15 2006
26 Jun 2006
I wanted to setup and run the Dearlove Nested Class Course for June 8 and 15 2006 with Milo . I also wanted to try videotaping the runs…
Dearlove Nested Class Course - June 22 and 29 2006
20 Jun 2006
There are two Intermediate team sequences. The first opens with an awkward entry to a Pin Wheel into a an Over Come Jump Wrap . Then a…
Learning the Hand Target
17 Jun 2006
Teaching your dog to target your hand with their nose is a very valuable behavior that can be used to train other behaviors. It helps focus…
Dana Pike, Jen Pinder and Rhonda Carter "2006 Spring Maintenance Camp"
13 Jun 2006
I attended the "Spring Maintenance Camp" Dana Pike held at her place in Wilmington, IL this past Memorial Day Weekend. Like last year…
Dog-Li-Ness
11 Jun 2006
I've been a long time reader of Lisa B's eclectic, provocative, and fun blog A Complete Bunch of Pants . Lisa was a member of our flyball…
Dearlove Nested Class Course - June 8 and 15 2006
05 Jun 2006
Intermediate teams work a sequence opening with a 270 . Then a little jumping sequence to the table. A tricky Pull Through into a 18…
Dearlove Nested Class Course - May 25 & June 1 2006
22 May 2006
The Intermediate teams work a sequence opening with a Serpentine where the third obstacle is the tunnel. Then a long curving, jumping…
Dearlove Nested Class Course - May 4 & 11 2006
01 May 2006
The Intermediate teams work a sequence of two Pin Wheels (one in each direction) connected by a 270 degree turn in the presence of two…
Dearlove Nested Class Course - Apr 20 & 27 2006
17 Apr 2006
A pretty straightforward course for warming up at the beginning of the season. The layout is a Chinese Boot Lace together with a Jump…
Suzanne Clothier - Trainers' Seminar
12 Apr 2006
I attended a Suzanne Clothier seminar this past weekend at Nancy Reyes' For Your Canine facility in Schiller Park, IL. It was a three…
Susan Garrett's Shaping Success
28 Mar 2006
The last couple weeks I've been reading Susan Garrett's latest book Shaping Success. The Education of an Unlikely Champion . If you are…
Dana Pike Advanced Class Course - Mar 2 2006
18 Mar 2006
We had guest instructor Anne Riba coaching us through the course. I've trained with Anne since Mr Peabody and I first started in agility…
One Jump Drills
08 Mar 2006
I've been asked by fellow agility enthusiasts for handling drills that don't need a whole backyard of agility equipment. So I put together…
Dana Pike Advanced Class Course - Feb 16 2006
24 Feb 2006
The opening four obstacles are the tire into a non-traditional Serpentine, non-traditional in the sense that the third obstacle in the…
Learning the Post Turn
03 Feb 2006
The Post Turn is one of the basic agility handling manuevers. It is an extension of the obedience healing we all learned in basic dog…
Post Turn/Shoulder Pull/Pivot Turn
27 Jan 2006
The Post Turn, Shoulder Pull, or Pivot Turn is one of the basic agility handling maneuvers. The Post Turn is used to turn a dog with the dog…
Over-Come/Go-Come/Yo-Yo
26 Jan 2006
The terms Over-Come, Go-Come and Yo-Yo are used to describe both a handling maneuver and an obstacle sequence. They are special cases of a…
Jump Wrap/Wrap
24 Jan 2006
The term Jump Wrap or Wrap is used to describe both a handling maneuver and an obstacle sequence. It involves sending the dog over a jump…
USDAA 2005 World Cynosport Games Courses
21 Jan 2006
The files are in Clean Run Course Designer format. You can download the free trial which converts to a free reader after 30 days
Jump Box Drill Generator
02 Jan 2006
I decided to write a web page for generating custom Jump Box drills to wrap up this subject. This article describes my approach. If you…
Jump Box Drills
25 Dec 2005
In a belated response to a request on the AgileX email list a few weeks ago for Jump Box Sequences I've put together this post. I've…
FCI 2005 World Championship Courses
24 Dec 2005
Now that I have a little more space in which to practice, I'm looking forward to setting up interesting sections of these courses.
Double Jump Box Drills
24 Dec 2005
I have to admit I had never given a name to the "Push Through" maneuver. To me it was a Jump Wrap followed by a Push over the next…
Do It Yourself Box Jump Sequences
18 Dec 2005
There was a request on the AgileX email list a few weeks ago for Box Jump Sequences. I was thinking about posting some sequences and…
The Jump Box in Course Design
14 Dec 2005
The Jump Box is a very versatile course element for practice and competition courses. One reason is that its jumps can be used for a…
Box/Hobday Box/Jump Box/Jump Square
10 Dec 2005
The "Box" is a fairly common course design element. I first read about it years ago in Clean Run Magazine and have heard it called the…
Dana Pike Advanced Class Course - Nov 17, 2005
27 Nov 2005
Dana also had multiple handling options for other areas of the course as well. Here's her course: The opening four obstacles are a jump into…
Agility Email Lists
18 Nov 2005
Here are the Agility email lists to which I subscribe. I've put a little comment next each describing why I subscribe. Some I just check…
Dana Pike, Mary Ellen Barry and Rachel Sanders Fall Maintenance Camp
09 Nov 2005
I attended the "Fall Maintenance Camp" Dana Pike held at her place in Wilmington, IL at the end of September. I missed this camp last…
Turning Dogs Out of Straight Tunnels
02 Nov 2005
A few weeks ago Dana Pike setup a course with a 15 foot straight tunnel followed by a 180 degree turn into the weaves. As handlers, we…
Dearlove Nested Class Course - Oct 17 & Oct 24 2005
16 Oct 2005
This course works Beginners on running with their dogs on both sides, over a short "course"; with opportunities for two crosses…
Dearlove Nested Class Course - Oct 3 & Oct 10 2005
02 Oct 2005
This course works Beginners on running with their dogs on both sides, 180 degree turns, and static crosses out of the tunnel. Intermediate…
Dearlove Nested Class Course - Sep 18 & Sep 25 2005
18 Sep 2005
This course works Beginners on running with their dogs on both sides, 180 degree turns, and static crosses out of the tunnel. Intermediate…
Dearlove Nested Class Course - Aug 29 & Sep 12 2005
26 Aug 2005
This course works Beginners on slightly more advanced courses than other lessons. One sequence works primarily landing side Rear Crosses…
Dana Pike Seminar Course 2 - May 31 2005
22 Aug 2005
I just found some time to write up my notes on Dana Pike's second advanced handling course from her handling seminar over Memorial Day…
Marj Kibby Blog - Choose and Raise a Puppy
20 Aug 2005
I just recently became aware of Australian Marj Kibby's blog Choose and Raise a Puppy . If you browse her blog you'll see her discuss…
John Senger - AKC Open Jumpers With Weaves
12 Aug 2005
I ran this course (unsuccessfully :^) at the Forest City Dog Training Club AKC Trial a couple weekends ago. I really liked it for three…
Dearlove Nested Class Course - Aug 08 & Aug 15 2005
07 Aug 2005
This course works Beginners on Rear Crosses into the tunnel, a four jump PinWheel and introduces Front Crosses out of the tunnel and…
Forest City Dog Training Club AKC Trial - Jul 30-31, 2005
02 Aug 2005
I signed Milo up for both days of the I volunteered to help with course building and the FCDTC folks were all very nice and made me feel…
Dearlove Nested Class Course - Jul 25 & Aug 1 2005
23 Jul 2005
This course works Beginners on Rear Crosses into the tunnel and after a jump (Rear Cross on the Flat). Intermediate teams work a 270 and…
Dearlove Nested Class Course - Jul 11 & 18 2005
10 Jul 2005
This course works Beginners on Pin Wheels in both directions and/or Rear Crosses into the tunnel (depending on their readiness…
Dana Pike Seminar Course 1 - May 31 2005
05 Jul 2005
I finally made some time to write up my notes on Dana Pike's courses from her handling seminar over Memorial Day weekend . She had two…
R.A.C.E. Agility Trial - July 03 2005
04 Jul 2005
I had only signed up for one day of this trial since I've been busy with the non-Agility part of my life a lot lately :^) If this trial…
Layering Practice
25 Jun 2005
I got some outdoor ring rental in West Chicago, IL at Candy's Starstream 200 this past Saturday. I worked on some of the issues Milo and I…
Cream City USDAA Trial - Jun 19, 2005
21 Jun 2005
Our second trial of the weekend was run by Cream City Canines at yet another fairground; this time in Wilmot, WI. It was my first USDAA…
Car-Dun-Al AKC Trial - Jun 18, 2005
19 Jun 2005
We only signed up for Saturday at Car-Dun-Al so we could try our first USDAA trial on Sunday . I didn't realize until the certificate…
Fundog Agility Group NADAC Trial - Jun 11-12, 2005
13 Jun 2005
I had signed up for six runs a day hoping it would to be cool weather the only way Milo would handle that many runs. Fundogs set up four…
Dearlove Nested Class Course - June 13 & 27 2005
10 Jun 2005
These sequences are inspired by courses I ran at the Memorial Day weekend Dana Pike, Jen Pinder, and Rhonda Carter Camp . They allow…
Dana Pike, Jen Pinder and Rhonda Carter "Spring Maintenance Camp"
04 Jun 2005
I attended the "Spring Maintenance Camp" Dana Pike held at her place in Wilmington, IL this past Memorial Day Weekend. Like last year…
Clean Run Handling Issue
23 May 2005
As I've mentioned before , Here are some highlights: There are even more articles I haven't outlined. You've got to borrow or buy this…
Dearlove Nested Class Course - May 23 & June 6 2005
22 May 2005
This class course presents Rear Crosses on the flat (aka Tandem Turns) to Beginners, is a real Pin Wheel work out for Intermediate teams…
NOCI AKC Trial - May 7-8, 2005
10 May 2005
I took Milo to the Northwest Obedience Club, Inc AKC trial this past week end in Wauconda, IL. This was Milo's first outdoor trial in…
Dearlove Nested Class Course - May 10 & 17 2005
08 May 2005
This class course presents Rear Crosses to the beginners, works on Serpentines and continues 270 handling from last week for the…
Dog Agility Is...
04 May 2005
Even before I started this blog I wanted to write a philosophical article discussing the many important aspects of Agility that might not be…
Jen Pinder, Rhonda Carter, Dana Pike Seminar Working Spot Open!
03 May 2005
I got an email from an Agility handler who had to drop out of Jen, Rhonda, and Dana's Seminar over Memorial Day weekend. She asked if I…
DIGS NADAC Trial - Apr 23-24, 2005
26 Apr 2005
Dogs In Great Shape ( DIGS ) hosted a two day NADAC agility trial this past weekend in Homer Glen, IL. This was my first NADAC trial and…
Dearlove Nested Class Course - Apr 25 & May 2 2005
23 Apr 2005
I designed this week's course to: introduce the table and continue work on jumps and the tunnel for beginners, 270 Jump Handling…
Dana Pike Advanced Course Opening - Apr 22, 2005
22 Apr 2005
Below is the initial opening sequence. The first two jumps are oriented so that the handler can lead out and stand on the Handler Line…
Serpentine Sequence
20 Apr 2005
Serpentine describes the dog's path through three or more obstacles when the dog performs obstacles in the sequence in opposite directions…
Threadle Sequence
20 Apr 2005
Threadle describes the dog's path through two or more obstacles when the dog performs obstacles in the sequence in the same direction. The…
Dearlove Nested Class Course - Apr 11 & 18 2005
07 Apr 2005
I'm basing these class courses on a drill I dreamed up a few weeks ago . The same equipment setup is used for all classes only the obstacle…
Learning the Front Cross - Video
04 Apr 2005
I walk you through learning the footwork for a front cross and demonstrate with pictures and video clips.
Front Cross
03 Apr 2005
The Front Cross is a handling maneuver that, like all crosses, is used to allow the handler to change from one side of the dog to the other…
Handling 270 Degree Jump Sequences
13 Mar 2005
The 270 Degree Jump Sequence is a commonly seen dog agility course element. Fortunately, handling the "270" is very similar to handling a…
Dana Pike Advanced Class Course - Mar 10, 2005
12 Mar 2005
Here's my analysis some of the challenges and different handling approaches to this course: The opening three obstacles appeared to be…
Dana Pike Advanced Class Course - Mar 03 2005
10 Mar 2005
Here's another challenging Dana Pike Jumpers -style course. Dana always comes up with class courses where there are many valid solutions…
Dana Pike Advanced Class Course - Feb 17 2005
07 Mar 2005
There is a lot going on in this course. So much so that I'll just itemize some of the handling approaches and course challenges: This is…
Front Cross Jump Wrap Drill
01 Mar 2005
These are some drills that I created based on part of a Dana Pike advanced class course. These drills target a number of more advanced…
270 Degree Jump Sequence
13 Feb 2005
The 270 degree jump sequence is a commonly seen advanced Agility course element. The name comes from the number of degrees in the outside…
Milo and the Ultimate Weave Pole Challenge
30 Jan 2005
Nancy Reyes, owner of the For Your Canine training facility in Schiller Park, IL, sponsored a Clean Run Ultimate Weave Pole Challenge…
Brisbee The White - The Dog Journal - Agility Blog
21 Dec 2004
There is also a lot of video showing training progressions and individual agility and training runs. The size of the files makes DSL or…
::THEFLINTBLOG::
15 Dec 2004
In my ongoing search for Agility related weblogs I found ::THEFLINTBLOG:: . The site doesn't say who the author(s) are (Crissy and Sandy…
Dana Pike Advanced Class Course
08 Dec 2004
Last week Dana Pike had us run a course that was renumbered and the obstacles slightly tweaked from the previous week's course . Dana is…
V-Set Handling Alternatives
05 Dec 2004
As I was writing up my V-Set Definition I thought it might be worthwhile to discuss some alternatives to using the V-Set. The primary…
V-Set
03 Dec 2004
A V-Set is a handling strategy in which the handler orients the dog so it's view and path avoid an off course obstacle that would be in line…
For Your Canine
27 Nov 2004
A brand new dog training facility is opening in Chicago. Owner Nancy Reyes has been training dogs in Obedience and Agility for many years…
Dana Pike Advanced Class Course - Right Cross At The Right Time
25 Nov 2004
Last week Dana Pike had us run a course that had some nice subtle aspects to it. I especially liked it because it highlighted some of the…
Clean Run Magazine
21 Nov 2004
Over the past few years the number of quality articles in every issue has steadily increased. Now in every issue there are several articles…
Inside Arm/Inside Arm Signal/Flick Away/Flip
21 Nov 2004
The Inside Arm is always the handler's arm closest to the dog. As you might expect this contrasts with the Outside Arm or Opposite Arm…
A Dog's Life
20 Nov 2004
Maureen Barisch runs A Dog's Life in Chicago, Illinois. She offers grooming, boarding, hydrotherapy, and basic Obedience and Agility classes…
Windy City K-9 Club
20 Nov 2004
Windy City K-9 Club (WCK9) is located on the near North side of Chicago. It offers grooming, boarding, Obedience, Agility and Flyball…
Wisconsin-Illinois Agility Group (WAG)
20 Nov 2004
The Wisconsin-Illinois Agility Group (WAG) is a club that runs a facility near the Illinois-Wisconsin border in Spring Grove, Illinois. They…
Using the Handler Line - Front/Rear/Blind Cross Line
03 Nov 2004
After reading my Handler Line- Front/Rear/Blind Cross Line definition a reader sent in a jump sequence asking "How would I apply the…
Dana Pike Advanced Class Course - Evil Weave Entry
30 Oct 2004
going through a sequence similar to the section I described on last week's course . This week's section of interest starts at the A Frame…
Find The Entrance
28 Oct 2004
This phrase usually refers to a dog locating the entrance of the Weave Poles . It is usually used in a directive to the handler as in "Let…
Handler Line - Front/Rear/Blind Cross Line
28 Oct 2004
The Handler Line, Handling Line, Front Cross Line, Rear Cross Line, or Blind Cross Line is an important concept that all Agility handlers…
Running Dearlove Intermediate Course of 4 Oct 2004
23 Oct 2004
This post updates my original thoughts . This course had a couple good handling challenges and offered some good instruction/training…
Dana Pike Advanced Class Course
12 Oct 2004
My first instinct was to handle the Pin Wheel by getting in the center and pulling the dog around the jumps on my right. I ran this course…
Lead Leg
10 Oct 2004
The concept of a lead leg is most commonly associated with horse riding. But more Agility handlers need to become aware of their dog's lead…
Agility Practice Journal Entry - Non-Practice Entry?
08 Oct 2004
This entry is more like a bunch of excuses for why we haven't been training for the last couple of weeks... This lack of training makes it…
Dearlove Advanced Course - Front vs. Rear Crosses
04 Oct 2004
I designed this practice course so Dearlove 's advanced handlers could work on trying some different handling options. Here are my thoughts…
Dearlove Intermediate Course - Front vs. Rear Crosses
04 Oct 2004
I designed this practice course so Dearlove 's intermediate handlers could work on trying some different handling options for a longer…
Running Dearlove Intermediate Course of 20 Sep 2004
24 Sep 2004
This post updates my original thoughts about this course: Some of our intermediate handlers were a little daunted by the number of cones…
Dearlove Advanced Class - Pin Wheels
20 Sep 2004
I designed this practice course so Dearlove 's advanced handlers could work on trying some different handling options for Pin Wheels…
Dearlove Intermediate Class - Pin Wheels
20 Sep 2004
I designed this practice course so Dearlove 's intermediate handlers could work on basic Pin Wheel handling. There are a lot of numbers…
Pin Wheels
18 Sep 2004
The Pin Wheel is a commonly seen Agility course element. It is generally made up of 3-4 jumps arranged so the dog's path is roughly circular…
Running Dearlove Agility Intermediate Course of 29 Aug 2004
17 Sep 2004
With the Jen Pinder Jumping Workshop , a Flyball Tournament, Labor Day weekend and Milo 's I trained two groups on the course, one only…
Agility Practice Journal Entry - Most Unusual Agility Injury?
10 Sep 2004
I went out to practice at Candy's in West Chicago today. The weather was warm and sunny. Almost too warm out on the course; I was spraying…
Handler Stretching
09 Sep 2004
Sprinting in Agility class last night reminded me of the importance of stretching before running Agility. Stretching is essential for both…
Dana Pike Advanced Class Course
01 Sep 2004
I've reproduced this part of Dana's course below: On the first attempt, I front crossed both Milo and Mr. Peabody over jump 5 to get them…
Jen Pinder Jumping Workshop
31 Aug 2004
I've been to about a dozen Agility seminars and this past weekend I participated in one of the most important seminars for dog training I've…
Dearlove Advanced Class - Choices, Choices, Choices
29 Aug 2004
I designed this practice course so Dearlove 's advanced handlers could work on trying some different handling options for this course. This…
Dearlove Intermediate Class - Get To Your Spot
29 Aug 2004
I designed this practice course so Dearlove 's intermediate handlers could work on running a little longer course, chain some skills…
Agility Practice Journal Entry
24 Aug 2004
This is a back dated post about Wednesday night class with Dana Pike . Like two weeks ago, the opening was just like a Jumpers course…
Running Dearlove Advanced Course of 16 Aug 2004
24 Aug 2004
This post updates my original thoughts about this course: Because the course was so similar to the intermediate course please see my…
Running Dearlove Intermediate Course of 16 Aug 2004
20 Aug 2004
This post updates my original thoughts about this course: It turns out the students ran the course pretty much as I expected. So the only…
Dearlove Advance - 16-Aug-2004 - Early Queueing Front Crosses
16 Aug 2004
I designed this practice course so Dearlove 's advanced handlers could work on queueing their dogs early enough for a front cross that the…
Dearlove Intermediate Class - Chaining Skills
16 Aug 2004
I designed this practice course so Dearlove 's intermediate handlers could work on running a little longer course and chaining together…
Agility Practice Journal Entry
15 Aug 2004
Went to my first course run through at Dana Pike 's in Wilmington, IL. She had both a Jumpers and Standard course setup. The weather…
Dearlove Advanced Mini-Course - Serpentine Handling
13 Aug 2004
This course uses the same equipment layout as the intermediate course but the intent was for handlers to find the fastest way around the…
Dearlove Intermediate Mini-Course - Front Cross Drills
13 Aug 2004
I designed this practice course so Dearlove 's intermediate handlers could work on their Front Crosses . I know from personal experience…
Agility Practice Journal Entry
11 Aug 2004
This is a back dated post about Wednesday night practice with Dana Pike . I really enjoyed the course, it was big, open, and flowing. The…
Half Cross
10 Aug 2004
A Half Cross is most often used to either get a dog's attention and/or to move the dog slightly horizontally towards the handler while the…
Reverse Flow Pivot/False Turn
10 Aug 2004
A Reverse Flow Pivot (RFP), also called a False Turn, is used to move the dog horizontally towards the handler while ending up with the dog…
Obstacle Discrimination - Sometimes a Head Check is Enough
10 Aug 2004
It seems I need to relearn this lesson periodically. One of Anthony's courses at Dearlove had the obstacle sequence shown below. It is a…
Rear Crossing to Setup The Dog's Line
10 Aug 2004
This is a sequence from one of Dana Pike 's courses this past Wednesday night. There were two other interesting handling sequences; but I…
Verbal Leash
09 Aug 2004
The verbal leash is the spoken equivalent of a physical leash. It is calling the dog's name, or using the "here" command to get the dog's…
