Persistent bar knocking can be a frustrating and challenging issue in dog agility. Have you ever watched your dog joyfully sprint across an agility course, the two of you in harmony as you navigate a tricky sequence, only to be sidelined by an unexpected knocked bar? Whether your dog knocks bars regularly, or its a recent development, we have some tips for you! This article aims to help you understand why bar knocking happens in agility, from your dog’s perspective, and how to prevent it. That said, we’ll cover the essentials here. But for an in-depth understanding and practical training techn ..read more

Have you found your heart pounding as you enter the agility competition ring? Nervous energy fluttering in your stomach, your palms slightly sweaty? If you’ve stepped into an agility ring, chances are that you’ve experience ring nerves. Guess what, it’s not just your dog feeling the pressure in the agility competition environment. Ring stress affects handlers too! Understanding the dynamics of nerves in agility Ring nerves stem from various sources—be it witnessing others’ performances, setting unrealistic goals, or fixating on outcome-based achievements. While some nerves can be a catalyst fo ..read more

Hey there, agility enthusiasts! Today, we’re discussing the role of verbals in dog agility and specifically, in the OneMind Dogs method. If you’ve ever wondered whether or not OneMind Dogs handlers use verbal cues, you’re not alone. When it comes to guiding dogs through an agility course, you might have noticed some handlers relying heavily on spoken commands. But did you know that understanding spoken language isn’t a dog’s strong suit? Dogs communicate with each other through body language, which comes naturally to them. The more natural something is for dogs, the faster they learn it. On th ..read more

Dog agility is a fun and addictive game filled with thrills and challenges. It’s amazing to see the coordination between handlers and dogs as they navigate courses with grace and precision. What’s the secret behind this successful teamwork? Effective communication. To communicate with their dogs around the course, handlers use specific Handling Techniques that tell their dogs where to go next. In this article, we discuss one of the fundamental handling techniques used in agility: the Front Cross. As agility trainers, it’s common knowledge that clear communication is central to our work. Yet ma ..read more

In this article, we’ll look at how rewarding works, and how it allows us to communicate effectively with our dogs. We’ll also share priceless tips and advice on how to improve your rewarding skills, making your training sessions a lot more successful. See things from your dog’s perspective At OneMind Dogs, we teach humans how to speak their dog’s language. This requires seeing things from your dog’s point of view. Every dog is different when it comes to rewarding. Just like people like certain things more than others (I like listening to music and going to the park with my dog), your dog has ..read more

Do you want to learn more about distance handling in dog agility? Ever wonder how successful distance handlers can steer their dogs to perform such intricate patterns, without having to run hard to keep up? If so, you’ve come to the right place. We at OneMind Dogs have based our teaching method on dogs’ natural behavior. Our philosophy is simple: don’t worry about teaching this language to dogs. They already master it! Instead, we focus on empowering you to discover and nurture the seemingly magical bond between human handlers and their canine teammates. This bond is achieved via body language ..read more

At OneMind Dogs, we believe that agility is for everyone. In a recent episode of our From the Dog’s Perspective podcast, we spoke with Ann Ouchtherloney about her experience overcoming her own physical limitations to thrive with her dogs. Ann worked with IBM for over 30 years, but 8 years ago, she and her husband retired and moved to Florida. They were able to buy a house with a large yard, so she could start training her dogs every day in agility. She says that it’s been a dream, and living with her four dogs makes every day a joy. She’s currently working with her 3-year-old Sheltie, trying t ..read more

Hey there, fellow agility addicts! Are you ready to teach your dog some awe-inspiring weave pole skills? One of the most important and fun (although sometimes, frustrating!) parts of agility training is mastering the weave poles. So, buckle up as we guide you through five easy-peasy steps to achieve fantastic, independent weaves with your pup. And don’t forget to sign up for our free webinar, where we’ll explore these topics in even greater detail! 1.  Foundations: Starting off with solid weave foundation skills A thorough foundation is the secret to successful weave pole training. It’s l ..read more

OneMind Dogs Assistant Coach Attila Varga often trains and competes with a wide variety of dogs. His handling and training proves that the OneMind Dogs method applies to any kind of dog. There are always differences between individual dogs, so you may choose different techniques when handling the same sequence with different dogs. Despite that fact, it is still important to teach all of the techniques to each dog, as you never know when they might come in handy! As Attila puts it: “If you are walking a course, you have to know that you can control some factors, but not all. I usually ..read more

Just as dogs need to learn to perform obstacles independently for smooth and clean runs in agility, handlers benefit from learning the 7 handling elements that make up a handling technique, from the dog’s perspective. At OneMind Dogs, we weave these elements into our training videos to make your handling more effective.  Most importantly: these handling elements are based on what makes the most sense from your dog’s perspective. In the process of teaching them, we’ve learned a lot ourselves! We’ve found that some elements are more intuitive for dogs than others.  The 7 handling eleme ..read more