Red Dog Agility

16/04/2026

Toy Retrieves Tips!

Meg has been my most difficult to teach a retrieve, so I have tried a lot of variations and thought I might share some tips! 🤓

1. Chase the Hand - this is the version I always do first with a puppy and if you're lucky, it's the only thing you need to do! But with Meg she started letting go of the toy and biting my hand when she got to me 🤣 I could tolerate this initially as I am sure I could have trained away from that but she literally started hunting my hand and hoping she could bite me lol
2. Retrieve objects for food - this did not work with Meg because she doesn't like food enough and she loved chewing up everything. So she would just lie down and chew all the objects I tried.
3. Retrieve to a platform - started with a pattern of throwing food and rewarding for coming back to me on the platform then added a toy into the pattern. Helped a bit but not fully.
4. Two toy game - For this one I initially used the second toy to lure her back but then shifted to rewarding later and when she was closer to me. Again helped a bit but she would often rush back to the second toy she had dropped to tug with me lol
5. Me sitting on a chair with a platform in front of me - Praising her and briefly tugging when she first stood on the platform and later expecting her to come sit in front and give the toy for me to throw back to her with a catch.
6. Sitting on the ground - Brief tugging when she bought the toy to my hand and basically making the game all her choice. I stopped calling her and encouraging her like I was and just waited for her to choose.
7. Choose the right toy - Meg loves to play with toys on her own. She loves running with them and beating herself up with them as well. So recently I started playing with less long toys and went to a plain holey roller which was much better. Now she is also getting better with longer ones as well. Definitely need to avoid any toys they might just lie down and rip up like the fluffy type.

Meg has been mostly bringing toys back to me for a while now but a few months ago it was only to drop them at my feet and not hand up to me. I accepted this because it seemed like the version she wanted to do, but then I hurt my back in January! This was when I decided I needed her to hand them up to me.

For more information on all of this I have heaps of videos in Meg's diary. Also lots of other foundation skills including fitness, contacts, flatwork games, discrimination and listening skills.

A link for more info about my online training group - https://www.rdagility.com/red-dog-squad

31/03/2026

We are continuing our foundations and always including discrimination games for true learning to listen.
Previously I’ve worked on games with toys on the ground and having her follow my handing past them.
Note I started with the wing wrap near the tunnel first. Then gave her the tunnel cue to show her the difference of both. Then added the more difficult version starting with more motion into it.
If your dog struggles not to take the tunnel you can move the wing further away. And if it’s still an issue you can block the tunnel entry somehow and do lots of rewarding of the wing.
Note I only do wing wraps once or twice a week and this is definitely note something that should be done daily.
For more games join my red dog squad. Link in the comments


Maria Thiry

11/03/2026

Meg is starting her wing commitment training.
This simple training can help in the future when we want to be able to work more at a distance and be able to trust their commitment to the jumps on tight turns but all types of jump skills.
The key is dropping the toy in on the wing while you are leaving. This helps the dogs to stay committed and not pull off while we are leaving.
If you want small exercises like this to work on at home come and join me on the Red Dog squad.
Link for more info one the comments.

28/02/2026

Meg is now 7.5 months so we are starting on some flatwork with wings and tunnels.
From every session I have things I note that need more work. For now she needs more work on wraps on non wings until she’s got better commitment on them.
Huge plus is she was so good at her toy returns! These were much harder for her a month ago particularly coming towards other people.

01/01/2026

Happy New Year!!
Here’s to a safe and happy 2026 for everyone. Let’s make this a good one!
If you want any help with your training, don’t forget I have a subscription that’s a very low price of $20 per month, that gets you access to everything.
Lately, there has been heaps of new videos added to Meg’s puppy diary as we work through
our foundations. That’s for both agility and fitness!
Link in the comments with more info on the subscription. No minimum sign up either 🤗

02/10/2025

I’ve started Meg’s puppy diary!! Meg has been with us for 3 weeks now and training starts with every day things.
At this age, my priority is building a relationship with her that she thinks all the fun things come from me. 🥰
Recalls are rewarded constantly, even when we move through the house or out in the yard. Playing and cuddling to build our bond. 💞
Body awareness exercises are started, but only age appropriate ones and on stable surfaces. Building good posture from the start, in the basic positions. Knowing where her feet are being placed. Also that fitness is done with calmness and some stillness so that’s not impossible later on.
You can buy this diary stand alone, but you could also choose to join my red dog squad, which gives you access to every online course as well as constant training tips via a FB group and video feedback if you need help. No minimum subscription

Here is the red dog squad info - https://www.rdagility.com/red-dog-squad

Here is the puppy diary link - https://courses.rdagility.com/courses/meg-puppy-diary

26/09/2025

Little Meg learning the ropes of waiting in the van while I teach 🥰

03/08/2025

🤭 Years ago, not long after I started agility, the blind cross went out of favour in many circles. There was some pretty crazy terminology attached to it, including that it was evil! 🤣And the main reason given, was because dog's were randomly choosing to cut behind the handler. 😎 For any newbies, the blind x is a handling move where the handlers change sides ahead of the dog and need to take their eyes off their dog for a moment. 🏃‍♀️As blind x's have become a regularly used handling move, I have noticed that many dog's are cutting behind their handlers when they haven't been cued to do so. Looking deeper into why this might be happening, there are a few factors. 🔎So here's some tips, if this is an issue you find popping up. 1. Be clear in your handling which arm your dog should be on. 2. Practice flatwork, recalling the dog into the side that your arm is back.3. This last one is I think one of the key reasons that create the random change of sides on behalf of the dog. Blind x's should always be completed while the dog is coming into a jump or at the latest while they are in the air. ❓When I was thinking about why my dog's don't tend to cut behind me and some students dog's do, it mostly comes down to that last point. My dog's do not expect me to do a last moment blind x, while they are on the flat! If that's when you consistently do them, it means your dog is looking for those moments while you are near them to just pop behind you. For more details on handling, including detailed videos where I walk you through the right and wrong ways to handle different moves, join up to my Red Dog Squad! https://www.rdagility.com/red-dog-squad For only $20 per month you get access to all my online courses as well as tips I constantly post on the FB group.

01/08/2025

🤭 Years ago, not long after I started agility, the blind cross went out of favour in many circles. There was some pretty crazy terminology attached to it, including that it was evil! 🤣
And the main reason given, was because dog's were randomly choosing to cut behind the handler.

😎 For any newbies, the blind x is a handling move where the handlers change sides ahead of the dog and need to take their eyes off their dog for a moment.

🏃‍♀️As blind x's have become a regularly used handling move, I have noticed that many dog's are cutting behind their handlers when they haven't been cued to do so.

Looking deeper into why this might be happening, there are a few factors.

🔎So here's some tips, if this is an issue you find popping up.

1. Be clear in your handling which arm your dog should be on.
2. Practice flatwork, recalling the dog into the side that your arm is back.
3. This last one is I think one of the key reasons that create the random change of sides on behalf of the dog. Blind x's should always be completed while the dog is coming into a jump or at the latest while they are in the air.

❓When I was thinking about why my dog's don't tend to cut behind me and some students dog's do, it mostly comes down to that last point. My dog's do not expect me to do a last moment blind x, while they are on the flat! If that's when you consistently do them, it means your dog is looking for those moments while you are near them to just pop behind you.

For more details on handling, including detailed videos where I walk you through the right and wrong ways to handle different moves, join up to my Red Dog Squad!

https://www.rdagility.com/red-dog-squad

For only $20 per month you get access to all my online courses as well as tips I constantly post on the FB group.

22/06/2025

🥰I've created a new course for my online subscription members! Handling Mechanics in Agility was specifically created to breakdown all my handling moves and explain when and how to use them.
🤗 As an ex dancer, one of the things I find is missing, is people practising their handling without the dog!
🤓Follow along as I break down the handling, the correct positions and timing as well show some common mistakes with the handling and what that can cause within an agility course.
If you would like to sign up for Red Dog Squad then join here -
https://www.rdagility.com/red-dog-squad
It's only $20 per month with no minimum sign up! This will automatically get you access to this new course as well as all of my others! Just make sure you have created a profile within my course platform ☺️
For more details on the course itself go here - https://courses.rdagility.com/courses/handler-mechanics

Enhance your agility handling skills by mastering essential turns and avoiding common mistakes. Elevate your performance on the course with expert techniques and insights.