The Spotted Wonder

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving from my little turkey, Strider and I! 🦃
We started the week in sunny Florida and finished the week hiking through the woods in the mid 40s.

10/25/2025

TAG Pumpkin Spice Cup-
https://youtu.be/vCIK4y9UxGc?si=5mNEj-hjjPHhDd91

It’s been a few weeks …oops. Wanted to do a recap on the TAG Pumpkin Spice Cup 🎃
The courses were super fun and I’m so glad I got the chance to play on them and really challenge me and Strider and our time working together … that’s after all why I keep doing this sport (for the fun handling and training puzzles and the special connection/language we develop.) And Strider is just a smart little floofer and just loves to play this game with his whole heart. He’s so perfect and just the sweetest little Shetland boy.

I wanted to do my absolute best to make everything feel like complete Disneyland for him at this event. We have had a lot of miscommunications in training lately because of some stupid choices I’ve made regarding his RDW exits. So yeah, we just haven’t been meshing much during training. Don’t get me wrong we’ve definitely had some good things, but it’s been difficult knowing that I can’t trust some skills as much as I could even just 6mos ago. So… I avoided fix and go on like the plague to keep him moving and confident even with any off courses we might have. Although…. We only E’d one time all weekend. 😳🤯 AND the absolute best part was we missed TWO A3 clear runs because of either one bar or one refusal. Yeah… I didn’t say a missed contact. A bar or a refusal. My boy was trying so hard on his contacts and only had a few misses on other runs. My number one goal was to focus on teamwork and see each course through the lense of what choices can I make today based on his strengths today (just trying to focus on realistic framing). He surprised me a lot and in only a few moments did not (poisoned threadle wrap 😭😭😭).

And the icing on the cake was we 🏆WON🏆 Level 3 Small/Medium for the weekend. It’s been a goal to get on the podium at one of the TAG events especially now that they are gaining popularity. I’m thrilled we could dial in as a team even though we’ve had some communication issues lately.

I’m excited once again for the never ending RC saga and trying to remember his amazing deep rear foot separation hit from the one run we Ed all weekend.

Of course can’t forget….

I had a blast trying some hard courses Jordi put us to the test on (Saturday). There were some cool distance challenges that are definitely on my homework list. I also loved working through which handling choice was best on Gabriel Arriagadas courses (Sunday).

Thank you so much Triangle Agility Group of North Carolina for all you do in putting on these events. The food, the fun, and the friendship is just the best.

Thanks Paws at the corner… Strider LOVED his goody bag. 😊

Thank you Greg Fontaine for judging these courses for us and as always being upbeat and encouraging for everyone attending.

Strider won the overall Sm/M Level 3 for the weekend. Yay!

10/21/2025

I have additional drop in spots that have opened up now!
Location- Windfield Farm
(Pfafftown, NC- near Winston Salem)

🍂Monday mornings-
RSVP by each Friday morning
9:30-10:30am
4 participants
RSVP required
$35/ class (or punch card)

The focus will be working through skills and sequencing on Open/Masters level type courses.

🍂Wednesday evenings-
RSVP each Tuesday
Wednesday 10/22-

Intermediate/Advanced skills and drills with contacts/weaves
6:15-7:15pm
4 participants
RSVP required
$35 or punch card

Intermediate/Advanced skills and drills with contacts/weaves
7:15-8:15pm
4 participants
RSVP required
$35 or punch card

Pm for a spot and/or questions

If you plan to attend both Monday morning and Wednesday evening drop ins each week, courses WILL be different however the equipment layout may be the same.

10/10/2025

📣Either/or skills (online training)

I’m offering an online class focused on Either/or (sometimes called this or that). We’ll be in a Facebook group & working and auditing spots will have lifetime access.
Focus is on drills and short sequences to help build your dog’s understanding of these situations on courses (ISC/UKI). We’ll also cover ever present and always important motion skills involved with helping your dog be successful.

Pm me for more info. 😊😊😊

09/30/2025

Next Workshop date:
Sunday, October 19th
Location - Rising Star

Please specify in the comments what topics and times you can do.

Times-

AM

Mid day

PM

Possible Topics-

☀️UKI/ ISC event prep coursework
Add some pressure and mental focus to your event/seasonal prep. We will use various games and strategies to help you prepare for UKI/ISC events coming up. We'll work through longer sequences and coursework while adding pressures geared to help you and your dog mentally prepare for these kinds of courses. We play for prizes too. 😀

☀️Puppy! Continued foundations for our little sponges. Modes of focus, play, engagement, confidence building, body awareness, intro to drive lines and directionals & reinforcement strategies. This workshop is appropriate for puppies (ages 6 -9 mos).

☀️Young dog sequencing (focus forward, obstacle names, directional cues, reinforcement games/strategies)

☀️Intermediate sequences (focus forward with discriminations, directional cues and from a distance)

☀️Advanced topics (focus forward, directional cues and obstacle names with discriminations, distance and speed and backside/threadle intros, independent obstacles)

☀️International skills (layer cue, backside wraps, backside slices, threadle wraps, threadle slices, weave sends, & adding various degrees of difficulty independent understanding and speed)

Comment below what times and what topic/level you’d like to attend. Ty!

09/22/2025

I’ve been pretty silent on this page for sometime now.
Losing my Spotted Wonder, Currie in December has made updating my pages and website with happenings very difficult this year. I’ve focused on updating my personal page and private groups mainly.

If you’re still following along, thank you.

This year has had some ups and downs and there is most certainly a deep void that The Spotted Wonder has left behind. I’ve questioned my dedication and passion for the sport of agility a lot this year. With each passing moment it feels almost as if that deep passion and curiosity for this sport has dwindled away as my (lack of) proximity to Currie has lost its sting. She meant so much to me as a best and unwavering friend, heart dog, and yes most certainly an incredible agility team mate.

Strider has been that gravitational pull I’ve needed. To keep me captivated with this sport. We have had struggles and triumphs over the years and even now still. For the most part our teamwork has begun to feel electric and fiery. The only time it is not is when I for whatever reason “can’t tap into it”. When I lock in, we’ve been able to accomplish some incredible things.

Strider tries harder than any dog I’ve ever had the pleasure to be a team mate with. He so very much wants to be right. The feeling when all the many working pieces 🧩come together and I can give him all the information he needs is like no other. It Is like climbing to the summit.⛰️

Tonight while watching a reel, I realized why Currie and I became the dynamic duo we were. I realized why our teamwork was something I never had to work very hard at developing with her. It truly felt like putting on an old pair of shoes when we stepped to the line together. Everything felt effortless.

How did we get this?!
We had the SPACE and TIME to explore and learn the sport in a way that was in a way “tinkering” or where the only goal was to experiment and discover. I had goals that were cumulative overtime. A very clear short term and likely attainable goal led to the next. There was never a mold I wanted her to be in.

Tonight I realized I’ve become too complacent with my realistic and highly attainable sequential goals for Strider. While my overall goals as a handler are very big, I’ve very much lacked in setting specific cumulative goals with the dog in front of me (Strider). I’ve set and achieved specific recognition based goals like making the cut for finals, making podium appearances and finishing UKI championship titles with him. However, I’ve yet to focus on the small training and performance based goals. Things have not felt “accumulative” only haphazard. Planning your sequential progress is actually pretty important. You should be able to envision what skill attainment looks like in training and in the ring. Now we’ve had some big WINS in training (and yes in the ring). But my lack of clear and concise brick laying has been evident. I’ve fallen into the dreaded “well we can nail this in training” mindset when at a competition. There Is a whole lot less deep dive into the why (is this happening) and the how (to get this better). There was a lot more pondering going on when me and Currie were team mates. Granted training reliable running contacts is the hardest thing I’ve ever tried🤣

This has been the biggest reason I’ve actually experienced a bit of ring phobia which I’ve never had in my life. I’ve lost sight of the experimentation and pondering that makes training for agility so enthralling.

Performing has always been a part of my life. Singing, dance, Symphonic band, and of course 20 years of competing in agility. This should feel like breathing air at this point. Either way, ring nerves will always be there… and lately I’ve put myself out there in various ways (trying out for teams, running some of the hardest courses we can in the US, etc). And its really easy to box yourself in after you put yourself out there. Its easy to loose track of that need to set attainable goals. It’s like if for various reasons you are feeling as though your biggest goals cannot be attained all other goals become superfluous.

We need to tinker.
We need the space to try things.
We need the time to reflect.
We need to prioritize that time.

We need these things so when we attain our tangible goals it feels unlike any other feeling.

For a select few truly exceptional hardworking and goal setting teams, that will lead to a world team position.

The process is always the common denominator.

So get to it.

Skim the clouds with your team mate.

04/14/2025

Whole Dog Institute Monday night Agility-
Weather looks great for tonight!!! Yay!
There are drop ins available for Monday April 14th:

ISC/UKI skills: Sequencing with Either/or
5:30-7pm
4/14

Young dogs sequencing
7:30-8:30pm
4/14

Pm for a drop in spot.

03/31/2025

Hey everyone,

I hope you’re having a good start to your week. I just wanted to send you a reminder that I am traveling back from the UKI North American Invitational in Chicago today so we will not have class tonight.

I had a wonderful time at the event and my little guy Strider even made the blue ribbon final. Yay! He’s such a smartie pants! 🙂

We will shoot for Monday April 7th for our last class of the session. I hope to see you there.

Drop in spots are available for this class.

ISC/UKI skills: Sequencing with Either/or
5:30-7pm
4/7

Young dogs sequencing
7:30-8:30pm
4/7

03/17/2025

Whole Dog Institute Agility-

Hey everyone,

Unfortunately we will need to cancel class again today at Whole Dog. Several have told me there were downpours yesterday and today as well and the ground is very wet/soggy. I hate that the weather has really been crummy for us for this session.

Our last class of the session is now set for next Monday evening 3/24. I’m hoping we have much better luck for next week.

There are drop in spots available for this class next week. Pm for a drop in spot-

ISC/UKI skills: Sequencing with Either/or
5:30-7pm
3/24

Young dogs sequencing
7:30-8:30pm
3/24

02/17/2025

Hey ! Unfortunately all classes at Whole Dog Institute are cancelled again for tonight. 😞 We got some significant rainfall last week and over the weekend and we will stay on the safe side to prevent any sliding for our dogs (and us). I hope to see you next week.

There are regular drop in spots available for both classes, so if you’re interested to drop in for next Monday, just send me a pm.

ISC/UKI skills: Sequencing with Either/or
5:30-7pm

Young dogs sequencing
7:30-8:30pm

02/10/2025

Hey everyone! Unfortunately all classes at Whole Dog Institute are cancelled for tonight. We got some significant rainfall last night and we will stay on the safe side to prevent any sliding for our dogs (and us). I hope to see you next week.

There are regular drop in spots available for both classes, so if you’re interested to drop in for next Monday, just send me a pm.

ISC/UKI skills: Sequencing with Either/or
5:30-7pm

Young dogs sequencing
7:30-8:30pm

01/27/2025

I have drop in spots for the following classes today at Whole Dog Institute in Durham, NC-

✨ISC/UKI skills: Sequencing with Either/
5:30-7pm (90m class)
$40
3 spots available for 1/27

We’ll focus on various ways to use the format of “either- or” to help to clarify and sharpen your handling and your dog’s understanding for typical situations seen on UKI and ISC courses.

Pre-requisite: Dogs should be proficient on all equipment and have some proficiency with backsides and threadles. Most drills will involve jumps/tunnels/weaves. Contacts will be available for short training portions as well.

✨Young dogs sequencing
7:30-8:30pm (60 min class)
$35
1 spot available for 1/27

In this class we’ll cover the basics that will have the biggest impact when it's time to add more advanced skills and begin running coursework. For intermediate teams, these skills will be tested within sequences and advanced further.
Skills covered:
Drive lines, discriminations, tunnel skills (sends and turns), reward placement, forward focus, turning cues, backside and threadle intro. and/or skill building.

Pm for a spot