This week, we’re thrilled to have Anthony Clarke, founder of British Agility, on our podcast. Co-host Jennifer Crank recently competed in the Longines Agility Grand Prix 2024 in Miami, a new agility event held in partnership with the Longines Global Champions Tour. We’ll share insights from both the organizer’s and competitor’s perspectives, giving you an inside look into this new event.

• Jennifer’s firsthand insights and highlights from competing in the Longines Agility Grand Prix 2024.
• How the event promotes dog agility to a wider audience.
• Behind-the-scenes look at the planning and execution that goes into organizing the event.
• Insights into the criteria and process for selecting competitors for future events.

• The British Agility Website: https://britishagility.co.uk/
• British Agility on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/britishagility.co.uk/
• Meet the athletes: https://www.facebook.com/reel/767676161746514
• Watch the Promo Reel: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1779892522531298

This week, we’re joined by Dr. Brittany Schaezler to dive into the topic of health clearances for agility dogs. Whether you’re a newcomer to the sport or a seasoned handler, understanding the standard health clearances is essential for your agility dog’s well-being and performance. We discuss everything from hip and elbow dysplasia to eye conditions and how these health factors can impact your agility journey.

• The significance of health clearances in agility training and breeding.
• Why hips, elbows, and eyes are crucial health checks for agility dogs.
• How breed-specific clearances can inform your training and breeding decisions.
• The role of breeders and owners in ensuring the health and fitness of agility dogs.
• Practical advice on when and how to get these health clearances for your dog.

• Episode 329: Early Take Off (ETO) – Part 1
• Episode 330: Early Take Off (ETO) – Part 2

This week, we delve into a topic suggested by one of our listeners: the fine line between babysitting and supporting your agility dog. In this podcast, we explore how the right balance of guidance and independence can significantly impact your dog’s confidence and performance on the course.

• How the handling support your dog needs changes over their experience level.
• How you use trial and error to discover how much support your dog needs.
• Why Sarah thinks it’s a good thing to occasionally pull your dog off the correct obstacle.
• How to use placement of reward to increase the dog’s commitment to the obstacle.

• Episode 187: Physical and Mental Commitment
• How Committed Are You?
• Episode 104: Building Confidence Through Challenges