Training Tuesday: Three Big Training Mistakes All Dog Owners Should Avoid

The same rules apply whether training for agility or another behavior.

This podcast and video are shared with permission from Susan Garrett's Shaped by Dog podcast series.

I got my reputation as a professional dog trainer primarily through excelling in the sport of dog agility. I’ve been teaching and competing in agility for over 30 years and have achieved over 30 National and World Championships. There are three big mistakes that I see people make when training for dog agility, and these are the same three things that make it difficult or easy to train for any sport or to have the most amazing family pet possible!

In this episode you'll hear:

• Why a joyful, engaged relationship with your dog is vital for any sport.
• That Recall, Retrieve and Reinforcement Zone are what I get in place first.
• The top 3 mistakes that are common in the sport of dog agility.
• What dog agility and a wild mustang have in common.
• About the foundations you need for agility.
• How slow is smooth and smooth is fast and why not to rush to the obstacles.
• That 50% of dog agility happens between obstacles and is flatwork.
• Why it’s all about keeping dogs safe and dogs and handlers having fun.
• The reason it’s essential to listen to the feedback from your dog.
• The 15 ways your dog will communicate with you.

Visit the website for the complete transcript of this podcast.

About Susan Garrett

Susan Garrett’s interest in animal behavior started at the University of Guelph where she earned a Bachelor of Science majoring in animal science. Since then she has developed into a pre-eminent canine sports instructor and competitor. Susan is one of the most successful agility competitors of the last two decades. She has won multiple Gold Medals at National or World Championship events with every dog she has ever owned over the past 30 years.

A natural teacher and an entertaining speaker, Susan is a leading educator of dog trainers. Her understanding of how to apply learning principles to practical and competitive dog training has made her a much sought-after speaker throughout North America and as far away as Europe, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. The Dog Writers Association of America named Susan’s book “Shaping Success” the 2005 "Dog Training and Behaviour Book of the Year." 

Read more about Susan and her training philosophy.