Mindset is often talked about in the world of dog sports. But what does it really mean to have a strong mindset? Sure, we hear a lot about setting goals, managing nerves, and focusing on rituals, but those are only parts of a bigger picture. What I want to focus on today is how to build a well-round...

Every handler knows the feeling: your heart is racing, your mind is buzzing, and it feels like the entire world is closing in on you. Whether it's the excitement of a big trial, the pressure of competition, or just the constant distractions of life, it's easy to feel like you're losing focus in the ...

The message slid into my inbox like so many others — sweet, thoughtful, and full of that infectious post-trial glow. But as I read her words, I paused. Reread a few lines. And smiled.

Here’s what she said (paraphrased & anonymized):

"My friend and I weren't sure about entering a three-day ag...

With my national specialty just weeks away, I've added something extra to my daily mindset routine—something I don't always talk about but something I fully believe in.

Visualization.

Yep, we're going there.

Right now, I'm working up to 11 minutes a day of focused meditation and visualizati...

Have you ever had your dog perform flawlessly during practice, but the minute you enter the ring, everything falls apart? Or maybe your dog struggles during a critical part of the trial, and you find yourself unable to recover. These moments can be frustrating, but here's the reality: our dog's perf...

What if I told you that you might be practicing failure just as much—if not more—than success?

It sounds wild, but it happens all the time. Without realizing it, we reinforce habits, thoughts, and training patterns that make failure more likely. And because the brain is so good at repeating what...

Ever wish you could bottle up confidence and bring it into the ring every time? If only it were that easy! The truth is, confidence isn't something you either have or don't have—it's a skill you can measure, build, and strengthen over time.

That's exactly what we're focusing on this month inside...

Ever feel like you’ve tried everything to calm your ring nerves—deep breathing, visualization, positive affirmations—but the anxiety still creeps in?

What if I told you there’s one overlooked trick that might finally make a difference? Actually, let’s make it three.

The key is finding what clicks ...

Perfectionism feels like a good thing. After all, striving for excellence is how we improve, right? But in dog sports, perfectionism can actually hold you back rather than push you forward. If you've ever left the ring feeling like a failure because of one small mistake—or if you find yourself avoid...

This question recently came in through Ask The Q Coach, and I knew immediately it was one that so many handlers could relate to:

How do I keep myself calm and positive when my dog is really not in the best mood, really active, and not listening because she just wants to go? I think we need our o...

Mistakes stick with us. We replay them, analyze them, and sometimes let them define us. In dog sports, one small error can feel like a catastrophe—whether it's a missed cue, an off-course moment, or just a handling misstep. But why do mistakes feel so much heavier than our successes? And more import...

Ever feel like a different handler in competition than you do in practice? In training, you and your dog flow together effortlessly. But once you step into the ring, something shifts—nerves creep in, mistakes happen, and suddenly, your solid skills feel shaky.

You're not alone. This disconnect is c...