Confidence is one of those things everyone wants, but few of us know how to build. We hear advice about staying positive, using affirmations, and focusing on our strengths, but sometimes it feels... flat. That’s where cultivating a positive handler identity comes in. It’s more than just giving yours...

When it comes to dog training (and honestly, life in general), I see a common struggle: we set big goals, dive in with enthusiasm, and then hit a wall when progress feels slow. Sound familiar? It’s easy to get frustrated and think, “Why am I not seeing results?” Here’s the truth—it’s not about doing...

I'm sure you know the saying, "Must be present to win." To most of us, it means that if we want to win that raffle item, we'd better stick around until the end of the day. But lately, I've had another perspective on this common phrase - that we as handlers must be in the present moment in order to Q...

Confidence is on my mind these days. In part because the membership is working on developing confidence this month, and in part because I am really obsessed with giving my young dog confidence every time we train. (I have Moxie to thank for the latter and my coaching clients for the former.)

Des...

In dog sports, it's easy to get caught up in striving for the next big goal—new titles, clean runs, more Qs. But sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do for both our dogs and ourselves is to slow down, take a breath, and celebrate how far we’ve come. Enter the “celebration session”: a short, fo...

In my coaching calls, we talk a LOT about "evidence." Collecting it, looking for it, reviewing it. Evidence is our way of looking at just the facts - sometimes even statistics - of what's really happening in our performances without the weight of emotion.

When you think about it, emotions are what ...

We spend so much time attending class, taking seminars, doing online lessons, and listening to experts, but have you ever paused to create a true training plan for yourself and your dog? It seems like we are so busy going from lesson to lesson without first identifying the holes we have, and how bes...

Every athlete in every sport makes mistakes - even the most elite. After all, we are fallible, imperfect creatures trying to do some really hard stuff consistently alongside a partner with their own agenda. Mistakes are going to happen.

I've talked about the ache of wishing for a "do-over" - a c...

On a coaching call the other day, I said something that was an "Ah-ha" moment for both of us: "I believe that you are focusing on your process goals, but I think you're measuring by outcomes."

The handler agreed, and we went on to unpack how this was showing up and what she could do about it. Bu...

Prologue: This is longer than usual because I'm sharing my very real struggle of getting myself back in a good headspace after a disappointing day. On Friday, Moxie and I had Rally, and it didn't go well. As I write this on Saturday morning, we are entered in Open Obedience today and Sunday. Based o...

Stress is a normal part of life—especially for those of us who compete in dog sports. Whether it's the pressure of performing well, the fear of failure, or just trying to stay focused, stress can creep in and throw us off our game. While you can't avoid stress entirely, you can learn to manage it be...

Two different clients recently asked me, "But why do I get so upset?" My answer was simple, "Because you care."

Of course, my answer doesn't solve the problem of getting upset, and I don't think it should. What I mean is, we should care deeply about our dogs and the sports we play. It should mat...