The Wrong End of the Tunnel

In this episode, Aimee opens up about her personal journey through perimenopause and menopause, sharing the symptoms she experienced, the impact they had on her training, agility and everyday life, and what she has learned along the way.
We explore what perimenopause and menopause actually are, how hormonal changes can affect sleep, energy, recovery, strength, mental health and performance, and the different strategies that can help women navigate this stage of life.
We also discuss strength training, nutrition and protein, medical support and hormone therapy, and why seeking help and having open conversations about menopause can make such a difference.
For agility handlers, this episode offers an important perspective on how changes that can feel like a loss of fitness, motivation or confidence may actually have a deeper physiological explanation. More broadly, it is a conversation that many men may also find valuable. Most men will have a partner, family member, friend or colleague who experiences menopause, yet many of us understand very little about it.
Aimee's experiences provide an honest and insightful look into a stage of life that affects millions of women, helping to build greater understanding, empathy and support. Whether you are going through perimenopause yourself, supporting someone who is, or simply want to learn more, this episode is full of practical information, personal experiences and valuable lessons.
Above all, this is a conversation about understanding what is happening, adapting rather than simply pushing harder, and finding ways to continue feeling strong, healthy and capable through a significant period of change.

Your first agility competition can feel like a huge leap, but it doesn't have to be overwhelming.
In this episode, Jess and Kert take a deep dive into everything you need to know before stepping into the ring for your first agility trial. From preparing your dog and getting comfortable with a new environment, to managing nerves, walking the course and dealing with those inevitable first-competition mishaps, they share practical advice and plenty of personal experience.
They discuss why exposure and mock trials can be so valuable, how arriving early can help both you and your dog settle, what to take with you on competition day, and why the right clothing and footwear can make a bigger difference than you might expect.
They also explore the mental side of competing, including how to handle mistakes, keep your focus on your dog, reward the things that go well and avoid letting one moment define your entire experience.
And perhaps most importantly, Jess and Kert talk about enjoying your first trial rather than chasing perfection. Watching other competitors, volunteering, getting to know the agility community and simply soaking up the experience can all help build confidence for future competitions.
Your first run only happens once, so record it, learn from it, and enjoy it. It might become a memory you'll cherish far more than you realise at the time.

It's time for another Hot Takes episode! This week, Kert and Dave dive into your boldest opinions, controversial questions, and thought-provoking ideas about the world of dog agility.
From equipment standards, jump heights, and tunnel safety to judging, ring management, and competition rules, no topic is off limits. We discuss whether higher jumps are actually safer, if the sport needs a true professional level, and whether greater standardisation across organisations would improve fairness and consistency.
The conversation also explores dog welfare, health checks, training in different weather conditions, performance-enhancing drugs, ring safety, volunteerism, and the balance between accessibility and maintaining high competition standards. Along the way, Kert and Dave react to a host of community hot takes, sharing their own perspectives on some of agility's most debated issues.
Whether you agree, disagree, or find yourself somewhere in the middle, this episode is packed with lively discussion, practical insights, and plenty of food for thought for handlers, competitors, judges, and agility enthusiasts alike.

It's time for a Hot Takes episode!
Jessica Ajoux joins us to react to your opinions, unpopular takes, and thought-provoking questions about the world of dog agility.
From standardising equipment, jump heights, and tunnel bags to course design, judging, and safety, we dive into some of the sport's most debated topics. We discuss whether greater standardisation would improve fairness, how obstacle design affects dogs of different sizes and breeds, and whether lower jumps could make the sport safer without sacrificing the challenge.
Along the way, we explore training strategies, progression through the levels, reward placement, fix-and-go training, and what makes a dog truly suited to agility. We also tackle bigger issues including judging transparency, performance-enhancing drugs, dog welfare, and the balance between competitive success and keeping the sport fun for our canine partners.
Whether you agreed with the hot takes or found yourself shouting at your speakers, this episode is packed with lively discussion, practical insights, and plenty of food for thought for handlers, competitors, judges, and agility enthusiasts alike.

In this episode, Kert sits down with Jessica Ajoux to explore one of the most important and often overlooked parts of dog training: what our dogs reveal about us.
Rather than focusing on techniques or training systems, the conversation dives into the relationship beneath the behaviour. Dogs don’t just respond to cues, they respond to us. Our emotions, timing, clarity, tension, and presence all shape how they learn and how they show up in training.
Together, they unpack how dogs become powerful mirrors of our internal state. Moments of frustration, inconsistency, or pressure often show up immediately in the dog’s behaviour, while calmness, clarity, and presence tend to create better learning environments. Through this lens, training becomes less about control and more about awareness.
The episode also explores the importance of slowing down. In a world where handlers often chase progress, titles, and performance, dogs continually bring us back to repetition, patience, and honesty. Each dog, with their unique personality, challenges us to adapt rather than compare.
At its core, this conversation is about growth on both sides of the lead. Not just building better agility dogs, but becoming more thoughtful, present, and self-aware handlers in the process.
If you’ve ever felt like your dog was “reflecting something back at you,” this episode will help you understand exactly what that might be—and why it matters far more than perfection in training.