https://www.extracreditagility.com/blog daily 0.75 2026-05-12 https://www.extracreditagility.com/blog/1tdc-invitational-results monthly 0.5 2026-05-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/4df4edb2-e0ff-47c8-8c08-a05facc456ff/IMG_1752.jpg Blog - Dogs of Extra Credit Agility Win Big at the 2026 1-TDC Invitational - Super-Stark 3rd Place in Pentathlon Overall (5/5 clean runs) 3rd Place in Biathlon Overall 3rd Place in the Blue Ribbon Final https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/1778629216152-336QAQLYLL9PUR2DOI9V/IMG_1722.JPG Blog - Dogs of Extra Credit Agility Win Big at the 2026 1-TDC Invitational https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/1778629213190-BWQNB9A7LAQ5U925HVA6/IMG_1760.JPG Blog - Dogs of Extra Credit Agility Win Big at the 2026 1-TDC Invitational https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/1778629213199-OL1NOS20PNMCZTK9WDMI/IMG_1759.JPG Blog - Dogs of Extra Credit Agility Win Big at the 2026 1-TDC Invitational https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/1778629215728-522OAYEGKY3XP2F65MMZ/IMG_1723+%281%29.JPG Blog - Dogs of Extra Credit Agility Win Big at the 2026 1-TDC Invitational https://www.extracreditagility.com/blog/only-guaranteed-today monthly 0.5 2025-03-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/3f234afe-9d11-4e8a-9f75-8bec5f11a7db/475789758_1674931816453966_3180980556284006877_n.jpg Blog - We’re Only Guaranteed Today - Make it stand out Photo Credit: Barking Dog Images Enjoying a moment of joy with my favorite boy at the 2024 West Coast Open. It’s one of my all-time favorite photos of us. https://www.extracreditagility.com/blog/notetaking-skills monthly 0.5 2025-01-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/6858a19b-4b98-49ec-b4ad-063a9c3724b7/471261128_122189811176241654_7894424655122345298_n.jpg Blog - Agility Handler’s Toolkit: Effective Note-taking Skills - Electronic solutions – such as tablets or mini printers – are great for adding more visualizations to your notes. For instance, Stefanie Theis of Motivated by Dogs and K9 Nut uses a mini printer to print out course maps for her notebook. Considering how expensive and cumbersome regular printers can be, mini printers are portable, affordable, and effective solutions for note-taking in training or trials. Photo Credit: Stefanie Theis https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/16e46ccd-11a5-44fb-8011-c3ece28c9e4e/PXL_20230929_004047319.jpg Blog - Agility Handler’s Toolkit: Effective Note-taking Skills - These two examples are from my runs with Stark at the 2023 UKI West Coast Open. As you can see, I don’t always follow the same note-taking structure, but there are some details I always try to include in my notes… Judge’s name: This information helps me prepare for future events by anticipating potential challenges that particular judge might have on their courses. Event name + class/level (ring number too, if it’s at a large, 3+ ring event) Handling plans for 2-4 obstacles (“micro sequences”) per bullet point: For me personally, I find this more useful than one bullet point per obstacle because it helps me connect all the dots of the course by knowing what comes before and after a particular micro sequence. I like to include verbal cues in quotation marks and specific handling information like take-off versus landing side cross positioning for jumps. Results and reflections: These typically include my dog’s time, any faults we had on-course, unexpected moments, any interesting observations I had about my dog’s performance based on their skills and recent training Winner Takes All Jumping (WCO, 2023): I was especially grateful for my notes while preparing for this run because it was the very last one of the day for our group (for those unfamiliar with UKI, competitors walk all 4 courses early in the morning then run in scheduled “rotations” that determine which group runs in which ring throughout the day). Needless to say, the late afternoon runs can be quite challenging when you haven’t walked the course in over 6-8+ hours! Stark and I ended up winning this one — check out the video below to see how my handling compared to my early morning notes (right-hand side of the notebook above). https://www.extracreditagility.com/blog/support-junior-handlers monthly 0.5 2025-01-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/483e12f0-624c-4249-8481-abd0daa6103b/ab6765630000ba8a684376be47da863e8225da3b.jpeg Blog - Raising the Bar: 7 Ways You Can Support Junior Handlers in Agility - “At NextGen Agility Podcast, we are passionate about uplifting the upcoming generations of dog agility handlers. Through the NextGen platform, we are committed to providing resources, such as training insight, mental management tools, as well as other tips & tricks, to aid in inspiration for young dog trainers.” -Jada & Tessa https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/9b065851-cd2d-4011-849f-6a33a2dc8514/maddiepuppy.jpg Blog - Raising the Bar: 7 Ways You Can Support Junior Handlers in Agility - Getting a border collie puppy was a dream come true, but my $5/week allowance and minimum wage, part-time job were nowhere near enough to cover the costs of our favorite sport. https://www.extracreditagility.com/blog/gamesforhandlers monthly 0.5 2025-01-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/23773ece-e66a-444f-bcbe-24fc3898fae9/Screen+Shot+2024-11-26+at+11.27.20+AM.jpg Blog - Games for Thinking Handlers - In December of 2007, Clean Run Magazine published my article, “Games for Thinking Dogs” (read for free here). It wasn’t groundbreaking by any means, but as a young teenager with no internet access at home and limited experience in dog agility, it felt surreal to see my name published next to my agility idols like Nancy Gyes, Mary Ellen Barry, and Karen Holik. Fast forward 17 years: welcome to Extra Credit Agility’s first blog post! I’ve dreamed of working in the world of dog sports since I first discovered agility in 2004, but it wasn’t until 2024 that this dream became reality. And what better way to kickstart ECA’s blog than with a sequel to my original Clean Run article? Please enjoy “Games for Thinking Handlers” below... https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/07080fef-b7b6-4986-a942-6d187f415a61/fast+reaction+time+uki+pent+examples.gif Blog - Games for Thinking Handlers Having a fast reaction time helps in instances like this, where Stark almost back-jumped. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/dec25003-7f28-4c88-9189-418cae90864d/Alibi+Mario+Kart.png Blog - Games for Thinking Handlers - Fun Fact: Psychology researchers have found that playing games like Mario Kart for just 5 hours is associated with significantly greater visuomotor coordination skills and reaction times. Thank goodness, because running a baby dog in agility often feels like going full speed on Mario Kart’s notoriously challenging “Rainbow Road” without flying off the edge or spinning out on banana peels. Even if you don’t own a dedicated video gaming console, you can still play racing games on a phone, tablet, computer or go to a local arcade with some friends to play. The top names in racing games include Mario Kart, Need for Speed, and Gran Turismo, but you can find plenty of other options for free online. Bless this handler’s heart for thinking she could get there for a blind cross while the lilac bullet zooms into a straight tunnel. https://www.extracreditagility.com/blog/tag/Big+Event+Prep monthly 0.5 https://www.extracreditagility.com/blog/tag/Mental+Performance monthly 0.5 https://www.extracreditagility.com/blog/tag/Handling+Strategies monthly 0.5 https://www.extracreditagility.com/blog/tag/agility+community monthly 0.5 https://www.extracreditagility.com/blog/tag/junior+handlers monthly 0.5 https://www.extracreditagility.com/blog/tag/Agility+Handlers monthly 0.5 https://www.extracreditagility.com/blog/tag/affordability monthly 0.5 https://www.extracreditagility.com/blog/tag/JOAWC monthly 0.5 https://www.extracreditagility.com/contact daily 0.75 2024-12-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/eb1c6c2b-91d0-4699-b000-753dc0ca8e52/PXL_20230221_033101023+%282%29.jpg https://www.extracreditagility.com/about daily 0.75 2026-05-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/d6c30bf5-f075-4d1f-8bcd-e0fab43f347b/Stark_Kehoe_Thursday_WCOAgility_250_JC_5427+%281%29.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/4a8db850-478d-4bba-b8fe-b65ad6a3c3ab/eNWR57513+%281%29.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/9d2a417f-31d9-4412-8a80-89da09d52ca2/IMG_4846.JPG About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/fdd05fb1-843f-4062-9598-4121c820cce2/FB_IMG_1727140414591+%282%29.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/614edb9b-20d3-4908-a70e-3f4030cae04f/Alibi_Kehoe_Saturday_Gamblers_114_VW_0397.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/5a88f0b1-8443-4689-b125-9bb994a4adc6/Stark_Kehoe_Sunday_Blueribbonfinal_109_VW_0405.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/c6ebff0d-a5af-49cc-aed4-f6311a51abd6/Alibi_Kehoe_Saturday_Gamblers_114_VW_0405.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/177e5345-20bd-40d6-9648-4c1839d85ead/423480552_1446432872637196_5809595866253722178_n.jpeg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/8477e6cf-2c4e-4d86-bf38-699f68e92875/Alibi_Kehoe_Saturday_Biathlonagility_276_RNR_8757.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/1778629216152-336QAQLYLL9PUR2DOI9V/IMG_1722.JPG About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/dd269a53-60af-431b-8a1f-91c7cdb6b91d/PXL_20240922_162024217%7E2+%281%29.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/1778629213199-OL1NOS20PNMCZTK9WDMI/IMG_1759.JPG About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/3a59571d-6cad-48ee-8d61-549f5550657a/AlibiFinal-1_filtered+%282%29.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/41891716-63fb-4e74-b2aa-6df65e7ed55b/HMBDS-UKI-WCC-081124-7726.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/81fdc706-3f76-46c8-ba33-dac41accf05e/Kelly-91+%281%29.jpg About https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/1b1d8b2a-c1a4-49e1-81fb-82de51c8f682/UKIrainbow-2437+%281%29.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/19b6c96d-a939-4569-b135-9b364a77d4e3/weaving+dog+on+turf https://www.extracreditagility.com/workshops daily 0.75 2026-05-27 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/5b816ce2-3d9b-418a-8ff4-c8bf8a43a42e/IMG_4333.jpg Workshops https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/8477e6cf-2c4e-4d86-bf38-699f68e92875/Alibi_Kehoe_Saturday_Biathlonagility_276_RNR_8757.jpg Workshops https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/66b18145-2d81-4851-8b9e-388e4a726445/Alibi_Kehoe_Saturday_Gamblers_114_VW_0405.jpg Workshops https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/1cbcff25-580a-48a7-ab1d-dcb1e657deb1/Stark_Kehoe_Friday_SpeedstakesChallengeFinal_137_JC_0002-1.jpg Workshops https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/ac2323c7-a7d4-44f5-8290-b903e42fc1fb/IMG_3829.JPG Workshops https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/10e5791a-5659-406a-a0c6-34a8ec2fed8d/Alibi_Kehoe_Thursday_Snooker_274_RNR_8518.jpg Workshops https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/2e170102-59a0-4a84-afe5-f703de3a2882/IMG_4845.JPG Workshops https://www.extracreditagility.com/home daily 1.0 2026-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/c143cb2e-9588-4dd2-a638-5a87d9724f94/Stark_Kehoe_Friday_SpeedstakesChallengeFinal_137_JC_0002-2.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/cc8f1a10-21fa-47fc-b6e4-c82f2de65e3f/Alibi_Kehoe_Saturday_MastersJumping_254_RNR_0211+%281%29.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/fee54c5b-33d9-4cfc-b340-90db24889270/-isc-esque-training-course-j3-_1002455.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/376c138a-2dc2-442b-bd40-c220b0d59310/PXL_20230705_191743213%7E3+%283%29.jpg https://www.extracreditagility.com/free-resources daily 0.75 2025-11-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/e076b755-51de-40f2-9dc2-987c6672a7a5/ECA+Social+Media+Templates.jpg FREE Resources https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/331ef5fa-cef7-468e-a562-466700dcdf5e/walk+run+reflect.jpg FREE Resources https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/ae11d922-17b9-468a-85aa-a1c8c3e6610f/ECA+Social+Media+Templates.png FREE Resources https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/67819e8d-2dfc-4db9-8bfd-90a7ee3faf9d/ECA+Visual+Flash+Cards+Image+for+Blog+%283%29.png FREE Resources https://www.extracreditagility.com/recommended-resources daily 0.75 2025-03-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/ea154141-5094-45f1-8c49-cd229969e44c/11668074-1612503041857-6c6f7d8a20e3a.jpeg Recommended Resources https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/c0e1cd14-a56e-4f0c-8b46-3d7a7d4ee359/ab67656300005f1f67beea83246ef7ccd9a67cf5.jpeg Recommended Resources https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/483e12f0-624c-4249-8481-abd0daa6103b/ab6765630000ba8a684376be47da863e8225da3b.jpeg Recommended Resources https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/2efb03aa-e931-455e-9503-4050dd9b48b8/ab6765630000ba8a17474466459e07244b13ba8c.jpeg Recommended Resources https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/2e256e6d-9a46-45cd-937a-275f687a9d5d/ab6765630000ba8a7c800340dbef1ec138dbd5ef.jpeg Recommended Resources https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/528505e6-d86c-4a79-bdc8-3d2c66daff43/ab6765630000ba8acc6e9c6cdf0d9f8592f668c8.jpeg Recommended Resources https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/b1511398-dd7f-43d6-9592-9376a7757c91/ab6765630000ba8aff3be95069df060f0edae06f.jpeg Recommended Resources https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/6943d50c-83cd-4fc6-a0dc-0b4a8b48f76d/UKI+Logo+Original.png Recommended Resources https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/e11a7f7f-d7d3-48ce-98bb-2c960d5b502e/TrimmedLogo.png Recommended Resources https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/1b1b9842-5e93-43c4-ad78-66a1f74354c1/Screen+Shot+2025-03-03+at+6.36.49+PM.jpg Recommended Resources https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/55146e57-f69d-4d89-b577-69d0c1306aef/american-kennel-club-akc-logo-png_seeklogo-376071.png Recommended Resources https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/05715e9d-ca2a-4138-abaa-8dd8c049cc9c/images.jpeg Recommended Resources https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/c34e5750-a9e4-44a4-aea8-2fcb17e07eab/images.png Recommended Resources https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/5d77f554-8f6c-4f10-86e2-ff7b4b5187db/Screen+Shot+2025-03-03+at+6.48.25+PM.png Recommended Resources https://www.extracreditagility.com/required-forms daily 0.75 2025-11-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/671169e44dd2094ffca54b7c/ba6b2350-fac2-4b86-bfb7-62560cda228c/PXL_20220812_222257403%7E4.jpg