If your dog does something else that you wanted him to do, hear him say ”I didn't understand your handling the way you meant it.”

For example when your dog performs, in your opinion, a wrong obstacle instead of the one you think you handled him to, your dog is saying "I didn't understand that your handling meant taking that obstacle." Don't argue with your dog, he is most likely right.

Try to find a common language with your dog: a language that you both understand in the same way.

If the two of you see some handling technique / obstacle performance differently, think whether you'll need to teach your dog a new skill, or if you need to change something in your handling so he will understand you every single time.

Your dog does not listen to you, he reads you.

Trial and error

Sometimes people are hesitant to experiment with different and new handling techniques or solutions if they don’t have their trainer to supervise and give advice and feedback during the training session.

We think your best trainer is always present: your own dog.

If your dog offers you different behavior to that which you expected, reward her and try to figure out what element of your handling made your dog understand your cue the way she did.

Daring to experiment and learn through trial and error teaches you to understand your dog’s behaviour, the elements of handling most important to him, and how he reacts to them. If you can make things right, you also can make them intentionally wrong. Making so-called mistakes does not have a negative impact on your dog, if you do not let your frustration show, punish or leave him without reward when he did well to the best of his understanding.

Be happy whenever your dog tries to do things well for you according to your handling. If the behavior you get is not what you expected, change your behavior and modify your cue so your dog understands you the way you expected. Feel free to experiment with your dog how he interprets your body cues in the agility field!