Agility is Koda's favorite activity! The thrill of navigating complex courses and the excitement of competitions captivated us both. We committed to a rigorous training regimen, attending weekly group and private lessons with top local professionals. At 15 months old, Koda made an impressive agility debut, qualifying and winning in 5 out of 6 classes!

Getting Started

On August 27, 2023, just 20 months after his first competition, Koda had already moved up from a Novice to Master competitor in both agility and jumper events. We were all in!

Koda has developed a true love for agility and training. Even without treats at AKC events, he finds joy in running the course and working with me. Koda doesn't compete because I force him; he does it because he loves it!

His passion is rooted in a strong training foundation that emphasizes trust, clear communication, mutual respect, and a positive relationship, all of which have strengthened our bond in every aspect of life—from dog sports to our daily routines. As a result, Koda has developed good habits and behaviors beyond just basic obedience, proving that training can be both effective and enjoyable

Koda also had some serious behavioral challenges, including barking, lunging, and leash pulling around other dogs and people. It was so intense that at his first competition, I had to set his crate at the very back of the building, as far from the other competitors as possible. It took a lot of time and consistent reactivity training to help him learn how to stay calm in the bustling crowd of dogs and people without getting overwhelmed. Once we had those basics down, we could focus on building his confidence and improving our technical skills.

Despite our efforts, there was always something that kept us from qualifying in our runs—minor mistakes like knocked bars or taking off-course obstacles. It felt like every time we mastered a skill, something new would come up, needing months of reassessment and refinement. We went about six months without qualifying in either agility or jumpers. To say this was disappointing is an understatement. I was so discouraged and couldn’t understand what I was doing wrong. Koda couldn't tell me in words how to fix our problems, so I had to focus on our communication. This meant reading his body language and understanding how my commands and actions influenced his performance. It took about two years of consistent training, both individually and with professionals, to get Koda and I to where we are today. But it was all worth it!

While Koda’s talent and bravery were evident, it still took months of hard work, dedication, and training to get where we are now. Progress didn’t always come easy… or quickly.

Off-leash training was a big challenge at first. Koda’s idea of running a course looked more like a high-speed chase with uncontrollable zoomies—definitely not the best path to success in AKC agility… As a puppy, Koda was incredibly stubborn—fearless and determined to do things his way. It was tough to establish leadership when Koda thought he had everything figured out and didn’t need to listen to me. His version of "training" often involved running laps around me, barking sassy little yaps in response to my commands of "Stop!" or "Come!"—as if to say, "I heard you... no thanks!" So, we went back to the basics and focused on building a reliable recall.