Bad Dog Agility Podcast

In this episode (26:28)
Esteban, Sarah, and Jennifer share personal experiences and unpack the common stereotypes around male and female dogs in agility. With Esteban running girls, Sarah running boys, and Jennifer having trained both, the trio brings a range of perspectives and lands in the same place: the sex of a dog matters a lot less than people think.
You Will Learn
Why Esteban, Sarah, and Jennifer each gravitate toward (or away from) a particular sex and what actually drove those choices
The most common stereotypes about male vs. female dogs in agility, and how much truth the three coaches find in them
Why limiting your puppy search by sex may cause you to overlook the dog that could be your best partner yet
How other factors like temperament, drive, relationship, and timing outweigh sex when it comes to finding and developing a great agility dog
Sponsored By
Canine Handler Fitness
Saint Rocco's Treats

In this episode (57.15)
In this episode, Esteban, Sarah, and Jennifer sit down with Peter Wirth, the handler of that amazing Corgi, 8″ National Champion Welly. We also discuss the challenges of this year's courses, including the low Q rates, multiple falls off the dogwalk, and the weave pole challenge that eliminated half the Finals field.
You Will Learn
What Peter and Jennifer thought about the high number of weave pole faults in the Finals
What the Q rates were in both Prelims and Finals and what they tell us
What this year's NAC might signal about the future direction of course design
Mentioned
Hammy the Corgi as a Potato
Episode 379: The Medium-Speed Dog's Guide to NAC

In this episode (27:08)
Does the difference between 4-foot and 5-foot bars really matter in dog agility? In this episode, we dig into how bar width impacts everything from course design to your dog's performance, and why this seemingly small difference can have bigger implications than you might think.
You Will Learn
How 4-foot vs 5-foot bars affect course design and handling decisions
Whether bar width changes your dog's jumping mechanics and consistency
Why Jennifer and Esteban don't like opening a course with a tire followed immediately by the dogwalk
Mentioned
Episode 129: The Connection Paradigm
Sponsored By
Canine Handler Fitness

In this episode (27:08)
In this episode, Sarah, Jennifer, and Esteban explore what a dog agility series on Netflix or another streaming platform could look like. They discuss several possible formats and why agility has the ingredients for mainstream success.
You Will Learn
Different formats a dog agility series could take on a streaming platform
The kinds of stories and personalities that would make the sport compelling for a wider audience
Why dog agility has strong potential as a binge-worthy series
What makes the sport visually exciting and emotionally engaging for viewers
Mentioned
A Different Breed: a docuseries on Amazon Prime
Race for the Crown
Sponsored By
Canine Handler Fitness

In this episode (32:17)
In this episode, Esteban and Sarah explore what dog agility can learn from Olympic swimming, two fast sports where performances last seconds but preparation takes months or years. They discuss how tiny technical details, mental preparation, and strategic training decisions can dramatically impact performance when the margin for error is so small.
You Will Learn
Why the swimming concept of tapering may apply to preparing dogs for major agility competitions
How the first few seconds of a run, from the lead-out to the first obstacle, can set the tone for everything that follows
Why both sports demand trust in training and muscle memory during short, high-stakes performances
How mental preparation and pre-run routines can help handlers manage nerves and perform at their best
Mentioned
Visualization and Mental Preparation
Episode 189: How to Structure Your Dog Agility Season
Sponsored By
Canine Handler Fitness
Saint Rocco's Treats