Twenty Inches, Tight Turns, and Turning Up the Clarity Pre-novice agility with Layla this week felt good. Same dog, same game… clearer picture. Twenty Inches, No Big Deal We continued jumping 20 inches, which is Layla’s competition height, and she handled it like it belongs to her. No stress, no hesitation. Just confident, thoughtful jumping built on strong foundations and smart reinforcement. Wrap It Like You Mean It We worked tight turns using a cone set inside the jump wing.

20 inches, tight wraps, and a dog who’s figuring it OUT. 💥 Layla is jumping full height, learning to turn tighter, and building confident contacts and weave entries. When the picture is clear, the game gets fast, fun, and really, really good. #BlueBlur #LaylaLearns #Appetitive #Agility

Twenty Inches and Feeling Bold: Pre-Novice With Layla Pre-novice agility with Layla this week came with a big moment: 20-inch jumps. And she handled it like it was just another Monday. Confident, capable, and ready to play. Up Goes the Bar We raised the jumps, and Layla rose right with them. No hesitation, no drama. Just thoughtful, committed jumping. That kind of confidence does not come from pushing.

20 inches and feeling bold. 💥 Layla tackled higher jumps, smooth post turns, and flowing blind crosses. When the picture is clear, the game gets fast and FUN. Pre-novice agility is clicking! #BlueBlur #Appetitive #Agility #LaylaLearns

Run One Way, Dog Goes the Other: The Joy of Lateral Sends I'm learning you don't have to be able to run fast to play agility. Instead, teach clarity so your dog understands the job, and your handling line becomes efficient. At our latest Young Dog Workshop with Jody Lolich, Layla and I worked on a skill that feels a little like magic when it clicks. Lateral sends. Send your dog to an obstacle while you move in the opposite direction.

Today’s agility challenge: Layla goes one way... I run the other. Lateral sends, soft turn cues, and independence drills from our young dog workshop with Jody Lolich. The goal is bold obstacle commitment and confident teamwork. #BlueBlur #Agility #Appetitive #LaylaLearns

When the Nose Really Starts Doing the Discriminating Beginner Nosework, scent physics, and why Layla ignored a box full of toys like a professional. Beginner Nosework is where the training wheels start coming off. Well, sometimes. Food pairing helped build the hunt early on. But now the real test begins: does the dog value the odor itself? This week’s searches gave Layla plenty of opportunities to answer that question—and she answered with her nose.

This week in Beginner Nosework: Layla searched rooms, containers, and an exterior area—mostly odor only, less food pairing. She even ignored boxes full of tempting toys to focus on birch, anise, and clove. Turns out the nose really does know. #BlueBlur #NoseWork #TeamLayla #LaylaLearns #Appetitive

Small Jumps, Big Milestones: Pre-Novice With Layla Agility with Layla is feeling like real teamwork. Each session brings small wins, clearer communication, and a dog who is understanding the game. Weaves: Entry First, Then Drive Layla is doing a fantastic job finding her weave entries and driving independently through the poles. Once she commits to the entry, it helps when I run just slightly ahead of her. My motion encourages her forward focus while she finishes the job on her own.

Layla met a new milestone today. 💙Confident weave entries, improving contacts, A-frame practice, and her first time jumping 18 inches! We're building clarity, confidence, and a dog who loves the game. She’s figuring it out, and it’s so fun to see. #BlueBlur #Appetitive #TeamLayla #Agility

Clarity Is Kind: Pre-Novice With Layla This week we touched all the pieces that matter: weaves, jumps, tunnels, A-frame work, and those ever-important 2o2o contacts. And through it all, the theme was clarity. Weaves: Commitment First The weaves are starting to feel owned. Layla is driving in with more confidence and staying in because the criteria are clear. Entry matters. Rhythm matters. My job is to support the line and then lead the way.

Pre-novice with Layla = clarity, confidence, and a whole lot of heart. 💙 We’re building brave weaves, thoughtful lines, powerful A-frame practice, and rock-solid 2o2o contacts. When I’m clear, she shines. Come see our laboratory at work! #BlueBlur #Appetitive #TeamLayla #AgilityDog

Pre-Novice Confidence Building Layla is growing up in pre-novice agility, and it shows. This week we played sequences packed with rear crosses, front crosses, and blind crosses. One highlight is her growing understanding of her rear cross verbal, “Switch!” Rear Crosses A rear cross means I change sides behind Layla as she takes off for a jump. The magic only works if the verbal comes first.

“Switch!” actually means something now. Confident weaves, coherent crosses, and stride-building grid homework. Pre-novice agility is about clarity, power, and smart lines. Layla is growing up and it shows. #BlueBlur #Agility #Appetitive #TeamLayla #SportDog

Building Bold Sends and Big Confidence Playing agility with a young dog means building brilliant understanding. At our recent Young Dog Workshop with Jody Lolich, Layla and I focused on clarity, confidence, and forward drive. The goal is to teach her what the words mean and make the obstacles irresistibly fun. Hunt the Jump Our homework is to play a version of Vito’s game to sharpen Layla’s understanding that “hup” means go out and seek the jump.

Bold sends. A frames in progress. Elementary K Turns. Layla is learning that “hup” means hunt the jump and forward is fabulous. We are building clarity, confidence, and a whole lot of joy. Thank you Jody Lolich! Doing it til we GET IT RIGHT. #BlueBlur #FromShelterDogToSportDog #Appetitive #TeamLayla

From Snack to Scent: When Odor Gets the Promotion Beginner Nosework and the art of fading the food without fading the hunt. Intro class built the hunt. Food and odor were paired so clearly, so consistently, that Layla learned one essential truth: searching pays. Now? The training wheels start to come off. And this is where good nosework handling really matters. 🍗 First, We Build the Hunter Pairing essential oil odor with food builds drive, clarity, and commitment.

Odor becomes the paycheck! ✨
This week in beginner nosework, we’re fading food pairing and testing true scent understanding. Plus: happy exits, clear reinforcement mechanics, and building a rock-solid nose hold. #BlueBlur #NoseWork #TeamLayla #Appetitive

S Is for Serpentine and Slightly Smarter Handling Pre-novice agility this week is brought to you by the letter S. It was all about the Serpentine, also known as the S-Line. Three jumps in a row. Two lead changes. One flowing S-shaped path. Simple on paper. Sneaky in real life. The Shape of the Line In a classic serpentine, the dog changes leads over each jump as they curve through the line.

Serpentines, smooth weaves, and one surprise spin on the teeter. The S-lines sailed, the poles were satisfactory, and my rear cross briefly turned into interpretive dance. Pre-novice agility with Layla is equal parts skill-building and shenanigans. #BlueBlur #Agility #Appetitive #TeamLayla

Sniff Happens Outdoors: Potty. Wind. Plan. Repeat. How Layla graduated Intro Nosework and learned that odor pays. Exterior nosework is where the science begins. Wind, vehicles, variables; and your dog’s nose. This week in Intro to Nosework, Layla played exterior vehicle searches for the first time. And like all good exterior searches, it came down to three non-negotiables: Potty. Wind. Plan. 🚽 Potty First (Yes. Every Time.)

Exterior nosework 101: ☔️ Potty. 🌬 Wind. 🗺 Plan.
Plus first vehicle searches, fading food pairing, and Layla graduating from Intro! This week’s class was all about building real odor commitment and clean search mechanics. #BlueBlur #TeamLayla #Appetitive #NoseWork

Jumps and Side Changes: Pre-Novice Agility Brain Day Pre-novice agility class this week was brought to you by JUMPS. So many jumps. Add in tunnels, the tire, weaves, and contacts, and suddenly my brain and body were both getting a workout. Walk the Course, Find the Side Changes One of the best pearls from class came before we ever ran. When you walk a course, remember it by where your side changes happen.

So many jumps, so many side changes, and a big pearl: motion talks louder than words. Layla and I are learning to read each other better so she can adjust her line when the course asks. Sometimes messy, others thoughtful, and always fun. #BlueBlur #Agility #TeamLayla #Appetitive

New Odor, No Micromanagement: Layla Learning to Trust Her Nose Intro to Nosework class, night four, and things got deliciously real. This was laying serious foundations: odor, commitment, independence, and handler mechanics that support the dog driven search. Odor Happens First (Food Just Makes the Point) Tonight Layla met her first four target odors: birch, anise, cypress, and clove. Each scent was carefully paired with inaccessible food inside a container or vessel.

Teaching a clear nose hold in nosework: Four scents, container + room searches, Red Light/Green Light game, and handler mechanics that support independent searching. This week’s class was all about pairing odor and trusting the nose. #BlueBlur #NoseWork #Rplus #Appetitive #TeamLayla

Walking on Sunshine in Pre Novice Agility Fast, Focused, and Fully Committed Pre-novice agility class felt extra good this week, partly because the weather finally cooperated and partly because Layla showed up ready to play play play. She did a stellar job getting into and staying in the weaves, even blasting out of a tunnel at full speed. I threw in a front cross before one weave entry and barely got out of her way in time.

Sunshine, speed, and twelve happy weaves. Layla blasted out of tunnels, forgave my awkward handling moment, and nailed her contacts. It was great being back in agility class after two weekends of freezing weather! #BlueBlur #Agility #Sunshine #Appetitive #Rplus #TeamLayla

Nose Down, Brain On: Intro To Nosework Intro nosework, fundamental principles, and the joy of letting the dog drive the search Introductory nosework class was all about building belief in Layla's nose. The first lesson:👉 Stop marking. Start paying. Pay at Source, Not at the Handler When teaching a nose hold for scent discrimination, we skip the clicker or verbal marker. No “yes,” no “good,” no marker at all.

Skip the mark. Pay at source. While the dog’s nose is on odor, deliver multiple fast treats right there. End intentionally with “all done” and lure away. Paying at source builds a clean nose hold and prevents head-whipping back to the handler. #BlueBlur #Rplus #Nosework #Appetitive #DogDrivenSearch

Rip, Roll & Sniff: The Felt-Strip Foraging Ball This turns the Holee Roller into a durable, reusable snuffle puzzle that satisfies dogs who love: ripping and extracting nose-down searching pawing, chasing, and problem solving It’s especially appealing for dogs who want to do something with their food. How to Make It What you need Holee Roller ball Felt strips, about 10 inches long Kibble, treats, or smelly snacks…

With the upcoming winter-pocalypse upon us, I'm adding enrichment to my to-do list. Here is one idea to turn a holee roller ball into a reusable snuffle puzzle for foragaing, nosework, pawing, chasing, and problem solving. #BlueBlur #Enrichment #Rplus #Appetitive

In the Open-LA, we tracked individual flies as they self-administered #appetitive (good) vs. #aversive (bad) odors and simulated taste experience, alone and in combination. We wanted to understand how each stimulus guided their volitional choices and multiple #behaviors over time.

Pre-Novice Agility Notes: Lines, Motion, and Confidence Warming Up With Flow and Commitment Pre-novice agility class with Layla continues to be a mix of learning, laughing, and small victories that are so fun in the moment. This week we started with a flowing series that included the tire, tunnel, A-frame, s-lines, and weaves. It was one of those sequences that asks the dog to think, commit, and keep moving forward with confidence.

Pre-novice agility with Layla is all about flow and confidence. Perfection isn’t the goal. Success comes from understanding Layla's line and remembering that motion matters to her more than words. #BlueBlur #Agility #TeamLayla #Rplus #RescueDog #Appetitive #AnimalAccolades

New review to read! #Metabolic and #appetitive regulation of #adipocyte mass during treatment of #obesity.

👉 Adipose mass is homeostatically maintained within a narrow range despite fluctuations in daily calorie intake and activity levels.

🔗 doi.org/10.1111/joim.70045

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