You step to the startline, heart pounding, ready to show off all your hard work. You release your dog and they take two jumps, run straight to the judge, and then zoom out of the ring.
I know exactly how that feels.
My first agility dog Hershey had his own unique interpretation of “competition.” Two jumps were his limit before he’d head off for a meet-and-greet with the judge, then make a grand exit. Every run felt like rolling the dice. Would we actually finish the course? Or would we be that team everyone politely smiled at, trying to hide their laughter?
Does your dog struggle to cope in an agility environment?
Many agility behaviour issues are caused by overarousal. Arousal refers to your dog's state of mind and can be influenced by excitement or anxiety, and sometimes both. When arousal goes up and over threshold, the brain turns off. Excessive barking, sniffing, lunging, or not performing as they normally do in training are all signs your dog is struggling to cope due to overarousal. Changing your routines or distracting your dog to manage the behaviour can work short term, but doesn't address the underlying problems. The membership helps you learn how to train your dog to think, focus and cope better in agility.
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Nothing speaks louder than real progress. Here’s what some of the handlers I’ve worked with have achieved.
Confidence Building
Overarousal, Startlines & Contacts
Toy Release
The membership teaches you how to improve your dog's underlying skills so they can think, focus and cope better in agility.
What's Included
The complete library
Member Workbook to help you get started and plan your training week
'Ask Erica Q&A' space for any written questions
Access to booking one to one WhatsApp coaching sessions with me for personalised feedback including video review (£25 per 2-hour session)
General Chat space to connect with other members
Puppy Training
Sit, Down & Stand
Wait/Stay
Recall
Loose Lead Walking
Leave It
Ignoring Distractions
Calm Greetings
Grooming & Handling
And more
Reactivity
Excessive Barking
Separation Anxiety
Jumping Up
Behaviour Around Visitors
Resource Guarding
Coprophagia
Fear
Aggression
And more
Overexcitement
Anxiety
Frustration
Lunging
Excessive Barking
Leaving The Ring
Queueing
Startlines
Obstacle Performance
And more
Join the membership and download the workbook. This gives you a clear starting point and shows you how to plan your training week.
Use the workbook alongside the training library to work out what to focus on. It guides you through picking a small number of exercises that actually fit your dog, so you’re not jumping between random things every few days.
Train throughout the week in short sessions. Keep it simple, repeat the same exercises, and build on them. That’s where the progress comes from.
At the end of the week, use the workbook to reflect on what’s working and what needs adjusting. Simplify if needed, repeat what’s going well, and then progress when your dog is ready.
If you get stuck or want reassurance, you can ask questions in the Ask Erica Q&A space. If you want more detailed input, you can book a WhatsApp Coaching Session for video review and one to one personalised support (£25)
Confidence Building
Overarousal & Chase Drive
Confidence Building
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I’m Erica, a dog trainer and behaviourist with over 20 years of experience working with pet dogs, rescue dogs, sports dogs, Hearing Dogs, Guide Dogs, and Medical Detection Dogs.
I have also competed in agility myself in the UK, USA and the Netherlands, so I understand how behaviour struggles affect both everyday life and training environments.
My focus is helping you understand what is actually happening, what your dog needs, and how to train in a way that builds real progress over time.
“The change I’m seeing is amazing. Couldn’t recommend highly enough.”
“I have seen a big difference in my dog’s behaviour in the two months we have been following Erica’s programme.”
“Erica is very good at pinpointing the problems in a kind and precise way.”
“Started working with Erica in July and am thrilled with the progress I have seen since we started. She’s suggested progressive but simple exercises that have had a very quick impact.”
The behaviours you are seeing are a symptom of underlying skills. The longer you leave these problems, the more opportunities your dog has to practise them. Every training session or show where they rehearse barking, lunging, running off, losing focus or struggling to cope makes the behaviour harder to change.
You don’t have to keep working around the problem. Start working on what’s underneath it.
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