Blazing Paws, LLC

02/26/2025

You know who you are ❤️❤️❤️

02/14/2025

🎙️ New Podcast Episode 🎙️
Episode 41 041 You need clear rounds to progress in dog agility, but focusing on clear rounds isn't the answer. Dive into this episode to shift your perspective on the sport and how you train for and compete for clear rounds.

🎧 Listen on your favorite podcast player, or visit the link https://fxagility.com/episode41

02/13/2025

Good read

One of the most powerful steps you can take as a trainer is to change your mindset from,
‘How can I get my dog to do it’ to
‘How can I get my dog to Want to do it’—

Stress for dogs, often comes from the teacher, not the task.
For some dogs, the resentment for the phase of work that was forced upon them, stays with them and could have been avoided if the handler had changed their approach.
For example, if you make a new concept difficult, even inadvertently, such as,
having expectations of how quickly your dog should learn, how proficient he should be, the wrong set-up
or if you try to force behavior, it could be that you are creating the stress that your dog then associates with that task.
—At the onset of training, it’s extremely important to differentiate, is the training issue one you can change VS. is it a genetic predisposition, that you can improve and manage but not organically alter.

Trying to force a dog to ‘push through’ an issue that stems from their genetics (ie too much eye, inherently wide, inherently fearful etc) is almost always to the detriment of the dog.
Instead, this is when you need knowledge and experience to help your dog or the self awareness to seek help from an expert.

Just like people, dogs can get bored when you do the same thing too often,
frustrated when it’s too arduous or disheartened when too often being told ‘you’re wrong’.

Instead of trying to accelerate your dogs training timeline, focus on your consistency, development and improvement as a teacher.
It's your continuous effort to adjust to your dogs response and body language that will help your dog become the best he can be.
Handlers sometimes find themselves waiting...for the day when they, win the competition, succeed at “X” , are acknowledged by their peers, or other.
Don’t let the pursuit of tomorrow diminish the joy of today, for you or your dog.
macraeway.com

02/04/2025

Here’s the thing about training or should I say playing with your dog. I hadn’t been feeling well on Sunday. I couldn’t put my finger on it, I wasn’t sick but felt emotionally drained and I soon found out early Monday afternoon why I had such a doomsday feeling. The loss of a good friend really takes its toll. I finished teaching and was almost going to not work with Blast but since I was there, I told myself just have fun with him and we did. The video is a compilation of what we worked on and breaks were taken during the session. Plans were to revisit some of our foundation skills, distance and some of our weave pole games. It really did a body good.

12/31/2024

12/08/2024

CLARIFICATION: This is only for my Blazing Paws students. I will be at PDS tomorrow teaching those classes.

Reminder: no classes for the next two weeks. Zest and I will be traveling to and from the invitational.

11/28/2024

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my students amd your pups. I am so grateful and honored that you let me be a small part of your journey. You are all amazing.

10/24/2024

AKC ACT Test November 17th!
Earn an AKC agility title in one day! This is for dogs that do NOT have an AKC title in agility. Perfect for beginners...jump at any height, no refusals, no weaves/teeter in level 1, flowy courses.

https://premierdogsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/PDS-NOV-2024-LL-premium.pdf

10/18/2024

💯

Clean Run Training Tip of the Month ✏️

09/26/2024

Agility ring rentals, $25 half, $40 hour
Thursday (today) 3:15-3:45pm
Friday 9-10am, 10:30-11:30am
Agility drop-ins Thursday (today) 4:30 with Amanda (2 avail) $25
Text 716-316-6873 to claim!
The course is the STD course used for the Pumi Nationals.

09/11/2024

Cara Urban will be doing privates. Contact Cara if interested.

Apologies for the delay! Here it is... Upcoming agility privates at Blazing Paws, LLC in Lockport:

Sunday 9/15: 2 p.m.
Saturday 10/19: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Sunday 10/20: 10 a.m. - 12:30 p m.
Saturday 10/26: at 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Sunday 10/27: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

$60/hr or $35/half hour - DM or text for details 🙂

Classes held on dirt with full size equipment

09/07/2024

In agility, time has become increasingly more important to competitors.

We have learned to fine-tune our handling to shave off tenths and hundredths when it matters most. Our dogs have access to better nutrition, physical therapists, chiropractors, and fitness trainers. They are running longer because of the hours we put into taking care of them.

We are also pushing them to reach greatness sooner.

The youngest to reach this title, this goal, this team… I understand. I did the same for myself as a junior handler. I chased being the youngest national champion, the youngest world team member, and succeeded at becoming the youngest USA European Open team member. What I can tell you from that experience is that it was mentally taxing with no true reward.

Chasing the clock is fun on course, but setting time limits on your goals is not.

I’ve found maturity is a key factor in competing at a higher level. Many dogs aren’t “grown up” until around five years old; you cannot rush development. You can push a dog long before it is ready, but you cannot rush training or competition experience and expect to reach greatness as a team.

The muscle memory to successfully perform obstacles, the verbal skills to distinguish between behaviors, and the ability for your dog to read your handling cues on course are not created overnight.

It takes hours, days, YEARS of commitment to be great, for you and your dog.

Those hours aren’t filled with motivational quotes, excuses and hoping for gold, they’re filled with intentional practice. Agility is a complex sport; something experienced handlers can take for granted.

You cannot rely on skills you have not fully developed, no matter how experienced you are or think you are. Greatness takes time, and that time must be well spent.

I can assure you that deliberate, methodical practice is as beneficial as it is boring. What I can not guarantee is when you’ll reap the benefits; no one can.

Train your dog and have patience with the process.

Your goals are meant to provide inspiration, tangible success and provide context for where you are on your own agility journey.

Your goals should not expire. Your goals should not be dependent on the performance of others. Your goals should not burden you with the threat of failure. Your goals should not place limits on your potential for success.

Be mindful of what you aim for and use to measure your success. The results won't always show the time and effort you've put in to be where you are today.

When goals are set effectively the results become the byproduct of the process. You can reach for the top and celebrate each step you take along the way - whether the journey takes you up, down or sideways.

The truth of it is that the trophies and ribbons are worth so much less than what you'll really gain from this journey.

08/31/2024

So important

08/28/2024

08/25/2024

Had a wonderful weekend at the Western Lakes Agility trial. Wonderful courses by Judge Bonnie C McDonald. Zest and Blast picked up two more QQ’s. Blast ended the weekend going 7 for 8 and Zest went 6-8. I couldn’t ask for better teammates. Blast is making me run faster but I’m not complaining. 🥰

I saw so much success from all of my students. Congratulations on your titles and personal bests. You all have worked so hard and it shows.

08/25/2024

This is the proofing on a jump I have mentioned in my classes.