Run Happy Series: What Happy Handlers Do Differently

Run Happy Series: What Happy Handlers Do Differently

June 9, 2026 · 48 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the eight things happy handlers do differently and addresses listener-submitted problems in dog agility training.

In this episode (47:35) In the third live podcast of the Run Happy series, Esteban, Sarah, and Jennifer walk through the eight things happy handlers do differently, then take on real problems submitted by listeners, from weaves that fall apart in the ring to start line stays that disappear at trials. It is the practical follow-up to the Valley of Despair: how to think about the work, and what to actually do about the problems in front of you. You Will Learn The eight mindset shifts that separate handlers enjoying the sport from those stuck in the Valley of Despair How your own emotional state travels down the leash, and what to do when you feel yourself slipping into the valley How to approach problems with: weave poles, broken start line stays, treat-dependent dogs, and stopped contacts that turn into fly offs at trials Mentioned This podcast is relevant for both the start line stay (dogs that break) and the release (dogs that freeze at the startline): Episode 134: Priming Your Dog Before an Agility Trial Episode 111: The Myth of the Ring-Wise Dog Click Here for the Live Unedited Podcast Replay! Missed the second podcast in the series? Listen to it here: Special LIVE Podcast…

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