Most dog sport enthusiasts believe that dog training happens only with the dog. That we, the trainers, cannot improve our skills without having our dogs in the training session. But believing that dog training is a skill only learnt with the dog, not practicing handler skills separately, alone and without your dog first, could actually slow down your progress, cause a whole lot of frustration problems and take away the joy in training – the main thing you’re looking for when spending time with your dog.
Listen to the whole episode to find out what to do instead!