Karma, Served With a Side of Rice (as told by my daughter Hannah)
Mom and I both agree: Dad breaking his toe was pure Karma. He slammed it into the workout bench in our “weight room” (which is really just a small open area and hallway with gym equipment) while cutting through on his way out of the computer room. The same exact thing happened to Mom two months ago. She stubbed her toe on that bench, same spot, same angle. And what did Dad say at the time, without sympathy? “You should watch where you’re going.” Her toe? Just a sprain.
But when he did it? Total chaos. I was sitting in the living room minding my own business when I heard a loud crash and a string of F bombs. I ran over to the hallway and found Dad collapsed on the tile, bowl clattering, rice scattered everywhere like confetti. He clutched his foot, pointed at the bench like it had betrayed him and shouted, “Why is it there?!”
This afternoon, the bench was relocated to the garage like it had committed a personal offense. There are even whispers of throwing it away.
Needless to say, Karma was ready. And she did not miss.
Why You Need a Coach (Even If You Don’t Think You Do)
Coaches, instructors, mentors—call them what you will, they’ve all helped shape our agility journeys. In this week’s episode, Jennifer, Sarah, and I talk about the many people (some official, some unexpected) who have the ability to change the way we train, handle, or even think. We talk about the evolution of coaching, the power of video and remote feedback, and why anyone (yes, even you) can play the role of coach in someone else’s story.
Listen Here: Episode 365: Why You Need a Coach (Even If You Don’t Think You Do)
UKI Dogwalk Data: First Look
UKI recently released early findings from their judge-reported survey on dogwalk incidents (January–April 2025), capturing 42 incidents across 13,052 agility runs—about 1 in 313. But while that number gives us a sense of scale, it’s the circumstances that are more telling. Over 30% of the incidents involved a handler side change (blind or front cross) before the dogwalk. Others involved dogs appearing over-aroused, overly focused on the handler, or approaching at an angle. In other words, it may not be about the dogwalk itself—it’s about how we get there.
The data didn’t point to a specific manufacturer or competition level, and no injuries were reported. UKI acknowledges this isn’t a scientific study, but it’s a useful first look at patterns that may inform training and course design.
Still, to draw more meaningful conclusions, especially regarding proposed changes like wider or lower dogwalks, we’ll need comparable incident data on those alternatives. For now, we await the more comprehensive CARIS study launched in April, which promises a deeper, multi-organizational dive into dogwalk safety.
Send any comments or questions to team@baddogagility.com.
Happy Training,
