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Sports psychologists have lots to offer canine athletic competitors.

by Lorie Long

Whether you and your dog are road-seasoned competitors in canine sports, just “playing around” in novice dog shows, or simply striving to train your dog to stop embarrassing you in public, you can improve your mutual performance and your relationship by learning and practicing basic sports psychology techniques.

Agility dogs and other athletic canine competitors can benefit most obviously from a handler who incorporates positive sports psychology. But even ordinary dog owners can improve their dog-training skills and relationship with these techniques.

When we work with our dogs, we communicate our wishes to them largely through our body language, posture, facial expressions, and tone of voice. Stress can vastly alter how our “messages” come across to our dogs. When we are nervous about going into the show ring or anxious about passing another leashed dog on the sidewalk, we are likely to inadvertently…

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