Podcasts · Kids & Family · Sports

Fostering Excellence in Agility

Megan Foster

88 episodes

Megan Foster, Founder of Synergy Dog Sports and creator of Fostering Excellence in Agility, shares her passion, knowledge, tips and secrets for all things dog agility. Each episode, she will take you through a critical element of agility training and break down the history of it, the dos and don’ts, as well as some key action steps you can take today to continue your path to excellence. Discover how to approach agility training from a place of wellness and learn how to build an agility training program that fits your needs and fuels your passion for the sport. Megan has taken her experience over the last 25 years and developed a systematic approach to agility that applies the most innovative positive reinforcement techniques to both ends of the leash. Megan not only coaches students on their training and competitive goals but also mentors other dog agility coaches to hone their craft in the dog sport world. Ready to ignite (or re-ignite) your passion for this game? Hit subscribe & let’s go!

Episodes page 1 of 2

  1. Improving Your Front Crosses

    · 13 min

    088 In this episode, I share four key areas for improving your front crosses: - Footwork - Connection - Timing - Application Join the free community: https://www.fxagilityschool.com/signup Grab my Membership…

  2. Video Your Training

    · 14 min

    087 Yep, you do actually need to video your training sessions. You are missing out on valuable feedback and data if you're not, and slowing your progress down when you don't have reliable information to rely on when…

  3. REPEAT: Recapping Sprint's Debut

    · 45 min

    086, Since Sprint's fourth year at the WCO was her best yet, I thought it would be fun to listen to her debut recap again, just to celebrate just how far we've come as a team. From the original show notes: Megan…

  4. Troubleshooting Your Agility Training

    · 39 min

    085 In this live coaching call recording, I share my process for problem-solving training sessions in the moment. This flowchart gives power to the students to collect data and bring that information back to the…

  5. The Importance of Canine Conditioning, Part 2, with Anna Lee Sanders

    · 30 min

    084 In the second half of this interview, I speak with Anna Lee about how to be the most effective with your dog's conditioning programs and talk about who is the right fit for working with her. Learn more about Anna…

  6. The Importance of Canine Conditioning, Part 1, with Anna Lee Sanders

    · 26 min

    083 Today I am joined by the creator of Canine Conditioning Coach, Anna Lee Sanders. I get to pick her brain about why starting a conditioning program before you need it is best practice and provides the most benefit…

  7. Training By Yourself

    · 13 min

    082 Last year, my training partner moved country and left me to train alone for the first time in quite a while! Here's what I noticed was different, and how I've made an effort to change it for the better.

  8. WCO & USO Prep!

    · 15 min

    081 This summer was abnormal and full of interruptions. We trained very little and trialed even less. So what have we been doing to catch back up for the opens this fall? This episode breaks down what we've been doing…

  9. Moving (not reducing) Reinforcement

    · 19 min

    In this episode, I unpack the three main types of training sessions agility people use, and how we reinforce during those sessions could be impacting our transition into the competition ring.

  10. Adding Distractions to Your Training

    · 15 min

    079 To compete well, dogs need to learn to ignore distractions once they notice them. This begins with understanding what they should do when they see something interesting to them. Once they know that, the concept can…

  11. REPEAT: Expectations of a Q

    · 17 min

    078 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.

  12. Stamina for Agility Dogs

    · 20 min

    077 Building stamina is a process. Working to increase the dog's workload over time and looking for ways to reduce their cognitive load during events will improve their performance inside and outside of the agility…

  13. What is Ring Readiness?

    · 24 min

    076 In this episode, Megan shares a list of things that might be different from training to trialing. Understanding these differences and how your dog might respond to these differences shapes the way we train and…

  14. REPEAT: Training on their Timeline

    · 1 h 06 min

    075 Sarah Stremming, Cog Dog Coach, joins Megan to discuss how their two youngest dogs, Rayya (Sarah's Icelandic Sheepdog) and Sprint (Megan's Border Collie) have completely different training plans and are on really…

  15. REPEAT: Ring Prep Training

    · 23 min

    074 Preparing for competition-like situations is possible, even without recreating the entire trial environment. Listen in for what Ring Prep training is and how we can do it! Additional resources on this topic: Ring…

  16. REPEAT: Are You Ready to Compete?

    · 38 min

    073 When should you start competing and what does that look like for each team? How to plan to maximize success all comes down to the splits in behavior that we need our dogs to understand. While this is a repeat…

  17. Training and Using Stashed Reinforcement

    · 18 min

    Episode 072: Training and Using Stashed Reinforcement Humans understand that in order to compete, rewards have to be left outside of the ring, but does your dog understand that? In this episode, I break down how I…

  18. Three Places to Increase Clarity in Your Training

    · 11 min

    071 Most training focuses on how fast and accurate the dog performs a specific behavior. What if the small details surrounding that performance were also a priority? There are three places in our training that are…

  19. Dealing with Disappointment

    · 11 min

    070 Agility is full of highs and lows. Injuries. Low Q Rates. Not qualifying for events. It all happens and it’s all a bummer. How we move through it though, impacts how we “get back on the horse”, as the saying goes.…

  20. Larger Reward Events

    · 12 min

    069 We’ve all heard of using jackpots, right? But what if it really is about making every reward mean more? In this episode, Megan talks about a recent article from neurosciencenews.com and shares how she’s already…

  21. The Process of Getting Good at Agility

    · 27 min

    Agility is hard and it takes time to get good at it, let alone master it. Megan shares her experience in focusing on the process and using data to improve the overall performance while letting go of outcome results.…

  22. Training for Your Current Capacity

    · 13 min

    067 Feeling low on time? Have a listen to this episode where Megan breaks down how she focuses her training when life gets busy and agility takes the back burner.

  23. Ring Stress

    · 18 min

    066 In this episode, Megan talks about common behaviors associated with ring stress, what could be causing the stress, and how to develop the appropriate training plan to address it.

  24. 1-TDC UKI Invitational Wrap Up

    · 29 min

    In this episode, I share my thoughts and feelings about mine and Sprint's performance from the event, my training plans since then, and how I'm moving forward with our goals. I invite you to follow along post-run…

  25. Criteria Shifts Beyond the Acquisition Phase

    · 16 min

    064 How do we continue to push our dog's understanding of the different obstacle cues and behaviors? By focusing on making training sessions intentionally different, we can expose our dogs to a wider variety of…

  26. Errorless Learning Procedures (Fans of FxAgility Coaching Call Replay)

    · 33 min

    Enjoy this Coaching Call Replay! Join the Fans of FxAgility Community to discuss agility, watch (and ask questions about) my training, and join in on the regular coaching calls! All available for free! Click here to…

  27. Maintaining the Value of Our Reinforcers

    · 13 min

    062 What holds more power for your dog, food, toys, or the agility obstacles? While we want the obstacles to be valuable to the dog, we need to maintain value and power for the reinforcers that we can more easily…

  28. Which Way is Faster?

    · 11 min

    061 In this episode, Megan explains the 3-point system for determining which path on course will be fastest, and how your individual dog fits into that guiding system. Checkout all the ways you can learn from Megan at…

  29. Prerequisite Skills for Group Agility Classes

    · 14 min

    060 In this episode, Megan expands on how to set dogs up for success when entering their first group classes in order to avoid problems. She gives ideas for group class instructors and individuals for focusing on the…

  30. Focus & Engagement Coaching Call

    · 1 h 05 min

    059 This episode is from a Coaching Call inside Fans of FxAgility, a free community. Make sure you sign up to join the next coaching call! https://www.fxagilityschool.com/signup

  31. "Over"-Arousal with Sarah Stremming

    · 58 min

    058 In this special crossover episode with Cog-Dog Radio, Megan is joined by friend and colleague, Sarah Stremming to talk about every agility person's favorite buzzword: Arousal.

  32. Stepping Out of the Comfort Zone with Rose Cybulski

    · 35 min

    057 In this episode, Megan is joined by the host of Before the Q, Rose Cybulski, to talk about stepping out of one's comfort zone and what the road to the 2026 Canadian Open might look like—interested in learning more?…

  33. Pressure!

    · 15 min

    056 What is pressure, and how can we train for it? Find out in this episode!

  34. Learn Agility with Me!

    · 12 min

    055 In this mini-sode, I break down my different types of offers: free, self study, coaching program, and guided programs. Free Content: This Podcast! Make sure you've subscribed! Social Media: Facebook and Instagram…

  35. Types of Reinforcement

    · 14 min

    054 Let's unpack some definitions of positive and negative reinforcement, a real-life training example, and why focusing on the use of positive reinforcement will benefit your team overall. Video examples of skills…

  36. Ways to Measure Learning

    · 16 min

    053 There are seven ways to observe behavior and look for signs of learning. In this episode, Megan shares those seven ways for a quick definition and then unpacks how she uses those forms of measurement in her own…

  37. Ring Prep Training

    · 23 min

    052 Preparing for competition-like situations is possible, even without recreating the entire trial environment. Listen in for what Ring Prep training is and how we can do it! Additional resources on this topic: Ring…

  38. Thoughts on Training in the Ring

    · 16 min

    051 When I first started competing, we had limited options on how to maintain our habits from training to trialing, but now with FEO and FNG available is most (all?) organizations, it's easier to be consistent in our…

  39. Errors and Resiliency

    · 18 min

    050 How we respond to mistakes and use mistakes in our training is based on our values and how we choose to train. We have so many tools available to us that allow us to build confident and resilient learners that…

  40. Training for Engagement

    · 19 min

    049 What is engagement, how do we get it, and what do we do when we don't have it?

  41. Startlines that Stick!

    · 13 min

    048 There's a lot that goes into training startlines, but it can be broken into four main categories: skills, motivation, chains, and ring sustainability. check out the online program that starts on June 2nd!…

  42. Responsibilities of Raising a Puppy for Sports

    · 41 min

    Megan talks with student, friend, and colleague, Sarah Espinoza-Sokal all about raising a puppy responsibly. The two coaches talk about their values and priorities when choosing what each puppy needs, and how that…

  43. Do I Stop Trialing?

    · 10 min

    046 Should you keep trialing when a problem behavior crops up or take a break? I unpack my process in this episode!

  44. Preparing for (Any) Event

    · 17 min

    045 I am often asked about preparing for big events, but is it really any different than preparing for a local event? Listen in to find out how I prepare for the competition weekend.

  45. Planning Your (Winter) Training

    · 11 min

    044 Tips on planning and prioritizing your training when your access to agility equipment is limited.

  46. Walking the Course

    · 8:31

    043 Megan explains the five phases of walking the course and planning her strategy. This blog: https://fxagility.com/blog/the-five-phases-of-course-analysis/ outlines the same information and points you toward…

  47. Using Props in Our Training

    · 11 min

    042 Megan shares her general thoughts on using and fading props in our agility training. Check out her website: fxagility.com

  48. Expectations of a "Q"

    · 17 min

    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.…

  49. Recognizing When Things are Going Wrong

    · 14 min

    040 Don't wait for problems to be big ones, get curious about your dog's behavior and uncover small gaps in their understanding before they become impossible chasms to overcome.

  50. Making the Most of Your Trial Experience

    · 12 min

    039 Megan shares 5 mindset skills she focuses on during every competition to ensure she's having a good time for herself, her dog, and her team.

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