Episode 038 - How toSet Your Agility Dog Up for Success at the Start Line

Season #1 February 17, 2026

Show Notes

How to Set Your Agility Dog Up for Success at the Start Line

Quick Answer

Why is the start line important in dog agility?

The first few seconds of an agility run often determine the success of the entire course. A consistent pre-run routine, the right decision about whether to lead out, and proper positioning at the start line can help your dog understand the upcoming sequence and perform confidently from the very first obstacle.

Episode Overview

In this episode of the Maximum Fun Agility podcast, Lorrie Reynolds explains how preparation before the run begins can significantly influence your agility performance.

Many agility handlers focus on handling techniques on the course itself, but important decisions happen before the dog ever takes the first obstacle. The way you prepare your dog mentally, position yourself, and approach the start line can either set your team up for success or create confusion right from the beginning.

This episode covers three important factors that affect the start of every agility run.

1. Create a Consistent Pre-Run Ritual

A pre-run ritual helps your dog understand that it’s time to perform. The routine does not need to be identical every time, but it should follow the same general pattern so your dog knows what to expect.

Typical elements of a pre-run ritual may include:

• Taking the dog out to eliminate
• Light warm-up walking

• Stretching exercises
• Short focus exercises or tricks
• Calm waiting near the ring
• Entering the ring and preparing at the start line

Different dogs require different approaches. Some dogs need calming focus work before a run, while others benefit from activities that increase engagement and energy.

Practicing your pre-run routine during training can help your dog recognize the same pattern when you are competing.

2. Decide Whether to Lead Out

Many handlers automatically lead out at the start of a run, but that is not always the best strategy.

Situations where a lead out may help:

• When you need to reach a technical handling position quickly
• When the dog must make an early turn
• When the beginning sequence requires strong direction from the handler

Situations where starting together may be better:

• When the course requires forward motion from the dog independent of the handler
• When a handler restriction line limits movement later in the course
• When the dog must drive forward through multiple obstacles

Choosing whether or not to lead out should depend on the course design and your team’s strategy.

3. Position Your Team Correctly at the Start Line

Where you place yourself and your dog before releasing them can influence the entire opening sequence.

Consider these factors:

• If the second obstacle involves a discrimination, angle your dog toward the correct obstacle
• If the course requires collection, position your dog to encourage the upcoming turn
• If the sequence requires speed and extension, set your dog up to see the forward line of obstacles
• Give your dog enough space before the first jump to build speed safely

Proper start line positioning allows your dog to begin the run already understanding the intended path.

Key Takeaway

The start of an agility run begins long before the release cue. A consistent pre-run routine, smart lead out decisions, and thoughtful start line positioning can dramatically improve your team’s performance and confidence.

Resources Mentioned

Maximum Fun Dog Sports
https://www.maximumfundogs.com

Maximum Fun Dog Sports Shop
(Exercise books, planning tools, and free downloads - link below)

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Additional Resources:

Website: https://www.maximumfundogs.com
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The Agility Playground: https://courses.maximumfundogs.com/2025-bb-tap1-7D

Episode Transcript

Lorrie Reynolds [00:00:08]:
Among the many factors to consider before a training exercise or run in competition, there are three things that can make or break your run. All three happen before or at the start line. Welcome to the Maximum Fun Agility Podcast. I'm Lorrie Reynolds, owner of Maximum Fun Dog Sports. We help you build the best possible version of your agility team so that you can have a joyful journey to success. In this episode, we'll discuss how your activities before an agility run starts can affect the outcome, and you'll get three tips for getting started on the right paw. The first factor to think about is your pre run ritual. If you are at a competition or running a full course in practice, you should have a routine that you consistently go through that tells your dog you're getting ready to perform. Your pre run ritual does not have to be identical every time, but it should follow the same general pattern so your dog knows what to expect.

Lorrie Reynolds [00:01:09]:
Episode 42 is dedicated to the details of creating pre and post run rituals. Here's an example of what I have included in the past for my dogs. With Pixie, I got her out of the crate and grabbed a few treats. We went out to let her eliminate if necessary, and then did some loose leash walking to warm up. As we walked toward the ring, I asked her for some focus tricks like hand touches, spins and eye contact, rewarding frequently. When we were close to our turn, she was expected to stay calmly at my side and we either did a few more stationary tricks or or I calmly petted and praised her. Once we walked into the ring, I took her leash off, brought her next to me, and we were ready to begin. The pre run ritual with Revel will look very different.

Lorrie Reynolds [00:02:00]:
He is a much higher energy dog and has the potential to be over aroused near the ring. We will still take a walk and give him an opportunity to eliminate and we will do a lot of focus work and calming for him. Instead of just letting him sit near my side like I did with Pixie, who was unbothered by watching other dogs run, I will be keeping him engaged to keep his arousal at an appropriate level. A pre run ritual is a framework. It includes specific tasks. Come out of the crate, eliminate, warm up, focus, wait calmly and get ready at the start line. But the length of the warm up, the specific tricks we ask our dogs to do, and our activities while we're waiting will vary depending on what the dogs need. Having this consistent framework in place lets our dogs know that we are getting ready to run. The type of ritual that I used with Pixie works well for medium arousal dogs. The framework and activities are designed to keep focus and connection before the run, but I wasn't doing activities to try to amp her up or to moderate over arousal.

Lorrie Reynolds [00:03:08]:
I recommend that you periodically perform your pre run ritual in training as well as at trials so you are consistent in both places. It's similar to the idea of sometimes starting your exercises on leash so your dog considers that the norm and won't be confused when you walk up to the start line of a trial with the leash on. Here's the second place you can give yourself an advantage before your run. Something a lot of people don't talk about is when to lead out or not lead out. For a lot of people, a lead out is almost automatic. Handlers fall into the habit of leading out on every course, but that isn't always the best plan. In general, if there's a handler restriction line and you need your dog to move ahead of you on course after you start, starting parallel to the dog rather than leading out can be an advantage. For example, if a chances line starts at the third obstacle and you lead out past the second obstacle, you have taken away all that room that you could use for motion to direct your dog to obstacles on the other side of the line.

Lorrie Reynolds [00:04:15]:
Instead of having 40 feet to move and send the dog to obstacles past line, you now have less than 20 feet to do the same thing. It puts you at a disadvantage at the very beginning of the course. If your dog needs to turn after the first or second obstacle, you should lead out to give her better direction as she starts moving. Being in position to shape your dog's line once you release them from the start can be very beneficial for the rest of the run. It's important to think about where you want to lead out and what information you are giving the dog when you do. Though if you want them to collect for a significant turn, you wouldn't want to lead out and face forward, for example, which would cue extension rather than a turn. If there's a technical portion of the course you need to get to after a straightforward start, you should lead out to give yourself as much time as possible to get to that position. If the first four obstacles are in a straight line, say a line of jumps, and there's a difficult discrimination or weave entry at obstacle number five, leading out as far as you can ensures that you can be in place to support your dog.

Lorrie Reynolds [00:05:26]:
A long lead out on a straight line cues the dog to continue moving forward in extension. Once your dog starts the course, you would cue the turn before the previous obstacle so that your dog had enough time to react to the information. The third factor to talk about is your team's placement at the start line. Whether you ask your dog to stay at the start line, which most people prefer, or you employ a running start which is workable but not ideal, where you position your dog and yourself matters, your team's start line position is dependent upon how the course begins. If the second obstacle is part of a discrimination, your dog should be set at an angle so that she is in a direct line toward the correct obstacle. Your starting position should allow you to either push to the outside obstacle or maintain a parallel path. If you're trying to get the inside obstacle, you don't ever want to set yourself up behind the wing of a jump and try to push your dog out to an obstacle as you step in the opposite direction to get around the wing. So you need to look at both your path and your dog's path when you're setting up. If the first obstacle requires collection, your dog should not be set up straight in front of the jump with you next to her facing forward.

Lorrie Reynolds [00:06:47]:
Set your dog up at an angle or on the side she needs to turn to, and be sure that your body language and position is cueing collection before the dog gets to the turn. If the course starts with a sequence that requires extension, set the dog up in the middle of the jump with a view of the next obstacle or next few obstacles and indicate that you are moving full speed ahead with your body language. Facing forward and taking long strides parallel to your dog's path will help cue the extension. Your dog should know what comes next before you even give your release word. At the start line, Be sure to set your dog up far enough from the first obstacle that she can come up to full speed before performing it. Not only will you reduce the potential for knocked bars if it's a jump, you will also decrease your course time if the dog is at full speed when she trips the timers. Check out episode 19 if you want a full explanation of how giving the dog room before the first jump can affect your course time. How you set yourself and the dog up at the start line has a huge impact on the success of your run.

Lorrie Reynolds [00:07:58]:
At the beginning of an exercise or competition run, go through your pre run ritual, determine whether to lead out or not and set your dog up where they have the best chance of success. This week, take a look at a few course maps from your previous runs or exercises. Knowing how the start can affect the run, is there anything that you would do differently at the start line? Hey, you made it through another episode of the Maximum Fun Agility Podcast. Did you know we have a shop full of exercise books, planning tools, and free downloads? Check out the link to the shop in the show notes. See you next time.