March 4th, 2025

Embracing the Journey

Growing up, my mom always had well-trained dogs. She worked with them constantly, and we saw perfection in action. As we got older, Mom let Lena and me train her dogs in agility, but I don’t think we really paid attention.

Rylee sitting in the snow in February 2025

Fast forward to 2014, when I got my first dog, Rylee. She adored me but had no interest in listening. So, I spent a month in Germany learning from my mom. My goals were clear: Rylee would be off-leash, comfortable everywhere, and trained without treats (because I was a broke college student).

That first winter, I spent hours at Oakledge Park, hiding behind trees, calling Rylee off squirrels, and sending my five-month-old puppy through deep snowbanks.

By age three, we started agility, and I fell in love with the sport—and Rylee—even more. But in trials, I had no pull with her. She either refused to run or looked miserable. Embarrassing.

I had to learn to be happy on demand—to embrace joy and energy—just to get my terrier to follow me.

Embrace your weird self. Your dog will thank you.

Happy Training,

Addi and Her Dogs