Authored by: Lisa Schmit, PhD

Owner and Founder of The Zone Training

Online school: https://inthezonedogtraining.teachable.com

Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/c/LisaSchmitInTheZone/playlists

One skill I think every agility team needs – but many don’t have – is forward focus.

People spend a lot of time teaching stays, contacts, and weave poles, but often overlook one of the most important foundation skills: teaching the dog to confidently drive forward.

When I watch teams at trials or work with handlers in my seminars, I see the same pattern over and over. Dogs hesitate, bark, repeatedly look back at their handler, or turn toward the handler instead of confidently driving ahead. The handler responds by yelling, stopping, changing their motion or becoming frustrated.

The communication becomes less clear, the dog’s confidence decreases, and both the handler and dog become caught in a cycle of uncertainty.

Forward focus is not something dogs automatically understand. It is a skill that needs to be intentionally taught.

From the first day I start training a puppy, I teach forward focus.

To me, forward focus means the dog:

Drives confidently ahead on the intended line.
Continues driving forward because the handler continually supports that line with clear, consistent and timely cues.
Keeps their eyes and focus ahead rather than constantly checking in with the handler.
Doesn’t constantly turn toward the handler looking for information.
Doesn’t bark, spin, jump up, or otherwise become handler-focused while moving forward.

One mistake I see handlers make is assuming their dog will naturally keep driving forward.

Driving forward should be cued just like any other behavior. It shouldn’t be left up to the dog to guess.

I spend a lot of time teaching my dogs what my drive forward cue means so they understand it whether I’m right beside them or 50 feet away.

For me, every cue has three parts that all communicate the same behavior:

Verbal Cue: “Go”
Body language: Arm reaches forward, eyes looking forward.
Motion cue: Continue moving forward.

All three cues tell my dog exactly the same thing – drive forward.

Many handlers rely only on their motion, assuming that if they’re running forward, their dog should keep going too. Some dogs will, but many won’t. Others repeatedly yell “Go! Go! Go!” without ever teaching the dog what “Go” actually means.

I want to use every cue available to me. My verbal cue, body language, and motion are all clear, consistent, and communicate the same message. When all three cues align, my dogs understand exactly what I want and can confidently drive forward whether I am close to them or working at a distance.

A dog with strong forward focus is easier to handle at both short and long distances because they trust the information you’ve given them. They don’t feel the need to consistently ask, “ What’s next?”.

About Lisa: Lisa Schmit is a passionate a dog trainer, a generous educator, and a thoughtful advocate for both dogs and the people who love running them. Lisa is also one of the most accomplished distance handlers in the NADAC. She has earned multiple NADAC Championship Winners/Top 3 with Multiple Dogs (10 dogs on Podium, 28 times) in addition to many more championships and awards.

You can reach out to Lisa at her email: [email protected]