The Wrong End of the Tunnel - Hot Takes with Jess

It's time for a Hot Takes episode!

Jessica Ajoux joins us to react to your opinions, unpopular takes, and thought-provoking questions about the world of dog agility.

From standardising equipment, jump heights, and tunnel bags to course design, judging, and safety, we dive into some of the sport's most debated topics. We discuss whether greater standardisation would improve fairness, how obstacle design affects dogs of different sizes and breeds, and whether lower jumps could make the sport safer without sacrificing the challenge.

Along the way, we explore training strategies, progression through the levels, reward placement, fix-and-go training, and what makes a dog truly suited to agility. We also tackle bigger issues including judging transparency, performance-enhancing drugs, dog welfare, and the balance between competitive success and keeping the sport fun for our canine partners.

Whether you agreed with the hot takes or found yourself shouting at your speakers, this episode is packed with lively discussion, practical insights, and plenty of food for thought for handlers, competitors, judges, and agility enthusiasts alike.