I’ve been teaching agility for many years, and what initially drew me to Hoopers was the unique challenge it offered — specifically, the focus on distance handling.
The Hoopers I saw in videos featured handlers staying in one spot — no massive courses, no chasing after the dog during competition. In short, Hoopers was being treated as a distinct sport, requiring a unique set of handling skills and strategies.
When I finally had the opportunity to train with someone who helped shape and define modern Hoopers training methods, everything started to click.
The biggest takeaway? While Hoopers skills can definitely enhance distance handling in agility, don’t treat Hoopers like agility. It’s a completely different sport — with its own rules, rhythm, and handling style. Approaching it as something entirely new opened up a whole new world of understanding and skill.
I learned an entirely new approach to training my dog and navigating a course. As an agility handler, it meant relearning how to stay still — to rely less on constant motion, waving arms, or increasingly loud verbal cues. Instead, I had to engage my core and refine my communication, using subtle, intentional movements to guide my dog with clarity and confidence.
I learned to stand still, observe, and truly guide my dog through a Hoopers course. Shifting my handling style from agility to Hoopers was more challenging for me than for my dog — breaking old habits and embracing a new way of working together took time, patience, and a fresh perspective.
So instead of shouting verbal cues out of fear that my dog couldn’t hear or understand me, I took a step back. I retrained both myself and my dog to truly communicate on course.
It wasn’t just about “I say this, and my dog does that.” I wanted something deeper — “I say this, and my dog responds with confidence and joy.”
That meant rebuilding trust in my own training, learning to guide my dog rather than control every move. I focused on refining my vocal cues — making sure they were clear, consistent, and effective both up close and at a distance. As our distances grew, so did our connection.
I also came to understand that speed isn’t everything in Hoopers. If Hoopers is truly meant to be an inclusive sport, then timing and speed should either be removed entirely — or at the very least, take a back seat to the real challenge: the skill of working a dog from a distance without running.
Hoopers was created as a beneficial, low-impact activity for dogs, and as a genuine alternative to agility for both dogs and handlers. At its core, it’s about teamwork, communication, and handling — not about who can race through a course the fastest.
This shift in perspective led me to rethink the pressure I was putting on my dog to do everything tight and fast. If my dog naturally develops that speed and has the physical structure to handle it — great! But I’ve also seen dogs become faster simply by being given the time and space to learn at their own pace.
Yes, that process might take several months… but what’s the rush? Isn’t Hoopers supposed to be a fun, confidence-building activity for our dogs?
I began training and competing with my dog using a slower, more relaxed approach. Although it took some time to adapt, I’m glad I gave it a try. This method has allowed me to focus on the subtle details of handling that truly impact my dogs’ responsiveness. As a result, I feel calmer and more confident in how I guide her. When my dog gains speed through self-confidence, it’s my responsibility to quicken my reactions—not the other way around, which is how I was taught in my previous agility and obedience training.
I learned that Hoopers training focuses on teaching a dog to respond to verbal pattern cues, being just as effective whether the handler is close or up to three feet away. Since competition-level Hoopers involves much less running—or sometimes none at all—a handler can better focus on using body language to deliver clear signals, rather than juggling both running and signaling at the same time.
I realized I needed to allow TIME—time for myself to learn a new way of doing things; time for my dog to adapt and understand that responding to my verbal cues without arm signals still earned rewards and felt emotionally fulfilling; time to bring it all together; and patience throughout the relearning process.
Body language in agility is often subtle—a turn that’s even slightly early or late can cause a dog to knock a pole or miss a jump. The same applies in Hoopers, but what becomes clear over time is that shifting your handling position by just a few inches can significantly affect your dog’s performance on the course. As competition levels rise, the handler’s allowed area becomes smaller, making exaggerated arm movements or vigorous gestures risky—they can cause the handler to lose balance and step outside the designated zone.
Learning to step forward, backward, or sideways to guide the dog’s path requires TIME and practice. How many handlers focus on improving their own movement and timing before expecting better performance from their dog? This hit home for me recently when simply taking two steps allowed me to steer my dog and prevent a mistake.
From my own experiences and lessons learned, I’ve realized that, although I come from an agility background, not all techniques apply directly. I’ve had to unlearn and adjust certain skills to fully enjoy Hoopers with my dog.
-Julie Montilla