Engage Dog Sports
We offer a unique approach to dog sports. Reducing arousal and building skills, one game at a time.
Engage Dog Sports - what we do
engage games
Dog sports are exciting — but excitement without engagement can quickly turn into distraction, over-arousal, or chaos.
Engagement games give you practical, repeatable games that teach your dog how to switch on with you, not just to the environment.
Using simple movement and reinforcement patterns, you’ll learn how to:
- Create instant engagement
- Reset between repetitions
- Lower over-arousal without shutting down drive
- Transition smoothly into drills and sport skills
- Maintain connection at distance
These aren’t random games — they’re strategic foundation tools that slot directly into your training. Whether you compete in Hoopers, Flyball, Agility, Obedience, Rally, or Nosework, Engage Pattern Games help bridge the gap between foundation and performance.
The result?
A dog who can think clearly under excitement.
A handler with real tools when it matters.
From excitement to engagement — one game at a time.
engage hoopers
Hoopers is a fun, low-impact dog sport that focuses on teamwork, confidence, and distance handling. Dogs learn to move smoothly through large ground-based hoops, around barrels, and through tunnels, following clear cues from their handler — without the jumping or tight turns seen in other agility sports.
Hoopers is suitable for dogs of all ages, sizes, and abilities, including puppies, senior dogs, and dogs who may not be suited to traditional agility. The emphasis is on calm, thoughtful movement, strong foundation skills, and effective communication rather than speed or height.
In training, we break skills down into easy, achievable steps. Dogs learn to work independently while staying connected to their handler, building confidence, focus, and problem-solving skills along the way. Handlers develop clear cues, good timing, and an understanding of how to support their dog at a distance.
Hoopers is not just a sport — it’s a fantastic way to improve everyday training skills such as engagement, direction cues, impulse control, and reinforcement placement, all while having fun together.
Whether your goal is competition or simply enjoying a rewarding activity with your dog, Hoopers offers a supportive, inclusive, and enjoyable training experience for everyone.
about engage dog sports
Engage Dog Sports was created by self-confessed dog sport nerd Joanne — who has spent over 25 years in the world of dog training and dog sports.
Joanne first became involved in Flyball in Australia back in 1999, and like many dog sport enthusiasts, one sport quickly turned into many. Over the years, she has trained and competed with her own dogs in a variety of sports including Flyball, Canine Disc, Nosework, and Hoopers.
Along the way, a long-standing love (ok, slight addiction...ok strong addiction) to Australian Shepherds sparked a deeper curiosity about how dogs learn and how we can help them stay thoughtful and connected in exciting sport environments.
This led Joanne to explore pattern games and engagement training — simple, repeatable exercises that help dogs regulate arousal, build focus, and stay connected to their handler even when the environment is busy and stimulating.
What started as a way to support her own dogs, quickly grew into thoughts about how these games can help others in their training.
Through Engage Dog Sports, Joanne shares practical training tools which help teams understand and work with arousal. Which helps build confidence, clarity, and real teamwork.
Because the best sport dogs aren’t just fast or talented — they’re engaged, thoughtful, and truly working with their handler....one game at a time.
