Perform at your best when it counts
In training, in competition, and under pressure.
You have the dream. You train hard. You’ve got good skills. But when the pressure’s on? The wheels fall off the bus.
That’s because consistent success in dog sports requires more than skills and training: It requires the ability to execute those skills when it matters most.
Inside Dog Sport Scholars
You’ll learn how to combine training excellence, mental mastery, and nervous system regulation so that both you and your dog can perform with confidence, clarity, and consistency.
The result: You stop hoping things come together at trials, and start trusting your performance when it matters most.
If your trial performance doesn’t match the level of your training?
Many talented dog sport handlers struggle with the Frustrating Gap.
Your dog lays down a killer performance in practice.
But at trials? That performance isn’t anywhere to be found.
- Your dog can do the work, but competition changes everything
Maybe your dog becomes over-aroused, distracted, or disconnected. Or maybe you feel the pressure yourself — your timing slips, your mind goes blank, and suddenly the run you know you’re capable of is out of reach. This is not a training problem. It’s a performance problem.
- You know what to do, but you can’t access it when it matters
You’ve put in the hours. You’ve taken the classes. You’ve built the skills. But as the pressure goes up? Your performance goes down. And that gap between what you know you can do and what you actually do at trials is frustrating and discouraging.
- Most dog sport training only focuses on one end of the leash
Most programs teach dog training skills. Some teach handler skills. But few (if any) teach how to integrate both so you and your dog can perform as a team under pressure. That’s where Dog Sport Scholars comes in.
Build the skills required for consistent performance
Optimize your dog’s arousal so they can perform at their best
Master your mental game so pressure no longer derails your performance
Execute your training consistently when it matters most
What Dog Sport Scholars members are achieving
Handlers inside Dog Sport Scholars have:
- Gone from frequent NQs and DQs to podium placements
- Achieved titles that previously felt out of reach
- Won spots on or were selected for the World Team
- Overcome debilitating trial nerves
- Developed confidence and resilience as competitors
- Learned how to thrive with sensitive, intense, or “big feelings” dogs
- Rediscovered the joy of training and competing
I've learned somatic tools to calm my body, then follow up with mindset work. Learning to see behavior through the lens of fight/flight/freeze has helped me understand myself, my students, and the dogs I work with.
Monica P., Dog Sport Instructor
I feel more focused, more present, and more connected—to my dog, to other people, and to myself. It truly feels like I’ve come back to a part of myself that I was missing.
Patti Rosner, Agility Competitor
I know how frustrating the performance gap can be
I’ve worked with dog sport competitors at every level — from novice handlers to elite competitors.
And one pattern shows up again and again:
Handlers train hard. Their dogs develop excellent skills. But when pressure enters the picture… performance breaks down.
That’s because dog sport success isn’t just about training.
It’s about executing those skills under pressure.
Dog Sport Scholars was created to help handlers develop the full set of skills required for performance — combining training excellence, mental mastery, and nervous system regulation so that both ends of the leash can perform with confidence.
What you’ll experience inside Dog Sport Scholars
Dog Sport Scholars is designed as a performance academy, combining coaching, training, and community.
Foundation Trainings
Instant access to in-depth training on:
- Goal achievement and performance psychology
- Nervous system regulation
- Mindset mastery
- Optimizing arousal and performance in your dog
Weekly Coaching Calls
Neurosomatic Regulation Classes
The Performance Lab
Private Community + Podcast
Dog Sport Scholars members have:
- Earned long-sought titles
- Gained confidence they never thought possible
- Learned to love working with sensitive or high-arousal dogs
- Made competition less stressful and more enjoyable
- Achieved personal goals inside and outside of dog sports
I found a supportive community and practical tools that changed how I train and show up. While titles will come, what matters most is feeling connected, capable, and hopeful that my dogs and I can truly grow as a team.
Mary Saltarelli, Agility Trainer & Competitor
Hélène helped me see there’s no single “right” way to train—just understanding the dog in front of you. Now our connection is incredible. She doesn’t just train dogs; she coaches both ends of the lead in a truly life-changing way.
Judy H, Scent Work Trainer
Since working with Hélène, my personal regulation has improved dramatically. The Thought Model and Neurosomatic tools helped me stop overthinking and stay more present.
Jill Kingston, DSS Member
Her feedback is honest and insightful, and she adapts well to individual needs. The program is always evolving with new training and guests. I highly recommend DSS to others.
Becky Saltwick, Agility Competitor and Coach
The Dog Sport Scholars performance process
Performance excellence isn’t something you achieve once. It’s a cycle of continuous improvement.
Train
Optimize the execution of your training so your dog clearly understands the job and can perform confidently.
Prepare
Develop the mental skills, nervous system regulation, and focus required to perform under pressure.
Perform
Bring your best performance to training and trials. And then review, refine, and repeat the process as you continue leveling up.
This train → prepare → perform cycle becomes the engine that drives your long-term growth as a competitor.
For handlers who want to discover what they are truly capable of
Not just in training. But in performance.
If you’re the kind of handler who:
- Loves the process of training
- Wants to keep improving
- Believes there’s always another level to reach
- Wants to see what’s possible when you and your dog are at your best
Then Dog Sport Scholars is built for you.
Inside this academy you’ll develop the skills required to close the gap between potential and performance.
Because the real magic of dog sports happens when both ends of the leash are working together — with clarity, confidence, and trust.
And that’s exactly what we train here.
Frequently asked questions
What exactly is Dog Sports Scholars?
So glad you asked! Dog Sport Scholars is my monthly group mentoring program that I created to help dog sport enthusiasts, like you, achieve your training and competition goals.
Dog sports are supposed to be fun! An exciting adventure with your best friend. And yet? I see SO MUCH unnecessary suffering as people dig into training and start competing. Yes, many dogs struggle, either getting too worked up or shutting down and quitting. And most programs and coaches focus on helping such dogs feel and perform better. Which is awesome and important!
However, there’s very little available to support the other end of the leash. The stressed out handlers struggling with ring nerves, disappointment, fear, anxiety, deep feelings of unworthiness, or feeling like an “outsider”.
And there’s nothing on the internet that I know of that teaches dog sport trainers how to overcome the unique mental and emotional challenges we face.
The result is that many a handler feels totally alone on this journey, believing they’re the only one who struggle.
You’re not alone, my friend.
I created Dog Sport Scholars for this reason. It’s the program I wish I had as a struggling competitor with paralyzing trial nerves and overwhelming imposter syndrome, clinging to a dream I had no idea how to make happen.
When I first left my career as a professor in academia to become a professional dog sport coach, I focused (like everyone else) on helping people improve their dogs’ skills. However, I soon discovered that dog skills–while important–are rarely the actual problem most dog sport enthusiasts struggle with.
Rather, what’s going on in the mind and nervous system at the human end of the leash is nearly always what’s getting in the way of better performance.
Over time, and through countless coaching sessions, I’ve developed a very specific process and set of skills to help handlers maximize their performance so that they, in turn, can best support their dogs.
Skills no one else is teaching in dog sports. Even though the handler is responsible for (at least) 80% of performance results.
This 5-Step Goal Achievement process, coupled with two critical skills, forms the foundation of the Dog Sport Scholars approach.
Very specifically, the two critical skills are:
- Managing your mental game
- Managing your Nervous System.
Without mastering these skills, most people will find it hard–if not impossible–to make steady, consistent progress towards their dreams.
Who is this program for?
Dog Sport Scholars is for passionate and committed dog sport enthusiasts–like you!–seeking to take their training and competition skills to the next level.
The concepts we explore in this program–mindset mastery and nervous system regulation, along with handler mechanics and a deep understanding of the concepts of R+ training–underpin all dog sports.
The goal is excellence in training and performance to bring out the potential in each dog/handler team.
We focus on joy, curiosity, and excitement, and learning to manage and release fear, anxiety, stress, imposter syndrome, and other negative, self-destructive feelings so common in dog sport training.
We have members who train and compete in Obedience, Agility, Rally-Free, Tracking, Nosework, Herding, and more.
If your passion is dog sports, your desire is to grow, learn, and improve, and you’re not afraid of hard work? Dog Sport Scholars is for you!
What if I can’t make the live calls?
Don’t worry! I’ve got you. If you have a question or need help, but can’t make a live call, you can send me the question ahead of time and listen to my answer on the replay!
All calls are recorded and uploaded into our dedicated program platform. I do my best to get the replay out within 24 hours (often faster) of the call.
We also have a Private Podcast option, which automatically forwards the audio version of the replay to your phone, so you can listen on the go!
And between the live calls, you can also post questions and get my written feedback anytime in our wonderfully supportive community area (not on Facebook!)
So, while it’s awesome if and when you can make calls live, you can absolutely get all the support and learning you need working at your own pace. In fact, many members prefer to do it this way!
What if I tried Positive Thinking and it didn’t work for me?
Great question!
In Dog Sport Scholars, we apply a unique process for shifting our thinking that goes deep into how our brains and nervous systems work, and why we think and behave the way we do.
You’re right that just “thinking positive” isn’t enough. We can’t think our way to success if, underneath, we don’t believe it’s possible.
The mindset work we do in DSS involves a whole lot more than just thinking positive or adopting a confidence mantra.
I teach a systematic process that will not only permanently shift (for the better!) how you think and feel about your sport training and performance, but—if you do the work—the positive impact will have a ripple effect across all areas of your life.
What’s included?
When you join Dog Sport Scholars, you get immediate access to the entire program and all its content. This includes:
- An extensive and growing library of coaching calls, monthly workshops, and skills training webinars, available for self-paced study 24/7
- Live group calls (via Zoom) 4x a month where I both teach the monthly training material and offer coaching “hot seats” to members looking for feedback on their work.
- The “Skills Vault”, where you’ll find my best workshops and webinars on cutting edge +R2.0 concepts such as Loopy Listening and Loopy Training, Radically Rethinking How We Handle Errors, Poisoned Cues, Teaching Duration, and much more.
- A Private Podcast so you can listen to the audio version of all coaching calls on-the-go
- A supportive and dynamic private members area where you can get support, written coaching, share your wins, and cheer on others. All NOT on Facebook!
- Monthly Review and Planning sessions to keep you on track and taking steady steps forward towards your goals
- Workbooks, worksheets, and bonus trainings as I create them!
Yes, all this for just $97/month!
How is the material delivered?
When you join, you’ll get to participate in regular live group coaching calls (on Zoom) 4x a month, where I both teach new concepts and coach you on your challenges.
Each month, we have a specific focus with practical exercises I walk you through on the calls to help you build your skills.
All calls are recorded if you can’t (or don’t want to) attend live. You can watch the video replay, or listen to all calls in our Private Podcast, which automatically forwards the recordings to your phone so you can listen on-the-go.
What’s the difference between “coaching”, “teaching”, and “therapy”?
What a fantastic question! There’s a very big and important difference between each of these.
Here’s how I explain the difference, so you can know if what I offer (coaching and teaching) is what you need:
Teaching is the act of one person imparting information to the other.
When we are taught, the teacher has a plan, material, and a goal for what we are to learn.
The information flows in one direction: From the teacher to the student. It’s what we experience in school!
In contrast, coaching is a two-way street. You decide where you want to go, what you want to learn, and what you need help with.
My job, as your coach, is to help you achieve what you’re setting out to do.
Coaching is all about helping you build the future you wish to create.
While coaching is about looking to the future, therapy typically involves looking to the past.
We sometimes need to explore the past to figure out what’s blocking us as we try to move forward. If this is work you need to do, please find a professional certified therapist. I am not a therapist, and therapy is NOT what we do inside DSS!
I’m a coach, and a teacher. I’m here to help you build the future you want.
If this what you’re looking for, please join me in Dog Sport Scholars!
How can I get my other questions answered?
If you have a question that I haven’t answered here, simply send me an email!
You can reach me (Hélène) at helene@helenelawler.com