Obvious Rewards
The obvious reward for agility is the cookies in training, and the end-of-the-run routine. The not-so-obvious rewards that are sometimes forgotten is how excited you are to be working with your dog, how happy they make you by playing your game, and the unadulterated joy of running really, really fast.
Your dog doesn’t understand ribbons or Q’s, as such. They understand you, though. Make sure you give your dog the attention and praise they deserve, whether you are practicing, competing, or playing. Your dog is there for you, be there for them!
I agree so much! And at trials you CAN’T immediately reward with treats or a toy. So the only thing you have is yourself. I always reward our good (and even decent) runs with a huge upbeat voice, an ear scratch, and lots of happy body language. Then once we’re out of the ring she gets the food rewards.