Every drill Kate
runs from four weeks.
Short-form clips of the foundation-exercise drills Kate takes every Rippletrix puppy through — before they go home, and for a new owner to keep running once they have.
Every Rippletrix pup does these before they leave the yard.
Kate is a veterinary physiotherapist. She has spent thirty years watching what happens to the adult dog when the puppy misses its foundation window. Nail trimming, being handled, being on a conditioning platform, being separated for short periods, being stopped mid-motion — these are the drills that decide whether the adult dog will accept a vet, a groomer, a boarding kennel, an agility handler.
Every clip below is short. Under a minute or two. You don't need to watch them in order. Take the ones you need this week, come back for the next batch next week.
"Do a different paw each week to get them used to it. Small things, done often, are the whole game."
Twenty-four short drills.
Kate's clips are being uploaded and titled one by one. The grid below shows the shape of the full set — individual clips will light up as their titles and files are added.
Incline ramp — balance and shaping
A young Border Collie on the incline ramp with Kate — learning to hold position, adjust weight, and read a handler. The single most useful conditioning drill Kate teaches.
Front paw box work
Building rear-end awareness by anchoring the front paws on a low box. Every Rippletrix pup starts this drill from around eight weeks.
Dog walk and cone — exit and entry
Introducing the agility dog-walk with a cone gate. Kate uses cones to shape approach angles before the puppy ever encounters the full obstacle.
Two-box hops
A short, sharp hop between two low boxes. Teaches rear-end drive and lands, and reads well in later agility work.
Front-end box work — extended set
A longer set of the front-paw box drill, adding position holds and small handler moves. Good for older puppies once the basic drill is confident.
Tyre — approach and drive
Introducing the agility tyre with a proper approach line. Kate builds this over weeks — starting with an empty frame and adding drive incrementally.
A-frame and cone — exit sequence
Blue merle Rippletrix pup on the A-frame with cone gating for the exit. Foundation for competition-safe A-frame contacts.
Handler and step platform
Working the step platform with the handler present — teaching the puppy to hold position while the handler moves.
Dog walk — introduction with handler support
Kate seated on the dog walk introducing a young pup to the surface at safe height. Slow, low, calm.
Slope spins, pushes and hops
Kate's longer conditioning session on the slope — slow-speed spins, pushes and hop-ups that build core strength and rear-end awareness.
Balance and rear-end awareness
Combined balance and rear-end awareness drill using low equipment and handler-shaped positioning.
A-frame — full sequence
A blue merle Rippletrix pup on the full A-frame — approach, ascent, contact, exit. Kate marks the contact zone verbally.
Dog walk — supported walk-across
Full walk-across the dog walk at safe height with handler support. The step before the puppy runs it independently.
Side pole box hops
A blue merle Border Collie working side pole box hops. Cross-body driving pattern that builds later weave work.
Dog walk entry — pole and box
Setting up the dog walk entry with a pole gate and a box. Kate uses this to shape the puppy's line onto the contact obstacle.
Step platform work
A working set on the step platform — controlled front-foot placements and calm rear-end holds.
Cone weave and platform
Combining cone weaves with a low platform target. Builds later weave-pole discipline and driving lines.
Tyre — quick entry
Short clip of the quick tyre entry drill Kate uses once the puppy is confident with the frame.
Seesaw introduction
First contact with the agility seesaw — controlled tip, calm handler, no drama. Building confidence over speed.
Watch the piece first, then the clips.
If you're a new owner — read Kate's Top Tips for a Perfect Border Collie first. The clips make more sense once you've read the philosophy behind them. Both are free.
The written companions.
Top Tips for a Perfect Border Collie
Recall, the off switch, toilet training, the puppy-clock idea, and the hard-wired herding instinct.
Read the piece →Top Tips — the free PDF
Kate's own guide as a printable fifteen-page PDF — the same document she sends home with every Rippletrix pup.
Download the PDF →The Full Owner's Manual — free PDF
Twenty-nine pages: socialisation chart, exercise-by-age table, poisons list, worming and vaccination records, and more.
Download the PDF →Kate's Rippletrix CPD
The breeding-side content: canine fertility CPD, timing, testing, and the practical decisions of running a kennel.
See the CPD →The full Rippletrix story.
These exercises are one part of Kate's Rippletrix Border Collies programme. See the bloodline story, meet the pack, and read the full guide to bringing a Rippletrix pup home.
Kate's own photographs
Taken by Kate, sent to us the way she sends everything — a burst of them, straight from her phone.
In their own words
Accounts from people who have taken an animal from Rippletrix Border Collies. We publish these under the writer’s own name and read every one before it appears. There is no star rating here, and there never will be — this is why.
No testimonials yet. If you have had an animal from Rippletrix Border Collies, yours would be the first.
Write a testimonialVerified purchase means our records show the writer bought from this breeder through GenoVaq. Testimonials without that mark are published too — they are simply from people we cannot confirm transacted on the platform. We do not remove a testimonial because a breeder dislikes it, and we do not publish one we believe to be fake. A breeder who wants to respond to something written about them can write to info@genovaq.co.uk.