Beyond her role as a judge and competitor, Donna opens the door to other ways the game is played that many handlers may not have seen before. She talks about why placing hides in training isn’t always about whether your dog can find them, a reward strategy in trial that could change how you earn a Q, and how to recognize and work around your own dog’s quirks. She also shares surprising advice for trial day: why excusing yourself from a search might sometimes be the best decision you can make for your team.

It’s a conversation full of the kinds of details that make you rethink the game, from training hides to handling quirks to knowing when to walk away.