Learn from one of the top distance handlers in the world!
Lisa Schmit is a passionate and dedicated dog trainer who believes in building confident, connected canine athletes—at every stage of life. With a deep commitment to both training and wellness, she focuses on helping dogs stay sound, strong, and happy through thoughtful fitness, clear communication, consistent, timely cueing and smart agility handling.
As the founder of In The Zone Training, Lisa has created a supportive learning environment for agility handlers of all levels. Through individual skill classes or her All-Access Membership, she offers step-by-step guidance for everything from foundational distance work to advanced Bonus handling, along with fitness and massage techniques to keep dogs in peak condition.
Lisa isn’t just an expert—she’s a teacher at heart. She makes complex skills accessible, and she’s known for her practical, encouraging style. Whether helping a handler build their first start line stay or coaching a team to their 25th NATCH, Lisa blends science, experience, and heart in every lesson. Her goal is to help dogs and handlers thrive—not just in competition, but in every moment they share.
She doesn’t just want to train her own dogs—she wants to empower others. She builds structured learning communities (like All Access Membership), pays attention to what her students need, and she is always looking for ways to make information clearer, more inspiring, and easier to apply.
Lisa is detail-oriented, practical, and experienced—but also warm and approachable. She values connection: with her dogs, her students, and her community. At the same time, she is not afraid to advocate—whether it’s for better course design, more fairness in the sport, or just helping others understand what’s realistic to train. She strikes a balance between expertise and empathy.
Lisa is also one of the most accomplished distance handlers in NADAC. Her consistent, clear, and positive training has led to extraordinary success across many dogs and years.
These achievements reflect not just her technical skill, but also her ability to build joyful, trust-filled partnerships with dogs. She is passionate about helping other teams experience that same level of confidence and connection—even from a distance.
With a PhD in Public Policy Analysis and certifications in canine fitness and massage, Lisa brings both academic depth and hands-on expertise to her work. Most importantly, she understands that great agility comes from trust, connection, and a whole lot of joy. With over 20 years of training experience and a library of 40+ online courses, Lisa helps teams—from puppies to elite competitors—build focus, confidence, and success at any level.
