Dog Day Demo Retrospective

A dog-themed retro for wins, bad habits and new tricks.

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Good Boy

What did the team do brilliantly this time?

We shipped the release a full day early and nothing broke in production.
Pairing on the tricky integration saved us hours of debugging.
The whole team jumped in to help when the demo environment went down.
Bad Habits

What behaviors or issues kept tripping us up?

We keep starting new work before finishing what is already in progress.
Too many meetings ate into our focus time again this week.
Pull requests sat in review for days before anyone looked at them.
Fetch More

What should we go get more of next time?

More pair programming, it clearly paid off this sprint.
Let's protect more deep-focus time with fewer interruptions.
More early demos to customers so we get feedback sooner.
New Tricks

What new approaches should we try next sprint?

Let's try a WIP limit to stop juggling so many tasks.
We could rotate the standup facilitator each day.
What if we time-box code reviews to within four hours?

What is the Dog Day Demo Retrospective?

The Dog Day Demo Retrospective uses dogs as a light metaphor for how your team worked this sprint. Some sprints feel like a walk in the park, others like a chase after a squirrel, and the theme gives people an easy way into talking about both. The board has four columns. The first is for the wins that deserve a pat on the head. Bad Habits covers the frustrations and patterns that keep tripping the team up. Fetch More is for the things you want more of. New Tricks is where you pick small experiments to try next sprint. The theme keeps the mood light, but underneath it's a standard retrospective that ends in agreed changes. Use it when your usual format has gone stale or the team needs a lift after a hard sprint, and make sure New Tricks ends with actions that have owners.

Dog Day Demo retrospective format

Good Boy

What did the team do brilliantly this time?

Start with the wins, big and small, that deserve a pat on the head and a treat. Ask people to be specific about who or what made the difference, so the team knows what to keep doing.

Bad Habits

What behaviors or issues kept tripping us up?

Every dog has a few bad habits, and so does every team. Name the recurring frustrations and blockers without pointing at anyone, and look for the ones that repeat sprint after sprint.

Fetch More

What should we go get more of next time?

Ask what practices, behaviors or conditions the team wants more of. This column balances Bad Habits by putting attention on what to grow.

New Tricks

What new approaches should we try next sprint?

You can teach an old team new tricks. Ask for small experiments, such as a new tool, a process change or a working agreement, that the team can commit to and review at the next retrospective.

When to use this retrospective

  • When morale needs a lift and the usual retrospective format feels stale.
  • After an intense or stressful sprint, when a lighter theme makes it easier for people to open up.
  • For teams that enjoy a themed retro and still want real outcomes from it.
  • Around a company dog day, a team celebration or another special occasion.
  • When new team members might find it easier to speak up in a relaxed setting.

Suggested icebreaker questions

  • If your last sprint were a dog, what breed would it be and why?
  • What's the best trick you've ever taught yourself (or your pet)?

Want a warm-up your team plays, not just answers out loud? Browse free icebreakers →

Ideas and tips for your retrospective meeting

  • Use the theme to keep things light, but make sure every column leads somewhere useful.
  • Timebox each column so the jokes don't crowd out the discussion.
  • Have everyone add ideas before the discussion starts, so quieter people aren't drowned out.
  • Group similar ideas and vote on the most important ones, so the team spends its time on what matters.
  • Close by turning New Tricks into actions with owners. Otherwise the experiments never happen.
  • Invite people to share a photo of their pet at the start. It's an easy icebreaker for remote teams.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a Dog Day Demo retrospective take?
Most teams finish in 45 to 60 minutes. Allow more time for a large team, or if Bad Habits and New Tricks spark long discussions.
When should I use the Dog Day Demo retrospective?
Use it when morale needs a lift or your standard format has gone stale. The dog theme helps people relax and talk honestly, especially after a demanding sprint.
How is it different from a standard sprint retrospective?
It covers the same ground, celebrating wins, tackling problems and planning experiments, with a dog theme on top. The theme changes the mood, and the outcome is still a set of agreed actions.
Does this retrospective still produce actionable outcomes?
Yes. The New Tricks column is there to produce concrete experiments, and in TeamRetro you can turn any idea into a tracked action with an owner and due date.
Can remote and hybrid teams run this retrospective?
Yes. TeamRetro runs fully online, and sharing pet photos at the start is an easy way to warm up a remote group.
Do participants need to be dog lovers to enjoy it?
No. The dog metaphor is only a framing device, and anyone can talk about good behavior, bad habits and new tricks.

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