Clean Run - February 2018 - 42

whether to accept the invitation or not,"
says McAleese. Elaine Rinicker agrees,
"We have to keep our heads in the game
and keep our dogs engaged."
There are many ways to keep yourself
focused (or return yourself to focus)
when something goes wrong. Some
competitors handle getting upset before
a run by repeating a comforting phrase.
Rachel Martinez says, "'Shake it off.' I
tell it to [my dog] Mirage and I say it to
myself." Deanna Fairchild also talks to
her dog as a calming strategy. She says,
"I stare into my dog's eyes, kiss his
forehead, and tell him it's just him and
[me] so let's have some fun!"
Other competitors focus on their breathing to calm down and prepare for a good
run. Sometimes just a few concentrated
breaths can do the trick. Martinez says,
"I remind myself to breathe and take
one to two deep breaths." Julie Weir,
who was getting rattled by multiple ring
conflicts says, "My solution was to decide to focus on my dog and take deep
breaths." And Jeanette Ryman says, "I
take a lot of deep breaths while petting

and loving on my dog." Learning a specific calming breathing technique can also
be helpful. Jan Jones says, "Nadi shodhana breathing is amazingly calming. It is the
best thing I have found."
Some handlers focus on their relationships with their dogs to calm them in the ring.
Jelinda Pepper says, "I turn my back to the ring as I take off [my dog's] leash, closing my eyes as I rest my chin on his head, using his presence to calm me so I can
calm him, [take a] deep breath, [give him] a good luck kiss, then pivot back into
place, drop my leash, and go on from there. That second of breathing in his closeness
reminds me of how he is more important than the run, and closing my eyes lets it be
just me and him, the two of us; the rest of the world drops literally out of view for
that split second." Elizabeth Staley does something similar. She says, "I look at my
dog and remember why I'm really there: to have fun with my dog. Titles will come,
people will make mistakes, but ultimately my dog and I love this game, so let's enjoy
our 60 seconds of just us. Then I exhale, smile, kiss my dog on the head, tell them I
love them no matter what and run."
A planned pre-ring ritual can help a handler get focused on good days as well as difficult ones. Sara Brueske says, "I have a set pattern that I follow going into the ring
or as I step up to the line. It depends on the dog, the exact pattern and behaviors that
I do, but the idea is that it's the same every time. I have words that go along with
each step of the process and I say them as I do them. This helps get my mind focused
on the task at hand, plus the bonus of the emotional conditioning that has happened
over time will help steer my mind away from the negative thoughts."
Using your imagination can help you calm down and focus too. Tammy Wendt says,
"Imagining me and my dog running the course (a mental review of everything: the
course, my dog, and how I'm going to handle it) helps." Mental rehearsals are helpful in many ways, so if they work to calm you down when you are flustered, that can

Clean Run | February 18

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