Clean Run - April 2014 - 51

repeat the dogwalk." Next session she
may set up jumps and work on her timing with a new move so the dog begins to
understand it. "If there is a course set up,
I will run through that once. I rarely do
that at home. Its more typically for me to
work a 9-10 obstacle sequence."
Before a big competition, she will polish obstacle performance or skills for sequences, like the backside of jumps. If the
competition is overseas, she will pay particular attention to those challenges she
will expect to see there so the dogs recognize the cues for those things immediately.

Getting in Shape, Staying
in Shape
Barb is fortunate enough to live on ﬁve
rolling acres and plays Chuckit! with the
dogs. They also play freely or walk with
her around the property. Indoors, they do
what she calls tricks, such as sitting up on
their haunches, to a stand, and back to sitting. "We let them run and romp around

the house, too." She might do some work
with the exercise ball if the weather is bad.
She keeps herself ﬁt working with a small
trampoline. "I have a tape that goes with
it that I've adjusted a bit for my agility
needs. It's soft on my joints and builds
stamina as far as cardio." Outside she
does sprints, grapevines, and running
backwards and sideways. "It is more
similar to what we do in agility. If I only
work on the trampoline I am a little ouchy
at the end of a competition weekend."
Prior to a big competition she will ease
up a bit on the ﬁtness training so both she
and the dogs are well rested. They will
also all visit the chiropractor.

Mental Goal Setting
Barb is lucky she considers the things
that are the most challenging the most
fun. If she does ﬁnd herself discouraged,
she simply leaves the ﬁeld for a while.
The running dogwalk is a good example. "It's not for the faint of heart," she
jokes. Sometimes it is great and then it

just goes away, and she has to return to
the foundation work. "It has happened
enough times that I know even if I have
a week where they are awful with it, they
will be ﬁne." Her biggest challenge is
not in training, but in ﬁnding the time to
schedule all the things she wants to do.
"I have a weakness that I have turned into
an asset. I procrastinate. So if there is
something I have to do that I don't want
to do, I decide to train the dogs instead."
Barb has learned a lot about goal setting through the years. "If I set a goal of
winning, I will beat myself up so badly
afterward that it really takes the fun out
of it." Goal setting is now about being
able to focus and lay down the run she
is capable of. "Of course I try to focus
and have a great run, but I also I try to
set a goal of enjoying the event, myself,
and my dog." Have goals, she advises,
but remember that nobody dies when
you make a mistake. "Keep things in
perspective and enjoy the journey." D

Sally Silverman is a freelance writer whose life has gone to the dogs. She and her husband share their hearts and their home with three Australian Shepherds.
An avid agility competitor, Sally is working on MACH3 with Bounce, who also has a PDCH, as well as many canine freestyle and herding titles. Java is now in AKC
Masters and working on her Advanced freestyle title. Sally is an active member of Y2K9s Dog Sports Club outside of Philadelphia, where she trains and teaches.

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Clean Run - April 2014

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