Clean Run - May 2018 - 48

The TeaM's needs
I often tell myself "If you're going to make
stories up, make them good ones." It takes
guts to get out in the agility ring and know
that failure is inevitable. The more you
compete, the more chances there are to
fall short of personal goals. But there is a
silver lining here too: There are also more
chances to improve, to build on skill,
to get it right, and to pass the test. The
pressures of competing can be challenging, especially if too much time is being
spent on what others may be thinking-
whether it's real or perceived. It is easy to
fall into the pit of comparison and I say pit
because it can be a steep climb out.
When you worry about what others
think-because you did not Q, or the dog
missed a contact, or you were late with
a front cross-you are taking away from
what went right. You also lose the beauty
of what your dog did respond to and how
you could potentially handle better in the
next run. Even more difficult is comparing
yourself or your dog to another team to
feel better about your own performance,
or comparing yourself to others to feel
worse, are dangerous and add pressure to
an already fragile competition state.
When thinking that another handler's
training is better, or the dog is faster, the
handling is smoother, or that you have better handling than fellow competitors, you
negate all the time, work, and effort you
put in with your own dog. The possibility becomes very real that you are forgetting about the relationship with the special pal you brought to the competition.

Handlers should perform a warm-up
routine prior to runs. Warm-up routines
can vary from team to team, but the time
should be spent warming up muscles
and connecting. This is a time where the
focus should be on the dog-it's not the
best time for discussing handling strategies with fellow competitors. The course
has been walked, you have decided on a
plan of action, and any questions about
how something should be handled should
already be decided. When your dog is out
and with you, this is team time. It's unfair
for either part of the team to be ignored
here. Being distracted risks letting others
change your mind on your plan of action,
leading to doubt. Falling into conversation
with a friend, instructor, or a classmate
when you are waiting at the gate for your
run is fairly common. Instead of talking
with others, connect with your dog, play
with him, talk to him, pet him in his favorite spot, and make sure he knows you
are there and will be walking into the ring
with him. If you are connected with your
dog, it is likely he is connected as well.
After a run-qualifying or not-avoid
talking about what went wrong or right
with fellow competitors. This may lead to
worries about what others are thinking.
You would do best to focus on a cooldown routine for your dog. When the
routine includes just you and your dog,
you put focus on why you are at the competition in the first place. Cool-downs
can include walking, playing, rewarding,
and stretching (both for you and the dog).
When you make the team the priority, it
removes the pressures of comparison and
the thoughts of others. The stories you
tell yourself in your cool-down should
be your own and not narrated by anyone
else. This will help you see yourself and
your dog more clearly, removing the pressure of hearing other competitor's monologues. It also allows you time to process
all that went right or wrong in the run.
Whether the run was a good run or one
that fell short of expectations, future runs
can improve if you take time to process
what happens in the ring. Be kind to

yourself and your dog in these moments.
If the run was good, accept it and enjoy
the rewards of your hard work. If expectations were not met, forgive and move on.
By beating yourself up for not meeting
expectations you are not giving yourself
or your dog credit for your efforts. The
next runs will be even more difficult. You
should take the time to acknowledge what
went wrong (handling, missed behaviors,
a tricky sequence, equipment issue, etc.)
and make a plan to work on the issue.
Then let it go. The pressure to be perfect,
or the expectations to have perfect runs
can lead to frustration that show up either
in your relationship with your dog and/or
in critical self-talk. Expectations without
observation equals frustration. By using
observational skills, we allow ourselves
to experience each moment of our runs
without feeling the pressures to be perfect.

If you and your dog aren't prepared for
the realities of the show site and the pressure that competition can bring, an agility trial can feel like the Upside Down.
Learning how to keep things in perspective, knowing what to expect, and preparing for most eventualities, and through
thoughtful practice and observation can
relieve a great deal of team pressure. Then
competitions offer fun experiences, better
avenues for learning, and opportunities to
showcase your team's successes. D

Tammy has been training dogs for more than 30 years, getting her start in 4-H obedience in middle school.
Tammy found her love for agility in 1999 and started teaching agility in 2002. She started her own training
program in 2006 when she founded Oregon School for Clever Dogs. Tammy is best known for helping her students create happy working relationships with their dogs. You can reach Tammy at www.cleverdogsagility.com.
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Clean Run | May 18

http://www.cleverdogsagility.com

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