Clean Run Magazine - December 2009 - 5

Editorializing… The Journey By Elizabeth Dott I once met a man who asked me what the letters after my dog’s name meant. I told him these were hard-earned titles that my dog and I spent lots of time and money achieving. After the words came out of my mouth, I realized that the letters had significance to me, but to others they were just letters. I began to think about exactly why I spend all this time, money, and hard work earning letters on a piece of paper that only really matter to me. The letters have no meaning to my dogs. They know nothing of titles or Qs: all they know is mom and I ran together, played a game we both love, and mom was happy. My dog Alibi is close to earning her ADCH as I sit here thinking about what those letters I have been working toward for over four years mean. I am not an Olympic athlete and for me there will be no shoe deal, nor will my picture appear on a box of Wheaties. I am far from making the World Team even though it is a dream of many agility competitors, myself included. So why did I spend all this money? What do the letters mean? Why do they make me so happy? I realize now it is because of the journey. Our journey began the first time Alibi and I stepped in the ring together. It is because the first year Alibi and I competed I never thought she would stop spinning between each obstacle, and because by the end of that first year, she was only spinning occasionally since I had learned to give faster commands. It is because in our second year we lost our contacts (I did not focus on her foundation training) and by the end of that year I had learned a whole new way to teach rocksolid contacts. It is because in our fourth year working together we started running like a real team. It is because even though we are doing well and things are working for us, we can always try something new and that next run will be better than the last. It is because of the future I see clearly coming up to meet us. It is because even though I am in my sixteenth year competing in agility, I learn something new at every seminar I attend. It is because of the bond between me and my friends, who really feel joy when I succeed, and how much I enjoy being with those who are most like me. It is because of the way I feel about my dog and how much I adore her for always giving me 110%. It is because of the way she looks at me for taking her to play the game. It is because of the way she gazes at me from the start line with her sweet, intense stare, knowing the game is about to begin. And finally, it is because of the way she jumps up on me at the end of our run, pure joy radiating from her face. It is because of the journey. The one we started together the first day we became a team. The journey is what makes us happy, not the destination. The letters signify every part of what got us to this place in time, this one perfect run that will earn us our championship. It is a championship belonging only to her and me. It is important only to us, for our journey has come full circle. This I would not trade for anything, for it is a bond few people know. It is something everyone reading this magazine shares with me and understands. We are the lucky ones, for we experienced the journey. Elizabeth Dott Elizabeth lives in Orlando, Florida, with her three Border Collies: Sophie, Alibi, and Epic. She has successfully competed in agility over the past 16 years and her dogs hold top titles in three venues. She is a dog groomer, freelance writer, and college student studying marketing and advertising. December 09 | Clean Run

Clean Run Magazine - December 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run Magazine - December 2009