Staying Connected

I figured that today is a Dog Agility Blog Event and I might as well use it as an excuse to write. The topic is “The Mental Aspect of Agility”. To find more blogs exploring this topic, head over to Dog Agility Blog Events.

My view from the computer.

I find this topic well timed and very fitting for my situation, it seems that most of my failures on the agility field are when I’m not focused or mentally prepared. The mental aspect of agility can be pretty tough, especially in a show situation. I have dreams of having perfect runs, but I know what my limitations are and go into any agility situation with realistic expectations and aim my mental strength to improve as a team, not necessarily to Q or win every class (yeah right!).

Running a Flat Coat and now a GSP I understand I need a sense of humor, patience and love. I enter the ring with the goal of doing justice to my dog and being better than last time. For Rosey, my goal is to be on time with my cues so she doesn’t get worried about being wrong (and thus goes off sniffing), and for Samantha, my goal is starting together and finishing together… the middle section has yet to be worked out. My mental game is focused towards these goals, which in the long run will get me to Qs (so far its been working out).

I find I can break the mental aspect into 4 parts:

Knowing the Course

The most obvious part of agility’s mental aspect is memorizing the course; knowing where your path is and where you need to direct the dog to get around a course. I like to look at the map, draw my dog’s path and figure out where I need to be in relation to the obstacles and my dog. Then I’ll walk the course from both the dog’s point of view and then a second or third time from my point of view and I start memorizing where I need to be. The third aspect is to be able to visualize this course while standing on the sidelines. If I can’t remember something or can’t “see” where I should have been standing as they come out of a tunnel or after my front cross, I’ll head out for a last walk of the course to make sure the course is clear in my head.

Relationship building

The second mental aspect of agility is building a relationship and being able to be connected with my dog in the ring. This starts with the instant that she gets out of her crate/xpen. I make sure that I am completely ready to give her my complete attention before I go even to put my hand on the latch. This has been the hardest thing for Rosey and I, it’s been a really hit-or-miss aspect of our agility and really depends on everything going on around us. As we are getting more solid in our relationship, it’s gotten easier, but I still make sure that I’m 100% mentally there for her when I get her out to make sure that I don’t lose her trust again.

In the ring

AKC - October 2013 - Rosey

Keeping my mind in the ring and connected with my dog is the hardest part for me. I have learned that if I’m thinking too far ahead (or worrying about what people on the sidelines are thinking or if my dog might leave and sniff), my dogs will start to lose interest and get sluggish, start sniffing, and get zoomies. I’ve learned that I need to be actively playing with my dog, not just directing her where to go. As long as I’m in there with them (mentally), they are more than happy to keep playing with me.

Staying mentally sharp

Agility isn’t all about the dog, it’s about how physically fit and mentally acute I am. I find that a perfectly well thought out and well planned course can go completely downhill if I’m struggling with my mental sharpness. I make sure I always bring food for me to munch on and water to drink. If I’m feeling a little hazy I make sure I have some protein or complex sugars (bananas, apples, or protein bar) to perk my brain up. It definitely can get tough by the end of the weekend! All the training, all the practice and relationship building I work on is all worthless if I don’t take care of me. Without the right nutrition, it doesn’t take too long for my reaction time to slow down, my thinking get hazy and I start tripping over my feet by the time I get to the end of a run.

I’ve found that the idea of preparing mentally is starting to catch on in the agility community. It’s become a topic and I’ve seen more and more people talking about getting mentally connected with their canine teammates. I know its definitely made the difference in my dogs!

Throwback Thursday

Rosey when we first got her. This was taken in Utah on our drive back to Phoenix after picking her up. We couldn't ask for a cuter puppy!

Starting in the middle

“Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”

– Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

I am far from the beginning of my journey, but where exactly does the beginning start? While I've had my current dogs for a while (5.5 years and 2.5 years), agility has been a part of my life for 5 years, and I've been dabbling in photography for the past 10 or so years, I still feel quite like a beginner in all these areas.

Me:

My interests include dogs, agility, photography, my husband, and insects. Yep, insects. Although this blog is directed towards agility, consider this your warning that insect photographs may pop up occasionally. My hubby really enjoys taking apart and putting back together our home, so I anticipate some photos of our ongoing projects also making an appearance.

My dogs:

Rosey – Prairielight Once Prairie Rose

Happiest around water

        Being a Flat-Coated Retriever, her outlook on life is something I cherish and aim to remember when ever things get tough. Her goal in life is to play hard, love lots, and enjoy every moment that comes her way. I like to think that she’s the type to tell you a joke and you both laugh at the punch line.

        Agility hasn't been easy with her. It’s been a long path full of learning about each other, about communication, and about listening. I was committed to giving her an outlet for her energy before I knew enough about the sport to teach her how to get there without frustrations. Luckily we both have learned a lot and are finally figuring things out.

Samantha – Sammy Sweetheart

Waiting by the bed

        Sam is black German shorthaired pointer rescued from the Arizona Humane Society and we got her when she was around 2.5 years old. She came with a complicated past that included multiple homes, the last of which she was forced out of because of too many dogs. I could probably write a paragraph on her neuroses that could or could not have resulted from her past, but instead I’ll say we have overcome most of them and are working on the rest.

Sam is a sweetheart with a wild streak. She’s the type to stand next to the bed (and head on the bed) for and hour until you wake up to invite her up for a cuddle. But she also gets moments of pure abandon that are little more than “zoomies” and make me wonder if she’s at times possessed by a demon.

Agility has been an adventure with Sam for different reasons, mostly an exploration on gaining trust and learning self-control. Once we establish the ground-rules, things hopefully will start to fall into place.