Let's Troubleshoot those Challenges!

Troubleshooting is a major part of my job... unfortunately I have to work for a living and can not do the things I would rather be doing. However, I have learned time and time again that there is something valuable in all aspects of life- Troubleshooting. Now to apply it to agility.

I think everyone does this to some degree, but how in depth do you go? Are there certain challenges that you keep pushing away from them due to what could be many reasons?

I have some.

I have yet to have a dog finish an AKC Masters course in under 40 seconds (yes it is ridiculous). It has become almost this number that taunts me. So instead of making excuses of why me nor my dog can make it under 40 seconds- I am looking at what may be causing this problem. I have to overshape weaves, I can not leave him in weaves, and slower contacts- these are my main problems. Everything else is more than likely fine tuning. I have been looking at these problems in ways to tackle them, or troubleshoot. What can get seconds shaved off of certain obstacle performances? I am researching and coming up with plans before I go train so I have a purpose and can guide my dog through a training session with confidence. So rather than admit defeat, continue to do what you are doing, or just say you can not do it- why not go for it or actually work at it? What is the worst that could happen?

So instead of saying no I can not do front crosses because I can not run fast enough to be ahead of my dog. Why not start trying? Practice is practice for a reason! You do not have to be perfect in practice, you do not have to win practice. A practice is for you and your dog...so here is the time to make all those mistakes (because trust me there will be many more in the ring itself)!! Both you and your dog, then you can laugh about it later!

The more you do and try, the more you know what works best.

When working with previous students, I always have said that it is best to have "many tools in your tool bag." How many do you have? What would you like to add to your own "bag of tricks"? I myself have started teaching more rear crosses to my dogs- I can not stand rear crosses and I would avoid training them- now instead of avoiding them- I am tackling them! I may not use them often, but I know that I can if I need to.

If you train by yourself, you may find that you avoid things that you are uncomfortable trying or that is not what you feel like trying to overcome at that time.

The time is now. What are your challenges or areas that trouble you? What could you do to fix them? So let's continue to be motivated and go out of that comfort zone, and to see what we can do to achieve those small goals- whether it be better start lines or that 39.5 sec Masters Standard run. =) Happy training!

Trust, Motivation, and Beating the Odds.

Recently, I have learned a lot about trust. I second guess myself a lot. A LOT. In fact, it is not a huge secret that, yes, I am my own worst enemy. I am my biggest critic. Is that ideal? Probably not.

More than likely, I will always be hard on myself at times (for instance, I am still kicking myself as my dog stopped early on his dogwalk contact for the 3rd day in a row this last weekend, and I released him before correcting it after doing so well the whole weekend and not allowing it- I blame YOU adrenaline!)

Trust is hard. Trust is scary. Putting trust in others, for lack of better terms, scares the beejeebus out of me. Being burned never feels good, and you tend to remember the pain and outcome over anything else. A very, very good friend who has been patient with me had a long talk with me about trust. I let things go and let trust build. Sometimes putting faith in the unknown has wonderful surprises.....

A puppy. A puppy born on my birthday. When does that happen to the person who has all the bad luck? Possibly putting trust in a situation changed it. Maybe it will not work all the time, but it worked THAT time. Maybe trusting others and life is not so bad afterall. More on puppy later in future posts... Promise!

Motivation. That can also be a toughy. Laziness creeps in, and consumes. I pretty much have been training alone for a long time. It can be lonely and also makes you unmotivated to drive somewhere to go set up things by yourself. I can not get any better if I do not motivate myself. Seeing others have successes and do well in this sport called agility makes me want to get there and be next to them seeing what it is like. Maybe this may be the next thing I tackle. The more I am motivated, the more chances I have to become who I want to be.

So here we come to this crossroads of beating the odds. I look at the past couple years of my life, and realize that I have already beaten a lot of odds.

So maybe being a halfway competitive team with my current dog is not so out of reach like it feels? Maybe seeing the good parts about living in the Houston area may come more easily if I allow it? Maybe motivation will be there- maybe I just need to push that little bit more. Who knows? It may involve more crashes and burns, but maybe, just maybe- it will give more surprises if I learn to let those walls down and TRUST, stay MOTIVATED, and BEAT THE ODDS. =)

With that being said, I have lots to work on, but did forget of what I have already accomplished. Maybe remembering the accomplishments, even if very small, may help you keep moving forward towards your next goal.

- K