Agility practice without dogs or equipment

So I'm preparing for the WAC whilst oceans apart from my dogs. Mental strategy is part of the equation. Physical fitness and conditioning is another. Yet another is handler decision making. So I have been analysing some courses set by the WAC judges and other judges from around the world; considering how to solve the handling challenges. Whilst practicing my decision making on paper is a useful tactic, what would normally make this a learning exercise rather than an application, is setting up the courses or challenges and running them as planned. By running the course / challenges it is like grading yourself on your decision making. You test your theories on what would be the best strategy and discover what works, what doesn't and which turns produce the fastest lines.

Of course this is a little hard to implement without equipment or dogs. So this is where my awesome friends at home are helping me out. Not only are we comparing notes on how to handle different courses, but they are setting them up and training with them and giving me feedback as to the flow and strategy. This is helping turn a useful actity into a learning activity.

It is also interesting to see how different striding and turning dogs are coping in slightly different ways with the handling strategies. This feedback will help my analysis of my courses once I meet and learn more about the striding and turns of the Belgian Border Collie I will be running.

Reminding myself of the Good Habits

So in thinking about how to prepare myself for when I meet my dog in Belgium I've been reviewing some artices and books on attitude and mental management. Yesterday it was Lanny Bassham. Today I was reading stuff by Jane Savoie, a dressage rider and coach and author of "It's Not Just About the Ribbons" and "A Winning Attitude". Admittedly it is not about dog agility, but I believe that many of the same concepts will translate into our sport. She writes that... "A winning attitude is more important to your success than any other single factor. You may not be able to choose the hand you've been dealt, but you have total control over how you're going to react to that hand."

This struck a chord with me, as did her advice on preparing a horse at a show as listed on this site. I am already familiar with these techniques but re-reading them and thinking how they can be applied to agility has been a useful exercise as the WAC approaches. Here are some of the highlights as they might transfer to dogs and dog agility:

1. First, try to figure out what might make you get nervous. Are you worried about what people think of you? Are you afraid you won't measure up to the expectations of others? If so, QUIT! Quit worrying about what others are thinking, it is beyond your control (and most likely they are more centered on their own problems and performance than to be bothered with thinking about you).

Or have you put unrealistic pressure on yourself to win? If so, focus on "performance goals" rather than "result goals". In other words, rather than having a goal of going clear or placing in the top 3, make a new goal that reflects your effort rather than the outcome. For example, how about running the course without any panicked commands to your dog, or concentrating on the execution of your turns for an entire test?

2. Do you run defensively rather than attacking your course because you're afraid that your dog might leave the ring, blow you off or shut down at a new place or a big event? If so, go to the grounds early. Play with your dog; maybe some retrieve or tug games. Take them out of the crate several times before the comp for walks or sniffing around the arenas. By the time you compete, your dog should be comfortable with the surroundings.

3. Use humour to break up tension. Go to comps with friends who get silly and make you laugh. Or give you "cowboys" as part of celebrating goals. The less intense you are, the more fun you'll have. Remember that it is always a beautiful day if you are out doing agility with your best mate (sure beats work!!!) As you about to run your course, look to the judge, think to yourself, "Get ready to have your socks knocked off!" Watch the previous dog finish and say under your breath, "Hurry up! I want my turn!" As you walk away from your dog have a favourite saying such as "Up, up and away!"; Let's fly!" or "Ready Spaghetti".

4. Also think about what happens to you physically when you're tense. Muscles get tight and respiration and heart rate increase and this is easily communicated to your dog. The good news is that with a little work, you can regulate all of these reactions. Jane outlines techniques to learn how to regulate these; teaching yourself how to relax tensed muscles and control shallow breathing. For me I like to do a big full body stretch and a deep yawn if I feel myself tensing up.

5. Know your course like the back of your hand. That way you can concentrate on handling your dog rather than thinking about where the numbers go. You shouldn't be thinking; "Now I make a front cross, then I have to pinwheel to the left, then where... oh the dogwalk." If you're focusing on where you have to go next, you can't concentrate on what your dog needs from you and/or you may lose your connection with your dog.

I was also reviewing notes I made from Lanny Bassham... specifically his "When the Going Gets Tough...QUIT!" column.

1. Quit worrying about whether you can do it!

–Be positive! Instead of panicking as you walk the course about not having practiced this particular challenge, or whether your dog will get their weaves right, think about the training you have done that will assist you in handling it, and visualise you and your dog doing it!

2. Quit deviating from what you know works!

-If your focus is tied to the environment around you and the environment changes, so do your thoughts. If however, you are focussed on the fun you have with your dog when running agility and letting all the excellent work you both do in training speak volumes out there on course, then you are focussing positively on the process required.

3. Quit worrying what others think of you!
–Easier said than done. But if you focus on yourself and your dog and insulate yourself from wondering about how you look or what others think of you, you’ll stop wasting valuable mental energy. Don’t worry what others are thinking because you’ll never know and 75% of the time they are standing there worrying about their own performances. The other 25% of the time they are simply wondering about whether they should eat now, where the toilets are, and whether they should go now or later.

4. Quit beating yourself up over a poor performance!
–This is a huge one. The more you beat yourself up as a bad handler or a poor trainer the more you are imprinting a negative image of yourself in your mind, which in turn will impact on your behaviour. It is okay to be humble, it is not okay to negate your good performances. Practice saying thank you when someone compliments you on a run, rather than bringing to the fore all the negative parts of the run. When you get a compliment, you should smile and celebrate it, even just if it is an “internal” celebration. And if you goof up, don’t beat yourself up, rather, look at it analytically, try to learn something from the mistake and focus on a solution that will help you achieve success next time.

But it's not your own dog??!!

A number of people, even those who know nothing of agility, have been asking me what it will be like to compete with a dog that is not my own. It will indeed be challenging, but it is not an unfamiliar concept within the realms of companion animal sports. In particular the format of the Individual FEI Showjumping World Championships brings this into play, as does the Modern Olympic Pentathlon.

The format for the final day of the Individual FEI Showjumping competition at the WEG entails the four best riders from the preceeding rounds jumping their own horses over a set course and then rotating and riding the horses of their rivals over that same course in order to decide the individual title. This format was designed to be the ultimate test of a versatile horseman or woman.

Similarly in the Olympic sport of the Modern Pentathlon (that consists of shooting, fencing, swimming, riding and cross-country running) the equestrian leg is supposed to test the athlete's horsemanship skills by requiring them to ride an unfamiliar horse. The riding discipline involves Show jumping over a 350-450 meter course with between 12 and 15 obstacles. Competitors are paired with horses in a draw 20 minutes before the start of the event.

So the concept of being tested as a rider or handler through your ability to partner with an unknown animal is not unusual at a World Championships or even the Olympics.

But what will the experience be like? Well I can't answer that fully until it is done. Though I know what it means for me is that I will have different goals of my performance at the WAC than I would if I was competing with my own dog. If I was running my own dog my goal would be consistent, accurate and faultless teamwork. My goal in competing with an unknown dog is to demonstrate my versatility as a handler; I will feel successful if I come off that course with the sensation that the dog and I shared a connection out there.

Awesome Opportunity comes Knocking

Well, it has certainly been a while between blog posts; but I feel I have a legitimate excuse as I only got the opportunity to compete in one agility competition this year before leaving Australian shores to work overseas for a few months. Unfortunately I had to leave my dogs at home due to quarantine, so I'm travelling solo (my hubby Glenn is at home taking care of the clan). But as part of my overseas travel I had planned to attend the IFCS World Agility Championships which are in Belgium in May as a spectator.

One month into my travels and I am located in Texas in the US working with colleagues when I get an email from ADAA...
The IFCS have made a provision in their rules that permits handlers at the World Championships to compete with borrowed dogs if their ability to attend is hindered by quarantine restrictions (such as Australia and NZ).
Well yes, okay, that is great news. [reads on]
AND the host nation Belgium is offering Australian handlers two dogs with which to compete.
Wow, that is fantastic news, Australia is going to compete at the WAC. [reads on]
AND under the circumstances yourself and Mal Williams are the handlers the ADAA board have approved to represent ADAA and Australia. Are you interested?
[sitting there stunned, then...]Oh My God, oh my God, oh my God!!!



What an awesome opportunity! What a scary opportunity! Two days in which to meet a dog and build a working relationship, some teamwork and the all important timing with that dog before competing on the World Stage. Oh, and by the way, the dog doesn't speak English! Yes, just a little bit scary. But on the flip side of scary, what an incredibly exciting opportunity... I get to play with and run an awesome dog, compete at the international level under world class judges and be there with the top in the world as they battle it out on an agility field. In the words of the Pointer Sisters, "I'm so excited! I just can't hide it!" But it is not official yet... a few days of tense waiting.



[A week later and I'm still pinching myself... can this really be true????]
Yes indeed it is. The news is really starting to sink in as it has now been announced in Australia. And I'm reminded what a great circle of friends and family I have with their supportive and timely emails. So WOW, I'm going to represent Australia at the WAC. In fact there will be five Aussies in total... Steve Drinkwater is the Head Judge; Cathy Slot one of the four competition Judges; Penny Mead as Australia's Team Manager; Mal Williams and myself as competitors. I can't help but already be thinking ahead to how many opportunities this opens for Aussies for 2010!



So for those interested, this is the link to the 2008 WAC in Belgium. I will be updating this blog every few days in the lead up to the WAC with my thoughts and preparations. Of course my preparations are going to be unique as I am without my dogs or access to associates' dogs with which to be practicing and honing my skills. This opportunity has come to me completely out of left-field with now less than 4 weeks to the championships. [And yes, I would love to ditch work and go spend some one-on-one time with a coach and a team of dogs for the next few weeks but alas it cannot be so]. I have work commitments and a tight travel schedule right up to the WAC (I'm now in Amherst Massachusetts and will travel next week to Philadelphia in Pennsylvania). But while this could be problematic I see some advantages in that my concentration will be solely on me and preparing myself physically and mentally. No concerns about peaking with my dog at the perfect moment, just a matter of keeping myself fit, sound and maintaining a winning attitude. [But yep, I am regretting packing primarily work clothes, and in particular not packing my well broken-in running shoes and workout gear... time for some emergency shopping!]