Do you "train" or you go for "win"?

[Calliesmom]

I guess still being new that my goals are relatively simple at this point- mostly for the dog (either dog) to stay with me and not visit or get really distracted.

They both did very well at that at the trial in PA so I counted that weekend as a total success and the Q's were just lagniappe (as they say down here in the South)

 

[ClantyreSheltie]

My goal is Q.

River is not super fast, but he is consistent, and very forgiving of handler error. I just want the Q's. Fast will come, but I don't think we will ever be as fast as most of the locals. We've never done a standard course in under 50 seconds. He actually placed second in Standard last weekend, because the locals were all at a USDAA event. Sunday, we were fourth slowest in Jumpers. That's just how it is, and I'm OK with it.

 

[romeosangiovese]

I can be really competitive and I think it's starting to hurt the dogs' performance. I always go in wanting to Q (probably because there aren't many trials here in a year, and I want to make the most of each!) but I feel I'm transferring all that pressure on my dogs.

Not so much Romeo, coz he's quite stable and "seasoned" (and also less tuned in to sense it? ) but I do think it has impacted Juliet's performance. She is more sensitive and can feel how tense I am before we enter the ring. I think she has been shutting down while running a course at trials because of that (she has no such problem at training) especially earlier on in the day. Towards the end of the day, I'm less stressed (and also not so hopeful for that Q) and she would run.

I'm at that turning point now where I am beginning to think I should just ease off and let go. This upcoming trial, I'm not going to go in with a mind to Q. I'll just watch Juliet. If she's feeling stressed from being in the ring, I'll just do two or three jumps and Yay! call it a day. Similarly with Romeo, if he's going to give me crappy contacts, I'll just go into training mode.

They are still young, and so am I. What's the hurry?

 

[Sharon]

Agility

Dog agility truly is a sport because it also involves strategy.
Even at a big event like a national competition running for a win every time might lead to you not making the final round if that strategy led to you not running clean. Obviously if you are in the final round then it is time to go for the win & do your best.

Sealtainn you seem to remain this mystery person.How about some video of you and your crew?

 

[Fergus]

That was a very good question and I really had to take some time to think about it. I think I have to echo Sharon's answer below.

I go to the start line with a Q in mind knowing I have done all my homework and knowing my dog knows his job but sometimes it doesn't work out that way.If we make a mistake and know we aren't going to Q then we go into training mode and finish the run and have fun.I don't like giving my dog the "walk of shame" as I don't think they know what they did wrong.

My biggest struggle is that I'm very limited in how often I can trial. This year I went down to just entering one day of a weekend trial - and just local trials (i.e. within an hours drive). That means when we don't Q, I do feel that immediate disappointment because I know it will be weeks before we can try again. And it also means watching teams that started after Clancy and I did progress far faster. And yes, I know that's silly and petty and I repress it forcefully...

I also know that my dog is awesome at agility. I would never dare give him the 'walk of shame' because I can pretty much guarantee that it was me that screwed us out of a Q . Fortunately he's too soft hearted to make me do the walk of shame

 

[3Stars]

Fortunately he's too soft hearted to make me do the walk of shame

lol...thank goodness! Can you imagine if everytime we, as handlers, messed up, our dogs "corrected" us??? I'd be constantly doing the walk of shame!

 

[Sealtainn]

lol...thank goodness! Can you imagine if everytime we, as handlers, messed up, our dogs "corrected" us???

some dogs do!

 

[SheltieChe]

It seems that article only avail if one signs for newsletter, I wish I could repost the link. Correct me if I am wrong but I believe in UK the system in order to advance the level one actually needs to win, not just Q...
so what then?

 

[corbinam]

some dogs do!

Yep--Bentley barks at my husband if he is too late with a cue. It's about the only time he makes noise on course.

 

[Sealtainn]

It seems that article only avail if one signs for newsletter, I wish I could repost the link. Correct me if I am wrong but I believe in UK the system in order to advance the level one actually needs to win, not just Q...
so what then?

You are correct about the UK system, so you do have to keep that context in mind.

Regarding the article, I am guessing it is the same article or a variation of the open letter Mr. Derrett wrote to the Kennel Club in the UK a number of years ago. That was publicly available if you knew where to look through minutes of the Kennel Club. I remember locating it there & reading it then. While he did make some good points I do think the context within which he wrote it & why needs to be taken into consideration.
OTOH, perhaps he has another similar article just for his newsletter?