Show strategy, beating the nerves?

[2GoodDogs]

Do you have a routine that you follow before you trial? What do you do if you are suffering from nerves? How do you make your pre-trial look just like a training warm up?

Bobby is very different than Justus, and I'm just starting to find out what will work best for him. With Bobby, he needs to be crated right up to ring time and heeled to the ring. Justus seems to need to be out to explore and absorb the surroundings.

Any books or blogs that you find helpful with performance nerves?

 

[corbinam]

I'm really bad about being nervous. It's something I really struggle with.

The one thing that has really helped me has been to trial more often. The more often I do it, the less pressure there is to succeed on every run. We used to only trial about 6 times a year, so I felt like each run was really important.

This year we're planning to trial once or twice a month, so I am able to see the positives in each run even if we don't Q.

Also, after Lexi's injury (when I briefly thought she may never run again) I was able to feel happy about the partnership that we share even when we make mistakes.

And the last thing, after every run my husband and I sit down and discuss the good things about each run.

 

[SheltieChe]

There is couple of good articles on prep for ring from obedience standpoint
http://denisefenzi.com/2012/07/23/obedience-getting-in-the-ring/
http://www.fannygott.com/how-to-prepare-your-dog-for-obedience-trials
As for mental prep for yourself I like Kathy Keats
http://www.cleanrun.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_id=3043
Kathy also teaches really good classes
http://www.agility-u.com/index.php?...ct_id=61&virtuemart_category_id=17&Itemid=276
Kathy books and courses are not about competing in agility although she is agility competitor and former editor of Clean Run magazine.
Lanny Basham has a free newsletter sign up as well as amazing blog
http://mentalmanagement.ipower.com/
http://mentalmanagement.blogspot.com/