After earning our Starters Pairs title at the Carolina Piedmont Agility Club's trial in Raleigh earlier this month, I was excited for the first trial at LCDA on January 21st and 22nd. Surely, we would FINALLY earn our 3rd "Q" in Starters Gamblers...surely, we would do well in Standard after nailing our weave poles last weekend....surely, we would be fast and accurate in Steeplechase....surely, we would get through our Starters Jumpers course without hesitation and pause....oh, surely...surely....wait a minute...where's SHIRLEY!?
Much like a Dickens' novel, I had "Great Expectations" for a wonderful trial at our home field. But, alas, this was not to be for Team J-Dawg. We had 8 (count 'em....eight!) runs and earned 0 (count 'em...zero!) ribbons. To say I was disappointed, is an understatement. Many of our doggie friends and their handlers reveled in ribbons and titles and glories while I was dazed and confused as to what happened to cause the catastrophic meltdown of my team. Why did Jefferson refuse to do an A-frame? Hey, that's a first...Why did Jefferson run away from me at the end of our runs, like I forgot to wear my floral scented deodorant?
After the trial, I wanted to determine the cause or causes of Jefferson's behavior at the trial in order to make the training corrections to prevent this from happening again. I narrowed it down to a few simple explanations and took the following self-evaluation quiz:
(a) He was hurt from taking a nosedive off the couch Friday night after his pre-agility bath. (It's a proven fact that clean dogs perform better at agility trials.)
(b) He was tired from too much agility over the past 2 weeks.
(c) He was not feeling well after eating all the weekend treats resulting in diarrhea and doggie barf.
(d) His handler was nervous and gave inconsistent handling cues the entire weekend.
Yes, I have to go with answer "d" as my best choice - especially after watching a few of our videos from the weekend. This is one of the best pieces of advice I was given: have someone videotape all your runs so you can go back and review your handling of the various courses during a trial.
The cues I thought I gave were very different from the actual ones I did use during our runs. Given my lack of utilizing clear, consistent cues (like I do in practice when I am relaxed and feel no pressure), it is a wonder that Jefferson even tried to complete any courses this weekend.
Here is one of our videos from the trial: Starters Jumpers. Notice how I do not give him the same clear cue to take jump #5 and rear cross at an awkward angle. Then it takes me 12 seconds to convince him to finally take the jump and subsequently finish with a clean run.
Much can be gained from having a meltdown with your teammate. I am learning to see our "worst of times" as the "best of times" to gain knowledge of how to be a better, more consistent handler.
"Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many - not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some."
- Charles Dickens
