Prologue: This is longer than usual because I'm sharing my very real struggle of getting myself back in a good headspace after a disappointing day. On Friday, Moxie and I had Rally, and it didn't go well. As I write this on Saturday morning, we are entered in Open Obedience today and Sunday. Based o...
Two different clients recently asked me, "But why do I get so upset?" My answer was simple, "Because you care."
Of course, my answer doesn't solve the problem of getting upset, and I don't think it should. What I mean is, we should care deeply about our dogs and the sports we play. It should mat...
Have you ever noticed how much easier it is to keep going when things are going well in the ring? That's the power of positive momentum, and it's just as critical in dog sports as it is in any other part of life. We shift our mindset when we focus on the positives—our progress, the bond with our dog...
We are very emotional when it comes to competing, and the reason is pretty simple: we care what happens. The downside is that the same emotion that fuels us can also get in our way when things don't go the way we expect or hope.
I'm never going to tell you not to be emotional - that's crazy talk...
Since the torch arrived to the Seine, my productivity has been in the proverbial tank. I've downloaded two apps, watched a lengthy post on the rules of Rugby 7s, and rolled out of bed early only to move to the couch in front of the TV. I am an Olympics addict.
Like the lifeguard at the swim venu...
I recently posed a question to the "hive mind" on Facebook requesting ideas for supporting a dog who "stresses down." First, I received a lot of great comments - thanks to all who chimed in! Second, I received many private messages from people who had never heard the term.
As a result, I had man...
The other day, I was spinning. I was worrying - no, fretting - about something that might or could happen, and then planning what to do about it. I was burning a LOT of energy on "negative fantasy island." It wasn't fun.
I saw myself doing it - I was fully aware. I knew I had to change my thoug...
We've all been there. Working hard, putting in the hours, training your dog for agility, obedience, or rally competitions, and you hit the wall. (Open purgatory, anyone?) Progress comes to a screeching halt. It feels like you've hit an invisible wall. It might be normal - even expected - but it's fr...
I don't listen to my podcasts after I record them. I prepare, record, add the bits to the ends and middle, and I send them off. But this week's episode (dropping Thursday) is a doozy - not only because it's an interview with Cynthia Horner (the 2024 Westminster winner++), but because of all the gems...
Tis the season of chasing goals. In agility, this means pushing to qualify for the Agility Invitational and crossing off big goals like MACHs and PACHs. Oh, but my fellow obedience, conformation, rally, and other dog sports players are not off the hook - this "chasing" catches all of us eventually.
...Compartmentalizing our lives seems to be the norm - we have our dog life, our work life, our parent life, our spouse life, and so on. I find that most people keep some type of emotional divider between the many complex aspects of being a human. In coaching, I often have to remind handlers that the s...
As humans, one of the things our brain is designed to do is see patterns and trends; it's how we learn so quickly. We also look for patterns when we need more information - like trying to solve a puzzle. Seeing patterns is a tremendously valuable skill set, and the best of us can uncover mysteries a...
