Thank you Jenna.

Oh, thank you darling. Thank you for 6 magical years, for the countless adventures. Thank you for sharing all your silent wisdom, for all the lessons I would have otherwise missed. Thank you for teaching me how to fail and how to succeed. Thank you for not hold my flaws against me. Thank you for taking my breath away, for proving me wrong all the times I doubted us. Thank you for your forgiveness every time I didn't blame myself for our mistakes. I was once too young, too foolish to appreciate everything you do for me daily. Thank you for sticking with me all these years. Thank you for the NQs, the QQs, for miss reading my cues and for saving my ass when I give the wrong cue. You taught me how to laugh at mistakes, a lesson that I didn't learn quickly... Thank you for being silly, for letting me dress you up in tiaras and sunglasses, for humoring all my shenanigans. Thank you for kicking me in the face with your paws at night, the way only you can. You are always there for me to create the happiest of moments, to make everything okay and be there when no one else would understand. Thank you for being my best friend above everything else, for being SUPER weird and accepting my weirdness too. It's incredible how much I owe you for everything you do, thank you for changing my life.

She's my favorite little turtle <3

It is often far too late when we realize how grateful we are for our companions. How many little things we take for granted, that we are unaware of until they are gone. Thinking for even just a moment about Jenna and all the adventures we have journeyed on together, so far, makes me realize how indebted I am to her. I will never be able to repay her for her patience and unconditional love, but I truly hope she understands how thankful I am for her in my life. 

Those last second, pre-run distractions.

All the annoying, disrupting things that  could possibly happen 5-40 seconds before you take the first jump.  As competitors we learn to ignore these things and work through them, but they can still sometimes be a royal pain in the butt!

1) People standing right smack dab in the center of the ring entrance, it's like 3-4  feet wide and out of all the places in the show and this person chose to stand there?  Just, UGH.

2) Overly enthusiastic gate steward that INSISTS you go in the ring exactly at jump 15, yard 120 or the world will end. Competitors are responsible for getting themselves and their dog in the ring in a timely fashion, no need to yell.

3) One of my favorites is when they have you go to the line, then you sit there for 5 minutes while approximately five girl scouts attempt to set the double jump. The best is when 2 adults come over and they still can't figure it out until the judge helps them.  At least you have extra time to memorize the course though, right?

4) Kites, it's a training issue I know, but how is it possible that exactly 5 seconds after I give my dog the last treat a kite magically appears in the sky, or a bird, shadow, plane or butterfly. For those of us who run a dog that's overly enthusiastic about these peculiar distractions, we know that once the focus is gone...the run is pretty much screwed. One butterfly man, that's all it takes.

5) For us weekend warriors who have and probably still venture to outdoor shows, rain. Not just like normal rain, but when it starts pouring buckets just as you walk to the start line. I swear every time this happens my sheltie, Jenna, just glares at me with a look of hatred that seems to say, "Bitch, my hair is going to be all frizzy now, there better be A LOT of hot dogs after this, or else."

6) OR when it's too, too hot to be standing out in the sun and there are extra people standing in the tent shade designated for the dogs about to run. My dog likes to eat hot dogs, but she does not want to be a hot dog, please don't hog the shade?

7) This one has happens far too often. Getting in the ring, handing the leash runner your leash and then the dog in front of you decides to do five solo victory laps around the ring, which was a practice my lhasa quite enjoyed. Or when the dog finishes a run with extra laps and decides to aggressively charge your dog in the process.  

8) Being rushed into the ring early. They say, "5 minutes to first dog" every class, but sometimes it gets cut back a minute or two, and boy oh boy do those extra seconds matter! Warming up your dog on the jump and being screamed at that you're supposed to be in the ring this second is VERY unpleasant.

9) When you get to the start line and the person running in front of you neglected to tell you they earned a MACH, then you have to make the hard decision of whether you should leave the ring and come back in or stand there awkwardly clapping while they do their victory lap... Please, please, please warn me if you're going to get a MACH? I'll clap for you either way, but my dog and I would be much happier outside of the ring while you celebrate.

10) When the dog in line behind you tries to eat your dog, or when your dog tries to eat the dog behind you... Personal space people. We all know that not all dogs are going to be up for a friendly visit, don't assume my dog, that is completely under control, isn't going to want to take a bite out of yours and I'll show you the same courtesy. Thank you!

11) Getting bumped in the running order as you're walking to the line, "No, no, no! Fido is running before you as of twelve seconds ago." Really I understand emergency conflicts, I run multiple dogs in multiple heights and classes, but still a three dog minimum warning would be much appreciated. Those 120-150 seconds will not kill you, plus it's your job to manage your conflicts effectively, your fellow competitors deserve a heads up. 

*Please understand this post is meant to be humorous, not meant to antagonize fellow competitors. These are things we've dealt and I hope everyone is enjoying themselves at shows enough to see the humor in these moments. Agility is just a game after all :)

Checklists.

Make checklist for my stuff, check. Make even longer checklist for the dog’s stuff, check. Make checklist for stuff I’ll need on the plane, check. Find new checking marker for more satisfied checking, check.

Shoe pair one, shoe pair two, and shoe pair three, check. Shirts, check. Back-up shirt, check. Coat, check. Running pants, check. Shorts, check. Back-up pants, check. Bathroom supplies, check. Double check for toothbrush, check. Socks, underwear, belts, unnecessary accessories just incase, check. Clothing, completed (big check).

Back on track coat, check. Fuzzy show leash, check. Harness, check. Collar, check. Treats, check. Dog food day one, dog food day two, dog food day three, check. Emergency medicine, just incase, check. Hotel crate, check. Show crate, check. Bedding, check. Show tarp, check. Video camera, check. Zillions of poop bags, check. Bedtime biscuits, check. Whimzy’s bedtime dragon toy, check. Dog, check. Food and water bowls, still not packed…no check.

Travel documents, check. Phone charger, check. Phone, check. Ipad, check. Camera, check. Leash, check. Dog travel carrier, check. Purse, check. Homework that I won’t be doing on the plane, but it makes Diane happy to think I might, check. Plane supplies, completed (big check).

Triple check for toothbrush, check. Double check all checklists, che… crap… forgot my pjs. Pack pjs, check. Double check all checklists, chec… crap… forgot the dog bowls. Finally pack dog bowls, check. Double check all checklists, check. Panic that I may have still forgotten something important, check. Prepare to cope with the fact that I forgot something at home even with all the checking, check. 

 Game face, check.

Walkthroughs for Dummies

Walkthroughs are a complex system of flowing traffic patterns around the course, during these 8 minutes you may encounter some of the following scenarios and individuals. 

Beware all.

The Cluster: typically a group of 4-10 people obsessively walking a tight section of the course, completely unavoidable and HIGHLY frustrating. Beware, don't get too close or you may be absorbed into the pack.

Chatty Cathys: those individuals who treat walkthroughs as a social gathering, usually upbeat, loud and enjoying time with their fellow competitors on course. If you are easily distracted, like me, avoid chatty cathys at all costs, or before you know it those 8 minutes will be up!!

The Stompers: the competitors who, frankly, take agility WAY to seriously sometimes. Can be seen stomping around the course, walking aggressively through the crowds and forgetting their manners along the way. These people aren't afraid to shoulder check you, and they aren't stopping to apologize. 

*Protective gear advised for interaction with stompers*

The Private Lesson: student(s) and instructor planted in the middle of the course discussing a handling move or sequence. Often causes obstruction in walk through traffic.

The Complainers: seem to find a problem with every turn, tunnel entrance, and course that could possibly exist. Feel entitled to their complaints, but honestly my complaint is all the complaining. Beware this negativity, it's contagious!

The Philosophers: those overly exploratory handlers who think out every possible handling plan from rear crosses to blinds, consider jumping the tunnel to get to their front cross faster, hell perhaps a cart wheel if it sets up the correct line. Who knows what they'll actually end up running...warning may inspire slightly insane handling plans, approach with caution.

"Got it" Walkers: the oddly impressive individuals who walk a course twice and then leave the walkthrough with their plan already perfected...leaving you to wonder how the heck they don't get lost during their actual run because you know you wouldn't get past jump 6 without the FULL 8 minutes. *Do not attempt this at home*

"Wing it" Non-Walkers: even more impressive that "Got it" Walkers, the individuals who miss their walkthrough, memorize the course outside the ring, typically with a shortened time limit, and still don't get lost. With a combination of dumb luck and skill, these handlers always manage to pull something out of their ass last minute. 

*REALLY, do not attempt this at home*

Ipod-ites: tunes turned up high, lost in the world of music while they memorize their plan. Totally on autopilot, very difficult to get their attention, and oblivious to agility traffic patterns, but rarely cause obstructions. Occasionally grumpy when you interrupt their jam, advised that you do not continually disturb ipod-ites.

Permit Holders: *Danger* *Danger* Newbies on coures! New to walkthroughs, and perhaps new to more complicated courses, newbies often break all walkthrough traffic laws. Turning around mid-course, randomly stopping to stare at something, cutting people off unintentionally, generally annoying but tolerable because face it...we've all been there. 

**This is intended to be light-hearted, so please don't be offended. I myself have been all of these at least once in my time as an agility competitor :)

Caution Contagious: Cursing on Course

With several new outbreaks recorded this week on the Mid-Atlantic agility trial scene, cursing on course is an epidemic sweeping through our community. This contagion seems to be spreading quickly, it is advised all trial attendees stay on the lookout for infected competitors.

Symptoms include: uncontrollable sporadic foul language, laughing from the crowd, possible embarrassment, and the inevitable whistle.

Ranging from the "Oh-Shit"s to Damn-It-itis, a cursing on course infection can be hard to cure and will need many sessions of treatment. There currently is no available vaccine for cursing on course, and anyone can be susceptible. While there is no guaranteed protection from contracting a cursing on course infection, certain precautions can be taken to reduce risk. Alternate words, yelling "Oh sugar", "Drat", etc., improves chances of avoiding an outburst. Whisper, quiet curse words are curse words that keep you in the ring to finish your run. Duct tape, applied each run over mouth can help prevent foul language outbursts mid-run, because as we all know, duct tape fixes everything.

Whimzy says "Stop and think, before you accidentally yell profanity across the agility ring loud enough for the judge and spectators (on the other side of the building) to hear." 

The Magic of Evaporation

How heavy is a glass of water?

This question does not rely on the actual weight of the water, the answer lies within time. The longer you hold the glass of water the heavier it will appear; holding the glass for a minute is no problem, but hold it for a few hours or a day? The glass of water will seem much heavier and put more strain on you.

Like that cup of water, the weight of stress bares down harder the longer you hold onto it. Recently I've found myself holding a glass, okay more like lugging around a bucket, of absolutely uncontrollable stress. The kind of pressure life throws at you when it wants you to get your ass moving now, and yet, I, like many I'm sure, have simply been staring at all that water thinking about how I wish someone would just pull the plug so it would all just spiral away; out of sight, out of mind, right? But the drain is clogged full of worries and over thought thoughts... unfortunately I know no plumbers for this particular type of situation. Trying to get things done while holding a glass of water is rather impossible, you see. It spills, distracts you, consumes your attention, and causes the glass to over flow with worrying about those worries in the cup swirling dangerously close to the lip.

Worrying is like sitting in a rocking chair. It gives you something to do but it doesn't get you anywhere.

Life demands constant motion, standing still simply get's you nowhere. Point is, for progress forward motion is required, but I've found I can't run forward while trying to balance that bucket. As much as I'd be thrilled to just dump out the water and sail away hakuna matata style, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to keep my head above water in that sort of situation. Simply setting the water down, placing the worries aside does, however, allow for improvement. We all know water is an important part of survival, likewise, stress is an important part of life. But you wouldn't throw yourself into the deep end simply because you were thirsty, would you? I find taking a sip of stress is enough to get me moving, but I leave the glass behind. 

It's funny, I tend to find that if I just leave the water alone, it disappears all on its own. 

We: A Journey I Will Never Forget

Two years down a road I never thought I would travel, looking back, this has to be one of the best decisions I've ever made. Two years ago, I started working with a special dog. At first, we had trouble staying in sync. We had trouble trying to make time. We had trouble trying to stay focused. We were scared of the judge. We couldn't find out weave entries. We didn't always like to take the jumps.

Now I say "we" because Nikki and I are a team. All of our successes, all of our failures, we share. All of the issues we've overcome are a combined effort, this is a journey we take together. I've come to find many people in this sport, to whom the dog is not an equal. When something goes wrong, it's the dog's fault. When something goes right, it's the handler/trainer's success alone. I'm so proud to say that on our journey together Nikki and I really have become a team, if nothing else comes from our time together our bond will be something I will always cherish. All the lessons we've learned, and with so many ups and downs along the way, every moment has been truly worth it. There was once a time when Nikki didn't enjoy the game, I'm so very happy to say that now I can see her having as much fun as I am. Her eyes light up when we run and she is excited to go in the ring with me. We are now half way to a PACH. We are *almost* qualified for AKC 2014 Nationals. We have perfect weekends. We stay focused on course. We take all the jumps, sometimes extra for fun. 

We love the game.

Thank you so much Nikki, for letting me be part of this team, it has challenged me in so many ways, and you have made me a better person.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAr_shmBoj8&feature=youtu.be