"Building The Team"

I love to train my dogs and I love to teach people to train their dogs. I hope my students find as much joy being with their dogs as I find in being with mine!

"Before you teach skills & fundamentals, make people feel good about their abilities. Make them believe they can perform." Rick Pitino

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Snookered-59pts

TT trial in March last run for the weekend. Walking the snooker course for Luc. Could I do 4 sevens? Could I get this dog past jumps to the red jump? My gut was in a knot. Privatley I deceided to go for it. What could happen? A non Q run.. So I said try it, The biggest thing that happened in this run was how it made me stay focused on my dog to get the course done. I need to run each course, standard,jumpers, gamblers, steeplechase with this kind of focus. I will learn how to get to that place for every run I do with this dog.

Thoughts

I read a quote from one of our Olympians, a skier,
'to be comfortable with feeling uncomfortable'
wow! that is so true. I say many times to my clients, if you are comfortable you are only practicing, uncomfortable you are learning.

A few years ago (4yrs) I was told I may have to stop agility. I laughed at them, said I think not! This time in my life was very uncomfortable, I pushed thru it.

I still get a knot in my gut every time I am learning new things. When this happens it makes me work harder to get comfortable with the uncomfortable.This is why I love AAC so much, it makes me push the envelope. I have physical limitations and I just say I will learn a way that makes it works for me.

I was with Kathy Keats just recently. She is one of the best instructors I have been too. It was 7 yrs ago when I attended my first seminar with her. She not only teaches the technical side of it, but gets into the dog / handler relationship and what you can bring out in your dog. This quote sums Kathy up for me!

"Before you teach skills & fundamentals, make people feel good about their abilities. Make them believe they can perform." Rick Pitino

Thanks Kathy, a teacher and a friend

Eagle Totem




He then watched us walk around the path before flying to the east.
Was this my animal totem? my protector?

EAGLE
Spirit, Healing, Creation

The eagle is symbol of the zenith.
A great reminder of your own ability to soar to great heights.

Eagles are messengers from heaven and are the embodiment of the spirit of the sun.

Those with an Eagle totem need to have an involvement with creation;
a willingness to experience extremes;
a willingness to use your ability
even if it means getting "scorched" a little as you fly high;
a willingness to seek out your true emotions.

A demanding totem, but one that offers so much reward at the end of the journey.

Its four-toed feet remind you to stay grounded even went soaring high;
Its talons remind you to grasp the things of the earth;
Its sharp beak shows you when to speak, how much, and how strongly.

This totem will show you opportunities and how to ride the winds to your benefit.
Eagle people can live in the realm of the spirit
yet still remain connected and balanced within the realm of the Earth.

You must become much more than you ever dreamed possible.

Animal Totem, Eagle


About a month ago, early in the morning I came out on my deck for a walk this is what greeted me.
He was high in the tree, just above the dogs' runs, facing the east watching the sun .

Monday, March 1, 2010

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Luc and friends at last years regionals June 2009

Herding

I am not a girl that does the jewelry, make-up, fancy clothes.I have never painted my nails, the only reason I think you would do that would be to hide arena dirt under them!
It does not take much to make me happy, actually its really easy and not hard to know what it is. Anything to do with my dogs and its the best gift you could give me.So when Santa asked what I would like for Christmas this year I asked for herding lessons. He came thru with 8 lessons with a neighbor that is 15 minute drive away.
We have had 4 lessons, and the herding dog as awaken!!! Yesterday we went for our
4th lesson. Luc was on leash when we walked into the arena with 4 sheep. I was getting instructions from Randy when I noticed something weird with my leash. It was vibrating....... Luc was trembling with anticipation!
Luc knows his directionals fairly well, away to me & come by. Practiced these all summer with him going around the bush pile for his ball.
In 4 lessons he is going out and driving the sheep to me, out runs, I finally figured out the line of 12 and 6 o'clock,and yesterday we started on driving the sheep, with him and I walking towards them. I still have not got the "feel" for the line of driving , but I will get it.
There are similarities to agility to herding, lines, pressure on and off, and the dog's head and tail for directing.
Friday we are back for more sheep fun with some dear friends, Louanne and Jen.
Then our 5 lesson with Randy will be next Monday.
Its amazing to see Luc not take crap from the sheep, just using his eye and pressure to move them. 4 sheep were standing facing Luc when I asked him to walk up into the pressure of the sheep and he turned them. The sheep tried to hold ground but they gave to Luc. I thought nothing of it until Randy explained for a novice dog to be able to do that was a good thing.
Luc is such a great dog, everyday I tell him thank you for being in my life.