What Did I Come In Here For Anyway?

Posted on 10/11/10

Have you ever walked into a room and then forgot what you went in there for? You search around, can’t figure out what you need so you leave and then 10 minutes later you remember and you go and get it? How do you deal with that mental error? Likely you do nothing. You possible feel a bit stupid but you forget it.

This shot sums up my feelings about running at a World Championship pretty well. Taken at the start line, just before I ran with Feature it is clear where my thoughts are . . . it is all about the dog.. Photo by Ursula Urban.

That is exactly what I did last week at the world championships when I ran the wrong course. I apologized to my teammates, I whispered to my red girls how proud I was of the job each of them did and I promised them I would be better every run after that –and I was.

We all make mental errors. The ones that no one knows about we get over pretty quickly don’t we? Forgetting why you went into a room is a pretty benign error. Nobody knows about it and you forget about it. You run a course wrong in your own backyard you likely forget about it before you get back into the house.

Funny you forgive yourself pretty easily for some slip ups, why not others? Yes something that impacts a “team” may be more difficult to get over than forgetting why you walked into a room, but they are all just mental errors. I think part of the disappointment comes from missing out on a chance to win something important but I believe for many people the real difference comes when our egos try to stop us from appearing weak or incompetent in front of our peers. Mine gave up trying to stop me years ago:).

Failing in public can get even more difficult if you are someone that others looks up to like a teacher or a judge. I believe this is a big reason many people don’t step into the agility ring at all, or won’t enter a “big” event like their breed National Speciality or a Regional or National Championship. Or perhaps they once did participate in agility but now don’t allow themselves that luxury for fear of exposing their limitations to others.

Hey, get over yourself.

Trust me, few people are actually watching you anyway. Sure they may be at ringside, but that is just where they are physically. Mentally they are either talking about their next run or explaining away the follies of their last one.

Your shenanigans on the agility field may entertain an eye blink of time in their otherwise preoccupied mind but your antics will quickly be forgotten with the same speed with which you entered their thought processes.

You know I am right.

Here are two of my favorite quotes on overcoming;

I make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes.

Sara Teasdale

Seriously good words to live by, everything coming back to gratitude for me.

and

“Failure is an event not a person; yesterday ended last night.”

Zig Zigler (you have just got to love the Zigmeister:)).

For me, yesterday ends after each run. My next run is a new day.

Looking back at the unfortunate event of me walking the wrong course at the World Championships some have suggested a teammate or coach should have caught my error in course walking during the actual course walk through? Here is what I think. First of all, as the late Coach Wooden said

“You are never a failure if you did your best — unless you blame others.”

I did my best. Actually when I look at the videos of those runs– my dogs and I were pretty darn great. It is just unfortunate the judge wasn’t judging the course I was running:).

Secondly, I believe somebody was meant to make that error this year. Obviously God figured I was the best prepared for this job:).  And I guess He was right because I held my head high and felt no shame, misery or embarrassment after the episode. I was disappointed I didn’t do better for my dogs, my friends, my country – but I accepted the fact I am human and with that comes the privilege to fail and move on. Once my dogs were cooled out, I head back to the stands to sit with my team, make plans to prevent the same thing from happening on future runs and then enjoy watching the rest of the class.

It was a error, but one I know has already lead to some great things. Like the discussion we are having here on this blog. Or me learning an incredible lesson about myself or maybe even FCI looking at the way they run their team event (that may be too much to ask but obviously the teams that must run first are at a terrible disadvantage that never gets balanced out later on at the event).

I was on a Canadian team that had extremely high expectations for the 2010 World Championship but one that had an even higher sense of team unity. We had great leadership that started at home with our mental prep coach; John Cullen and was carried on at the event by a management team that handled each and every disappointment in a way that allowed the team member to rebound and do better on their next run.

Never make excuses; your friends don’t need them and your foes won’t believe them.

John Wooden

I’ve got more to share with you on this topic later:).

Today as we Canadians celebrate our Thanksgiving weekend,  I am grateful for the awesome support each of you have shown on this blog with your great comments on this subject.

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The Less Obvious LessonFinal TouchesAn Epidemic of "Buck Fever"Greetings From GermanyIs There a Difference?Collecting ChallengesMessage Deliveries & Getting the Most From a Coach

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Teach your dog tricks in 90 days.

My mother just got herself a young golden retrieverpuppy. He was a very nicetype of dog. They are happy dogs and work well with older people. I found a goodschool for Away Training New Jersey and I wanted to help my mother. I wanted to find out if there were any. Shelives in the city alone and I needed to make sure the dog received the training. It would make things much easier for her. Dogs are wonderful but without the proper training they can really tear up a home. I didn’t want my mother thinking twice about getting her new friend.
It took metwo weeks of asking friends andsearching through the internet to find Dog Training Philedelphia. I needed the dog trainingschool to be close to my Mother’s townhome. I was lucky andfound a school only 5 blocks away. Mom could walk or take the bus to the training school. The school waswonderful and atreasonable prices. The website they had was easy to use. Prices were there to help you decide on a day to bring your dog in.
days went by and Daisy’s first class was here. Mom took Daisy to class as was surprised on how well run it was. Treats for the dogs everywhere. Even drinks for the owners. The dogs got torelax outside and run around together. Daisy was taught tojog to my mother when she calls. She was taught to sit as well. Mom was so excited. She learned commands and the right way to potty train Daisy.
Getting Daisy and my mother the proper dog training in Philadelphia was so important. I have my dog Max going through dog training in New Jersey as I write this. He is on his 5th class. Having Daisy and my mother work together will help them get to know each other better. Having a dog properly trained turns yourlittle friend in to a happy and healthy adult dog. The better trained they are the easier it is for their owners to care for them. Owning a dog is a lifelong gift. Dogs are true family members. The Philadelphia dog training school goals and reading material to help my mom raise the dog she loves and wants. Daisy is happier and my mom has a new friend.

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Looking For A Great Collar? Try A Tri-tronics Sport Electronic Dog Training Collar

For owners of working dogs, a training collar that works as hard as your dog is a necessary tool. The Tri-Tronics Sport series are the most durable training collars on today’s market, being one hundred percent waterproof and designed to take the abuse given them by an active working dog. For example, hunting dogs will thrash through underbrush to grab game, dive into water, crawl into tiny spaces that are far too small, and do other things that average family pets don’t do. For this reason, you will require a very durable collar that will stand through the toughest abuse.

Once you’ve made the decision to use a electronic dog collar you’re making an investment into training equipment that you’ll want to make sure works for you. As an industry leader, Tri-Tronics will guarantee its products’ durability, and this is what keeps them at the top of the market.

Tri-Tronics understands that you want a convenient and lightweight system and they’ve taken advantage of state of the art technology to provide compact and durable receivers and transmitters that are of the highest quality. One of the advantages of their systems is that they are designed to work well whether it’s in warm weather and bare hands or in the coldest weather with gloved hands.

In addition to their compact size and their durability, you can even use the Tri-Tronic sports series to train up to three dogs at one time. Multiple dogs can easily be confused if you’re using systems that are not set up to deal with them properly. Tri-Tronics sports series are specially designed with numerous (20) levels of stimulation in both continuous and intermittent settings. One of the most significant advantages to this number of settings is that some behaviors may be easily corrected with one level of stimulation but others may require more or less correction. Tri-Tronics has taken all of this into consideration in developing their sports series.

Tri-Tronics has also taken into consideration that your working dog isn’t always going to be close by and allows you to control up to three dogs that are as much as one half mile away from you making it easy to keep track of what’s happening with each of them.

If you’re interested in not only electronic stimulation but also sound correction, you will still find what you need with the Tri-Tronics sports series since they also have a beeper option. Remember that when you are attempting training, not only is electronic and sound correction helpful, but praise is also another helpful (and often more effective) method of training – using all of the tools available to you when training your dog makes training much easier and much more lasting. The Tritronics system provides a full range of tools to help you train a happy, healthy, and obedient working dog.

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Reasons You Would Love a Dog

Having a dog can be a very big commitment; It is like having your very own child. Prior to getting one of your own, you should make sure that you will be able to handle it. I don’t want to scare you away from dogs, they are phenomenal pets. Man’s best friend is less than accurate when describing a canine. However, they require care and love. Dogs are also expensive. You have to take into consideration dog food, grooming, health, and possible training. In San Diego Dog Training can cost five hundred dollars for a two week session and in San Diego Puppy Training is even more expensive. Keep in mind, the friendship with your dog far balances out any money it costs you.

Owning a dog is a world wide enjoyment. They act like best friends, but even more reliable. A healthy relationship between the dog and owner is be stronger than human bonds. Your dog is the only one who always greets you when you come home from work or wake up with the constant enthusiasm. A dog is my favorite shoulder to cry on as well. No dog will leave you when you feeling down; in fact, they will most likely pull you out of it. Dogs provide the perfect date for an evening picnic as well. I cannot count the priceless memories I have of my dogs and I playing Frisbee on a beach or at the park. Though they don’t seem like a big deal, you will cherish these memories later in life.

Dogs are fun, but in no way cheap. Owning a dog is like owning a child, you have to pay for its health, food and education in some way. Now, a dog won’t cost you thousands of dollars in college money like a child, more like hundreds. Getting a dog trained is important, and will probably cost anywhere from three to five hundred dollars. Another cost that comes with keeping a dog is boarding. If you take a vacation, you will need to find a dog sitter or set your dog up at the kennel. At the cheapest rate, this will cost about twenty dollars a night. Also keep in mind the costs of veterinarian services, grooming or food!

In addition to costing money, Dogs cost time. They are more demanding than pets like hermit crabs or fish,who are satisfied when you throw food in their cage. Dogs crave nurturing and love. Dogs need to be walked at least once a week and played with. Giving a dog the attention it needs is a menial task, as long as you tray. They are not picky, as long as they’re being loved. Dogs are perfectly happy with a crummy beat up shoe or tennis ball to play with, as long as they get your attention.

When you buy a dog, you take on a huge duty. But with this responsibility comes priceless opportunities! By giving a little money, love and time, you get in return infinite love, gratitude and a new best friend. Dogs are the most dependable and gracious friends you will ever have. It seems like a fair trade to spend some money and time on them for such a great friend in return.

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Looking Into Dog Training Collars To Train Your Hunting Dogs? Try Innotek

Today, we are learning more and more about training bird dogs using the relatively new technology called electronic dog training collars. These collars have changed the way that working dogs are trained, especially hunting dogs.

One of the greatest values these collars give to the trainer is the increase of interaction between the trainer and the dog. They allow for remote training, without a traditional leash, which greatly increases the options a trainer has in training a working or hunting dog. Let’s look at why these collars are so effective.

Electronic training systems consist of two parts: transmitters and receivers. The transmitter is usually in the hand-held unit and is controlled by the trainer while the receiver is usually worn in the dog’s collar. Correcting a dog–at home, in the field hunting, or during a show—is done by sending a signal from the trainer’s transmitter that sends a light volt of static shock to the dog through the collar. These corrections are light and do not harm the dog, but they do distract the dog, which corrects bad behavior. This quickly increases the training pace.

If you’re looking for an effective dog training collar, you’ll need one that is not only safe, but reliable. Innotek is a known name when it comes to electronic dog training collars. Innotek systems will serve your needs; you can get a backyard system for your property which will allow you to train two or more dogs, or you can opt for a simpler one for training at home.

In addition to the high quality that is guaranteed by the use of top of the line components, Innotek products offer long-term durability. Innotek’s Ultra Smart Training collars also offer a variety of options including 15 levels of stimulation, allow for multiple dogs to be trained and options to use sound as well as electronic reminders for your dog.

Innotek UltraSmart training collars provide the best value through the IUT 300 series. Great for trainers who have want to train two dogs at a time, you can experience great results in field or show training where your dogs will need to be a bit of a distance from where you stand. Designed to work up to 300 yards away, these collars work with either sound or electronic stimulation.

The IUT300 offers a number of features that are not available in any other collar including self diagnosis, electronic fit testing, battery strength display, a built in receiver and lithium ion technology that is not found in any other collar. In addition, the nine stimulation levels make this collar one of the most versatile for those owners who want the control of both electronic and sound correction.

Extra-long probes for long-haired dogs are also available as well as lanyards, test lights, and instructional DVDs. Innotek is committed to ensuring that you and your dog get the most from their products when training.

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Train Your Gun Dogs With Either a Bird Launcher or Bumper Launcher

Training your gun dogs to hunt, whether it’s for flushing, pointing, or retrieving, there are great tools at your disposal. Bird and Dummy Launchers are available with remote control devices that can be used together or separately to fill your training needs.

Remote Bird and Dummy Launchers

Whether you are using a dummy launcher or a bird launcher, you can use a remote control that allows you to train your dog without having another person present with you. Without the remote, you would need at least one other person to assist in your training which of course can distract your dog.

Other extras with bird launchers include bird calls, sounds, and beeps that can be used to train your dog in field craft and hunting. Which kind of launcher (bird or dummy) will depend on the specific type of training you are doing with your dog. Your goal is to make an effective and confident hunting companion and launchers can be an essential tool towards this goal.

Bumper Launchers

This is your secret weapon in teaching your dog to learn to retrieve came. The dummy launcher is for those who work alone and you allow you to launch your dummies at a height and distance that is far greater than throwing it yourself. This allows your dog to learn to retrieve game that is further away. This is especially helpful when you consider that if you were using hand launching followed by shooting; your dog would become accustomed to fetching game at close distances. One of the best features of the remote launchers is that you can use the accompanying sounds to train your dog to react as if he were hunting actual game (ducks, pheasant, etc.).

Bird Launchers

For training pointing or flushing dogs, bird launchers will work perfectly. A great benefit to bird launchers is that you can actually set it up to launch multiple birds to simulate real hunting. The good thing is, dogs are bred to hunt so your main focus is to train your dog to respect another dog’s point, as well as flush out birds. A bird launcher will give you a good shot at achieving this type of training. Trainers of pointing dogs have been successful in using these for years now, and even those who train flushing dogs are starting to use these tools more often. Because a bird launcher is designed with a spring latch which will release prey fairly low, it can quickly help your dog learn the skills needed for hunting quail as well as pheasant.

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Turn your wild puppy into a disciplined adult companion.

I love dogs. Especially the mid size dogs that have a lot of energy. About a year ago I bought a jumpy little puppy with more energy and excitement than most dogs put together. He was a Shiba Inu. Crazy little furry dog. I knew right away that I would need some proper training to handle this little guy. Dog training in New Jersey was pretty difficult to find. I looked through the phone book and asked friends. I found nothing. New Jersey dog training was going to be a great deal of effort to find. I sat down one evening and decided to look on the internet. Maybe I could find a place that will teach my dog.
I did it! I found a New Jersey dog training site just a few miles from my home. I was so excited. Max, that’s my dog’s name, will finally receive the education he needs. The site wrote about teaching your dog not to bark or scratch. They can teach him tricks and even potty train him. I was very excited. Even though I wanted Max I really wasn’t prepared to handle him. Just like having kids I would expect.
I scheduled Max’s class and we went. It was a large place for the dogs to train and gets their excersise. There was a large yard with toys and objects to climb on. We started by letting Max play with the other dogs and allow him to get comfortable with his new school. He was shy at first. All the dog trainers were very good at making the dogs feel at ease with everything. Max had a great time because there were treats at every turn. I love the dog school because it was clean and the employees really seemed to enjoy their jobs.
Well, I think Max has a second home. He learned to lay down and come to me when I called him. All in first day! I never believed dog training in New Jersey was going to be so fun and easy. The fees weren’t very high considering I received a full course for pennies on the dollar. I would recommend this dog training school to anyone who asked. It was close to home. They were all properly trained and caring employees at the facility. The want your dog to succeed and be a great member of your family. It was luck to find the website and for it to be so close to home. Max is a great dog and with this school I know he will be a great family member for a long time.

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