I have been doing Agility for 16 years, and in all that time I
have, by far, exceeded my expectations when it comes to success in the sport. But
one often forgets, that with success often comes defeat! I have lost far more
than I have won when I look at the results on the scoresheet.. but… even though,
in history, frozen in time and ink, on certain days I “failed”, in real life I
have not failed at all. The time spent “failing” on paper, is, for the most
part, learning. It all comes under the heading “Lessons in life” and should be
treated as such!
I have come across many handlers that chase the win, at all costs…
handlers that arrive hoping to win and leave with nothing but the vision of
someone else claiming the rosette (if they even stay for the prize-giving). The
negativity surrounding them is obvious after a “loss”, and often emotions take
over (jealousy, hatred etc). I fear that these competitors have lost sight of
what is truly important. I often ask myself if they come to enjoy the sport or
to fetch a prize…..
It is essential to remember, in Agility, that we are a team, dog
and handler, and the journey is actually the most important thing. Am I training
well? Am I enjoying the training.. and is my dog? At events, is my dog happy?
How am I treating my dog and is my dog understanding what we are doing? Are we
walking away with a feeling of fulfillment? Do we smile at our friends after our
rounds? Do we play with our dogs after our rounds?
When I arrive home after a day’s Agility competitions, I do not
count my rosettes, I do not count my prizes… I reflect on my time with my
dog(s). Some of the BEST times I have ever had with my dogs have been when I
have been eliminated. Some of the most valuable lessons I have been taught have
been concealed in a “failed” result.
I review my competition very casually – I often hear of others
scoping out their opposition and making lists of ways in which those people can
fail, giving the rest an upper hand. I say it is not for me! Helping the “opposition”
serves me to no end, as the advice I give is always the best advice I can
muster and 99.9% of the time it is exactly as I wish to handle a situation. By
doing this it drives me to run against a better quality of opposition, which in
turn makes me and my dog, as a team, even better!
And naturally, I always aim to outdo myself, as opposed to beating
someone else… There’s much more satisfaction that can be achieved by beating a
standard that meets mine than someone else’s bad choices.
I feel that losing is a part of winning. It lets us remember where
we are in the bigger scheme of things. It shows us where we need to work, and reminds
us of where we want to be… and makes us more determined to get there! Losing
makes us find ways to improve, and it makes us pay more attention and seek out
ways that we can try to achieve certain ideals. The challenges of achieving
greatness are just so much closer and more intense after losing!
Sometimes after a terrible, technically clear, round, I cringe at
the compliments and the congratulatory murmurs as the “win” feels like a loss…
because it is not what I was aiming for.. but to grumble back just adds to the
negative feeling of the round. Likewise, my fellow handlers reveal their dismay
loudly across the field after I have eliminated, is an annoyance to me..
because DIDN’T THEY SEE my dog and I having a fabulous time!?? It surely was a
win!
Any apparent “loss” is often analysed to death by handlers and
instead of stopping to review the work on the field carefully, from a positive and
more optimistic point of view. They focus on the “wrong” without looking at it
more simply, and look for what was right in the round, and then merely
pin-pointing which minor aspects need adjusting. Trained manoeuvres will always
be there in the dog’s mind, but it’s the bit that links our instructions to the
dog’s performance that is often the problem.
By presenting the best possible information to my dog is often the
solution, and when not complying with this, it becomes the main culprit of a “failed”
round
Keeping a positive outlook on my sport is important to me, it
keeps me focused on the good side of it, and it keeps me in line while trying
to achieve my goals. It keeps me enjoying my dogs, and it strengthens my bond
with them.
I will always try and remember to “feel” my dog by my side, enjoy
my sport with my canine friends, and not let anything outward interfere with my
bubble.
Dance
like there’s nobody watching!
