Well I must be hooked on this blogging since I am sending you this from a WiFi at a gas station as John fills the RV up with diesel. Since I am on the road for the next couple of weeks and may not be writing regularly I am going to pose a question to you so all of you can write on my blog. So here goes, what (if anything), do you think separates you as a competitor in the sport of dog agility, from the best competitors in the world? This is a pretty wide question so I am expecting a wide assortment of answers but I am not going to prompt you other than to suggest your answer may include what role the dog’s natural talent plays. I am going to send a lovely gift of a hardcover copy of Shaping Success (complete with a autograph from me and a paw-to-graph from Buzz) to one of you who writes in with your thoughts. I am not planning for this to be a contest , my thought is that I will just to pick a random number out of the people that take the time to write on my blog for me, however if someone writes a really compelling piece I may just change my mind. In 7 days I will post the name of the lucky winning entry.
Today am really grateful for John who once again has done all of the driving on our 23 hour drive to Florida. My plan was to get caught up with some computer work, but I haven’t done much of anything to tell you the truth.
I believe what seperates me can be found in many other trainers/handlers. My lack of motivation to work on training that I don’t like to do. A great example for me is training Spree to heel for more than two steps. She has a few herding tendancies that come into play – that’s of course not to say it’s not possible, who doesn’t know a few thousand border collies who heel like champs 😉 The list goes on of behaviors (no matter how small) that I could improve with my dog. But I continue to be somewhat lazy and train the things I like and the way my dog likes it. Will we ever be even proficient with a line of threadles? Short of a miracle, nope, and it comes back to I don’t like training them!
Thanks Susan for this great question. It may even motivate me to do some training that I dread 🙂
I have been giving some further thought to this very interesting question that you posed and want to add the following sentiments to the ones I already posted you.
Lets take this out of a specific dog sport area and just consider the broader picture. What makes a person succeed at something. Sure natural talent/aptitude helps. Sure access of equipment/resources helps. Sure having time to train help. However there are number of successful men and women who have reached the pinnacle of there chosen field with very little in the way of any of these.
What I think set them apart is a passion to do the very best they can. As you discussed in the baggage thread they don’t look at what the they can or can’t do (or in the agility context what the dog can or can’t do). They might consider the limitations but only in the context of building up the support structure so the limitations are well padded with the dogs strengths. Certainly don’t dwell on the negatives.
Yes they are great handlers and have great relationships with there dogs but I am sure there are just as many people who aren’t at the top who are just as good a handlers and have equal relationships with there dogs to those at the top.
So I think the main difference can be summarized in a single word and that word is they have an untold PASSION for what they are doing and what they want to achieve.
Well, I have been thinking about my answer for a couple of days now and I’m still not sure if I can express it accurately … I would have to say accomplishments are the only thing that separate me and my dogs from the top competitors and their dogs.
While I am very new to the sport of agility, I have always had a tremendous time “playing” anything with my dogs/horses/parrots/gerbils etc.! I had a Border Collie for 14 years that was my heart and soul but unable to participate in agility due to a serious knee injury at a very young age, unable to afford two dogs, I watched and learned, I soaked up anything about dog training I could for that “future” dog and in the meantime had the time of my life just “living” with the greatest dog I’ve ever known.
When I got married I suggested to my husband that we add another dog to mine and his and we decided on a rough collie, a good family dog. WELL, a good family dog he is, but he made agility practically impossible … at first I was SO disappointed until I realized what a GREAT opportunity I had to “learn” how to “teach” a different kind of dog, he forced me to read and learn and try and retry and although he’s never going to be a world champion he’s already accomplished TONS more than many people ever expected of him … some folks never thought I’d get him into the ring and on equipment and he now HAPPILY plays agility with me(although “Q’s” are few and far between …lol)
I lost my old girl, the Border Collie, in 2007 and told my husband that I couldn’t live without a BC, so off I went to look at a “million” puppies … when I found Triton! He has more talent in that little body than I will ever know what to do with, but I have picked a handling system, worked contacts, kept a SPECIFIC criteria for everything (thanks to the Collie for enforcing that concept in my head), and just saw a hint at the AWESOME weaves I have always envisioned (thank you Susan)…
Now, I think we’re almost ready to go out and compete! Am I a world-class competitor? … No. Will I ever be? … Not really sure. But I have been lucky enough to own some SUPER dogs in my lifetime (too many to mention) and I have the drive to try my best and read up to support any training I choose, so maybe someday I will be a world-class competitor which would mean that there isn’t much that separates me from them other than their already achieved accomplishments!
For now, I’ve gone back to the gym to make MYSELF the best I can be as I embark on this newest journey with my little guy (who is already a champion at heart) and every day I thank every “difficult” animal I’ve ever had the opportunity to work with because if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be as far as I am now!
Interesting question. With so many possible answers.
I truly believe that I have a very special dog who could very well be at the top if she had the proper training/reinforcement. Had I chosen a different path (i.e. if I didn’t have kids and did have $$) we could be very close to the best-of-the-best.
Then again, I’d need one more thing…the desire to BE the best-of-the-best. While I admire those who are at the top of their game, I could not imagine living in a fishbowl in which your every move is scrutinized. And God forbid if the “top” handlers make a mistake!
For Jam and I, we aspire to be the best-of-the best in our own reality…and that’s just fine with me.
Hmm, time and talent — at least in terms of achievement — and I’m working on both of them! I’m a single mom with a 40-plus hour job, children with issues, and a hip-replacement that makes what I can do comfortably at the beginning of a trial (front crosses,) sometimes very different from what I can handle later in the day when pain interferes. My dogs are WONDERFUL — with both of them I’m finding I’m getting more speed the longer we train.
So basically my solution is to train as much independent obstacle performance as possible, put a good bit of distance skills on my dogs, work on solid and long leadouts, and make sure that they read all types of crosses well. (I just moved to Germany, its freezing here and I have one indoor class a week at my club, so we’re doing a lot of training using trees and pylons rather than real obstacles, but we are training.)
To teach me how to handle when I can’t train that much and I can’t always move that much, I’m making my poor dogs work for the supper by clicker training various tricks every evening. The theory being that I’m learning to look at my dogs and working on my timing– let’s see if it works in practice, because I need to be really good at something. I’m taking as many seminars as possible, trying to figure out German and European handling systems now that I have the opportunity. I’ve also tried to distill the various handling systems down to the essentials that I can make happen. And you know, I bet I enjoy our training and runs just as much as any world-class handler — and my dogs do too. Our journey continues! best, Jeanine
I expect that the top competitors have more experience handling and training then I do 🙂
and more money and time to pursue this sport.
Right now I love the sport because it is all about me and my dogs and the rewards of all the training I put in when I enter the ring. But, saying that – as
I gain more experience I will likely want to become a top competitor one day!
What separates me is that I own a tiny Papillon with some issues that mean he will never jump that well. We run in 4″ class.
We work in a big, huge world that is way out of scale for such a tiny little dog.
We are ineligible to compete even for a championship, much less for world titles.
But, one thing we do have is heart. We love each other immensely. We trust each other in a way that touches my heart.
And so when we go into the ring, we do it for the love of it. It is like a dance. Maybe not the swiftest one in the world, but a lovely one, or at least that’s how it feels.
Usually few are watching our little glimmer on the screen of big time competition. Usually, they’re waiting impatiently at ringside, ready to tear down the course to get on with the “real” show.
But for us, this is what it’s all about. These few seconds. This little whirl of certainty hinged lightly to uncertainty.
It’s a bond that defies comparisons with others. It’s something deeper, maybe even selfishly, all about that tensile link we’ve forged between each other. It’s intensely about the wonderment of really being able to know anyone, let alone another species, to this level.
I deeply respect those who go on to achieve at higher levels. But I’m not sorry we’re different. Being left by fate and choice out of the mainstream has given us the luxury of perfecting our little act out of the limelight and away from the glare of competition.
We have the great good fortune of understanding and accepting — maybe even reveling in the fact — that we are doing this only for us.
What separates me is that I own a tiny Papillon with some issues that mean he will never jump that well. We run in 4″ class.
We work in a big, huge world that is way out of scale for such a tiny little dog.
We are ineligible to compete even for a championship, much less for world titles.
But, one thing we do have is heart. We love each other immensely. We trust each other in a way that touches my heart.
And so when we go into the ring, we do it for the love of it. It is like a dance. Maybe not the swiftest one in the world, but a lovely one, or at least that’s how it feels.
Usually few are watching our little glimmer on the screen of big time competition. Usually, they’re waiting impatiently at ringside, ready to tear down the course to get on with the “real” show.
But for us, this is what it’s all about. These few seconds. This little whirl of certainty hinged to lightly to uncertainty.
It’s a bond that defies comparisons with others. It’s something deeper, maybe even selfishly, all about that tensile link we’ve forged between each other. It’s intensely about the wonderment of really being able to know anyone, let alone another species, to this level.
I deeply respect those who go on to achieve at higher levels. But I’m not sorry we’re different. Being left by fate and choice out of the mainstream has given us the luxury of perfecting our little act out of the limelight and away from the glare of competition.
We have the great good fortune of understanding and accepting — maybe even reveling in the fact — that we are doing this only for us.
I have spent a lot of time thinking about this. I don’t think there is anything holding me back from being a world class competitor but maybe experience and an open mind.
It is funny, the more I learn about the sport the more time I spend looking at myself and my dogs. It has always been my thought that it is up to ME to take my dogs to their potential. I thought that 10 years ago when I got my first dog Indy. I don’t really care where it takes me or how high they go but when they pass on into the next life I want to be able to look back and say that I did all I could and we went as far as we could go. It has never been about the ribbons or titles either. It has always been about the relationship. I found it very interesting that Susan, you said the same thing during a the first course I took. That cemented to me that I was on the right track.
I also like the saying that Bill has that (and I might not get it word for word) “If you do what you have always done, you will get what you have always gotten”. I embraced this concept again before I ever heard it. When I got my newest dog Quest I wanted to train her differently and started searching for different ideas. I found new ways of training and she has blossomed from it. I instinctly knew I guess that I would become a better trainer if I looked at what else was out there and while what I was doing was great, there might be better.
The biggest thing I had to do though was look at myself. After quite a few crash and burns I took a hard look at what I was missing and worked towards finding a solution. It isn’t the dog, Reiver knows what to do and is cool and calm (she did win three regional championships, and was on the podium at nationals twice) but when the pressure was big her handler just let her down. Tears and frustration helped me become what I am today. I think now it is just more experience and confidence that will take me to the next level. Putting into play what I have learned and being open to learning and change. I think that path will take me to the next level whatever that is.
Lisa
I think that knowledge is the key to greatness in the agility world. To know how to train a dog, to have the knowledge to analyze and run a course, to have the knowledge to know perfect timing to get the best lines and to know what your dog strengths are and the weakness. I dont think necessarily that you have to be the person to know all but then you would seek out others who have lessons to teach you too. I think record keeping and self analysis is an important factor too. I imagine the great ones look at past runs and time and figure how to make things faster , better – improve that dogwalk time or tighten that turn.
Hmm… There´s nothing wrong with my dog (he can run really fast and he loves to work and play with me). There´s nothing wrong with my body (my legs, arms, eyes and voice works pefectly). So, if I choose to be a bit pessimistic – what separates me from the best competitors must be TALENT. But as I prefer to be an optimist; I´d say the difference is TIME (it will just take me a little longer to get there!)
After responding with a Jack ass remark, I really got thinking about this question….I don’t believe my dog training skills are superior or inadequate, I believe in a successful handling system that has improved and continues to improve my understanding of running as a team and …..so what does separate me……….I guess it would be my competitive mind set.
Not that I am not competitive, coming from a very fierce figure skating background, where my performance was rewarded as the cards fell. I always had to skate my best and the one with the more difficult tricks, effortless footwork, crisp choreography and elegant and original spins would be deemed the winner, unless there were bias judges…..but that’s a different issue. The constant challenge of knowing you had to push yourself over your opponent, was what I thrived on…….and the reason I was so successful. The only way to improve was to work harder and produce better personal results.
The agility organization I support most, due to location and longevity I guess……is very Q based…..so as long as you get the job done……you will be rewarded. Rewards come in all different shapes and sizes and to some there are different colors. After several years I have learned though the titles are nice and have their meaning……the certificates always arrive in the mail! In fact ……so much so………my one dog who was in an accident and was one team leg away from his ATCH…….who will never play agility again…….just earned his ATCH due to a rule change!
In short………I need to challenge myself. With the expense of the sport, let alone travel and entry expenses, I find personal limitations in entering places with different competitors, such as the States. I employ personal goals within each run I perform. How many yps I want to run and how I want things to look from a handling perspective. After each trail, I go back to my notes and reflect. Knowing that pushing myself to a higher limit with limited “organizational” rewards can be difficult. When the majority of the audience thinks differently, you find yourself in constant explanation…..or solitude! I limit myself to how many local competitions I go to for the pure fact……I want to do the best we can…….not satisfactory ( to my standards) and I do not just want to get by.
I am not out to beat anyone or win every class, just improve upon my own performance; The results will be shown in my efforts. Given an environment with a larger percentile of competitive teams, the outlook on how many people will be running is a little more exhilarating, and if this is what you thrive off of….the the local trials can be an oh him haw running experience otherwise filled with a lot of great socializing with a lot of great friends.
Recently, our most popular organization added a “Challenge Event” which will be run very similar to some events over seas. The time for the event will be designated by the fastest dog of the event; and only dogs within a certain percentile of that time will earn a qualifying run, which will accumulate into a title. The course measuring and course design will have a “European” feel. I believe this is part of my “missing link” I am hopeful that this flavor will help me get a better taste of pushing the limits on a regular basis.
Having been overseas 3 times, whilst competing on 3 different Canadian World teams, I have a gist for the “atmosphere” that can be enjoyed. Coming away each and every time…..I never felt my dogs skills were lacking, physically out of place……..or not mentally prepared……..I have invested in great coaching for all of the above…….I only ever came away with……..I need more experience in creating consistency in dynamic performances.
With this lesson at hand……..I continue to learn, train and run, so that the next time I am grateful enough to compete with the best of them (wherever that may be) …..I will be well polished.
Thanks for getting me thinking……..
Sarah
What I beleive sets me apart from top competitors is the experience and the knowledge that comes from experience. I am not sure if they are as tight for time as I am since work interferes with my dog training, but if they have the time, that will also set me apart 🙂
“The difference is the best handler knows the secret,for a few seconds stop being two and become one.”
“La diferencia es que el mejor guia sabe el secreto, durante unos cuantos segundos dejar de ser dos y convertirse en uno.”
Sorry for my bad english.
Hi Susan:
Although I am not yet competing, I wanted to comment (and possibly receive the lovely gift of Shaping for Success.) I would say the biggest difference between me and the best competitors is experience and knowledge.
I have admired the sport for years but for a variety of reasons, did not venture in until a little over a year ago. I have a great partner in my 2-year old standard poodle who is very drivey and fast. In some else’s hands she’d be amazing and most likely very succesfully competing by now.
I am often frustrated by what I didn’t know during our early formative days together (Shaping for Success, Crate Games, etc.)and so we are making up for lost learning opportunities.
Once we do start competing, one benefit I think I have is a long history in competitive sports. We have taken the opportunity to enter a couple of fun-day trials to give us the experience of working with lots of distractions and the focus and connection between the two of us was very solid. I believe my confidence in competive situations helps in this regard.
Getting back to the experience and knowledge. I know that to be successful I need to get to a point as a handler where I am moving throughout a course more on an instinctual level rather than having to really think it through step by step as we are running. I often think of agility as dancing. I am at the one-two-three, one-two-three stage (or in agility terms, jump-jump-okay front cross)of the dance steps in agility. To be successful, I need to get to the Ginger Rogers & Fred Astair level of moving through the course.
When the top competitors go out to walk a course, they are planning their run with an understanding and instinct that is at this stage completely foreign to me. Once they are actually running the course, they don’t have think their way through each step. I find it difficult to describe but know the feeling from playing my chosen sport at a top level. In golf you are told to “trust your swing” it’s a euphamism for don’t think about it and let your muscle memory take over. In agility it’s more complicated than that, but it is similar. A lot of the mechanics and handling are second nature–like breathing and you are able to focus on running the course and not have to worry about each step you take.
Who knows if we ever get to the point where we can compete at the top of the sport, but there is never a shortage of goals so our focus is sharp and we are having so much fun along the journey.
I have two of the best dogs in the world and they love doing agility with me and I love competing with them. They are both rescues but they have no baggage because I never expected them to. I believe that what separates us from the world class competitors is my drive and speed, not theirs. I love being competitive and I work toward being the best that we can be. But I just don’t think I have the burning desire it takes to compete at the national level.
The only thing in our way is the ocean!
What separates us from the best handler in the world …
I do not think there is nothing, for they are the best in the world, perhaps less a dog?, No, a handler makes a difference, took little time in the agility with just my first dog, and I have made much progress and hope follow them, and I think the only thing that separates us from them is the ability to see an error and seek their solution, to see an advantage and disadvantage of being very detailed and seek work and the best for our style companion, is to see the track in more than one way, be persistent and not getting caught up in the opinion of others, that only things can be done in a way, and believe that anything is possible with a heart and cuata effort.
My father is a trainer and a very good example for me, and always taught me that there are only 20% of genetics but a 80% handler and with much patience and effort will succeed and that everything is possible with work and meditation much difference.
Ah! And perhaps most importantly, confidence that is another pair, which is a bond that forms the training and the moments of affection with our dog, he never trusted and enjoy every moment with our colleague who works with us .
I would like more than one book, this response to comment on my blog, to know your opinion. Thank you
Greetings Susan!
Niko & Danko
My Blog in Spanish with the response is: http://chileworlddog.blogspot.com/2009/01/que-si-es-que-separa-los-competidores.html
Well…the biggest thing that separates me from the top agility handlers in the world? Truthfully, I am my happy, bouncy, smart little girl’s biggest handicap. Natural grace I have not.
We LOVE agility. We play hard at it- when I’m not at work. But I have no really high goals- a MACh would be good for me. What I get out of working in partnership with my dogs, is the deeper understanding that comes into our relationship.
Each generation has gotten the benefit of a better trainer as we go along. While my current girl is pretty good, and has yet-untapped potential, the next one- who is always eager to play this neat game I call “training”, may surpass her. She has more patience and a steadier mind, but I don’t think lacks drive. I am enjoying my own continuing education, watching and learning from my pack’s interactions as much as they learn from me. I hope that in the future, it helps us all to work together more solidly in the agility ring!
Very good question, I am enjoying reaing all the responces.
I believe what separates most great teams from the best would be having the confidence to take risks. It is one thing to follow a training philosophy and to be consistent with a handling system but the best competitors in the world are the ones who have found their own way to the top. They are not afraid of trying new things and learning from their failures. The best competitors are no different than the best dogs; when training our dogs we strive a dog who makes their own choices, fails often but rather than dwelling on the failures they learn from them and move forward. The best dogs in the world are not the perfect dogs and likewise the best competitors in the world are by no means perfect. Being near the top is about taking risks, pushing the envelope and always trying to improve upon the way you get things done. Rather than just following instruction and taking everyone else’s word for it you must question the why and the how and learn the lessons on your own. There will always be improvement upon any training and handling method and the sport of agility will continue to develop. You can either sit around and wait for “the best” to figure things out or you can attempt to figure it out yourself and who knows, maybe somewhere along that journey you may become one of “the best”.
I would echo the sentiments of many of the other people who have already posted. My main thing that would set me apart from the top competitors would be fear of failure.
My first agility dog (and first dog at all) is just over 8 years old. Prior to getting her I was scared of dogs as mum had been mauled as a baby. She was bought because my brother had nagged mum to the point where she finally gave in. I wanted nothing to do with dogs to the point of even wanting nothing to do with them when we went to pick her out of the litter at 7 weeks. Being a Border Collie she fast worked her magic though and got me hooked on dogsports. I was the only one with the time to train her so we diligently attended club obedience classes weekly until she was 12 months and then added agility to the program.
Naturally I made many errors along the way with her training, CONSISTENCY was a huge battle as I would chop and change what I was doing without really giving things a chance.
I was fortunate enough to be put in touch with some wonderful training mentors via some yahoogroups and from then on things slowly improved.
We struggled with table problems since our very first trial – never an issue in training but get to a trial and she would refuse to jump.
We did however manage to finally get into gear in 2007 when our city hosted the Agility Nationals. She qualififed 4th in one of the qualifying rounds to make it through to the finals. Not in the top class but I never dreamed that would happen.
She has been a pretty steady agility dog, nothing flash but she has managed most of her titles – still chasing down some remaining legs of a MA title though.
Fast forward to middle of 2008 and enter my new BC pup, who at the time of posting is now 9 months old. Well I was fortunate enough to get a dog with enough drive, a sound temperament and a huge potential to be a top class agility and obedience dog. I feel my training skills have improved greatly since training my first dog, I have time (since I am just finishing off studying), resources well you make the best of what you have but the main thing I find lacking is the fear of failure. Here I am with a potentially almost blank slate sitting here in front of me. A dog willing to participate and give me 200% every time we train. A dog who picks things up very quickly. A dog who I have had every opportunity to make sure has solid foundations but yet she is 9 months old and does very little.
All my grand plans I had since long before I was able to get a second dog pretty much went out the window when she arrived.
Its amazing how big a fear of failure can kill motivation (along with a first dog who can’t stand to be left out and won’t be quiet about it).
Desire and Commitment.
That great philosopher, Anonymous, supposedly expressed one of my favorite quotes: Champions in any field have a habit of doing what others find boring or uncomfortable. Another great philosopher, Susan Garrett, smartly tweaked the expression in roughly this way: Champions in any field MAKE FUN FOR THEMSELVES what others find boring or uncomfortable.
I truly believe the difference between me and the best competitors in agility comes down to habits and reinforcement. I have not formed all the daily habits that the champions of agility have in my daily life with my dogs and I have not made it fun enough or important enough for myself to do so. Frankly, other things in my life are too fun and too important to me for me to choose to fully develop all the habits that the best-of-the-best in agility engage in regularly. But some agility successes are reinforcing enough to me to inspire me to do all sorts of dog and human training and conditioning now that I never would have dreamed of doing ten years ago.
But I truly believe habits and reinforcement are the key (or the missing link, depending on perspective I suppose) for me and my dogs to reach goals in the sport of dog agility and I believe if I had all the habits and reinforcements that dog agility champions have that I and my dogs would see those same successes. I’m not being arrogant, nor do I think I’m kidding myself. I just think habits and reinforcement are that important and that effective. I also acknowledge that the dogs I currently have are blessed with a certain degree of innate talents and skills that, were I to employ the habits and reinforcements of the best-of-the-best in agility, my dogs could meet my efforts with their skills and desires and we’d see more success. I do not have three-legged-blind-dogs, in other words, who would, regardless of my efforts, be unable to rise to the top ranks of dog agility. In other words, I believe my dogs are physically talented enough that the only things holding them back from top level agility success are my habits and reinforcements.
Great question. Hmm Susan asking a question like this…is it a trick question? Am I supposed to answer that if I wanted to be the best, I could be – I just need to own it? Or maybe a list of why I’m not, or won’t ever be? No, that would just sound like lame excuses.
I’ll own this excuse. What separates me from the top competitors in the world? My history shows that if I want something badly enough, I find a way to get it. So I can only assume that I don’t want to be the best in the world, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to be the best I can be. So what separates me is the drive to be the best. With that, I would find the time, the money, and probably a new body.
Thank goodness that my dog Dream has been sequestered on the Canadian Prairies most of her life and in her narrow world, she thinks I AM the best. That’s a pretty good place to start, isn’t it?
What a great question. 🙂
I’m sure there are tons of dogs that have just the right lines to be stellar at agility, yet a rescue mutt can be the best in the world. I’m blessed to have an awesome Aussie and her natural drive and love to work makes her a fantastic partner. What makes her different – better – faster – more competitive than everyone else in the world?
We play our own game. Each day our game is different. Sometimes it’s a better down on table or a tough weave entry. And we win. I could spend all day wondering if she’ll be faster than that border or will have a pause or spin where she shoudln’t. Sometimes I do. 🙂 Then I remember.
Agility for us is love, play, connection, challenge, fun! We are the best in the world at that.
WOW… good question. Something to really think hard about. What DOES separate me from the others? Hmm…. Hard to say really, unless I know these handlers personally. I find it hard to look at someone and then try to figure our differences as I don’t know how they train, nor what state of mind, spiritual (if any) and physical shape they are in. I know for myself that the sky is NOT the limit nor are the stars. I just keep reaching and wanting to be better. Is there ever an end to that? Nor should there be? 🙂
It’s funny that you posted this question as I have been on another agility type yahoo list and we were talking about why our breed hasn’t seen the success that it should because it certainly has successes overseas. Some people said my dog was the EXCEPTION to the rule… how funny… I don’t see that at all. I see limitations with training and the people who handle our breed not the dog (provided the dog is healthy etc.)!
If it is something I really want, I just don’t see the obstacles for me or my dog and I don’t see the “I cannot do it”. Maybe I was fortunate to grow up in an incredibly sporting environment in Australia where, as a female, I as never told I couldn’t do something. I just needed to find a way to do it.. and get going on DOING IT!!
Maybe that’s what separates me.
What separates me from top level competitors? I think it is my poor timing, usually just a smidge too late, and my inability to break down a behavior into the absolute smallest pieces. I tend to be a lumper instead of a splitter if you know what I mean. I think that lack of record keeping plays a role too. I have a background in science and understand the importance of keeping detailed information logs, I’m just not disciplined enough to do it. I love my dogs for putting up with me!
I think you need the “full package”. The dog, the mindset, athletic ability, and the ability to function well under high stress and changing conditions.
I believe the mental game may be the biggest challenge and the one that I would have to work on most to be part of a world team.
What separates me is that I think of agility as a bonding experience to share with my husband since trialing is not an option for me at the moment. When I first became involved in agility, he would go with me to class, he was actively involved in our agility club, etc. Since then, he has become disabled and is no longer able to walk. He is, however, still very keen on working with the dogs whenever possible. So instead of setting my goals towards competing, I am setting my/our goals for keeping the bond that is important to me, my husband, and our dogs.
It’s all about the dog.
What can I really say? I’m not a great competitor though I’m surrounded by them in my area. Some of them have been/are my instructors. I keep trying to focus on what is really important with each of my dogs.
Luke, it’s all about flyball, he lives to play the game. And at 10 years of age he is still running as fast as he always has.
Daisy, it’s about how far she’s come. Her fear of men, her fear of new things and strange surfaces underfoot. She has rally titles from AKC and APDT and hopefully will soon finish our AKC Rally Excellent title. She loves to work and work with me.
Roo, my sight impared double merle aussie. My service dog when I need help, a willing obedience and rally partner and despite his limited vision still managed to earn a few agility titles. Biddability is his middle name. There is a constant, “What now mom?”
Adam, the dog who showed me that no matter what -I- want some dogs are happiest laying on someone’s lap.
Masi, my aussie puppy. Once again so much promise, but he is still an aussie and we will be working through his issues first while training for his future as my next performance dog.
Danny, the dog I wasn’t sure was really going to do agility. He didn’t handle pressure well. Today he lives for agility having earned titles in AKC, UKC, CPE and USDAA. We are currently on track for him to earn his CPE CATCH. He has the highest rally titles available in APDT and AKC. And if I ever get -my- butt in gear we will finish our Open obedience titles before he has to retire.
Nothing happens with any of them unless it is in their best interest. I’ve seen too many out there run dogs beyond their ability. And I admit, Roo was borderline when it came to agility. I refuse to run a dog who physically cannot handle it. I’ll retire a dog before putting them through physical or mental damage. It’s not about me, my accomplishments, it’s about the dog and all that matters in the end of the day is the relationship between me and my dog.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/geekboy_from_illinois/2558955769/in/set-72157605486170214/
Ambition.
2 things separate me & my dog…
first, I would have to say my dog is better trained than most dogs that compete in his height at the national & international level. (thanks Susan, Greg, Laura, Lynda, Susan S.!) That certainly separates us – as our teamworks continues to improve, it comes down to this – *if* I execute the handling correctly, he is a contender for a spot on the podium.
And, I believe in my dog and I believe in my handling system and I believe in the Say Yes training methods and I believe I can learn to execute at the highest levels… how many “top” people can say they truly believe? (Thanks, Greg L for teaching me to believe and for Bob Bailey for continuing to remind us to believe!)
second, my fitness is different – lots of top international handlers are very fit (and tall, but I can’t do anything about my height) so I need to get off the computer and go work out! Ciao!
The garden gate — you should see my dogs in the backyard… 🙂
I don`t won`t to be the best in the world. So simple is that 🙂 My dog can probably be the best agilitydog in the world, so it stands not on the dog.
What separates me and my dogs from the top competitors in agility is confidence. I have very little confidence in myself as a trainer. I am always worried about not training something perfect so, I just don’t train it at all. It’s not that I don’t want to. I have a great desire to train. I have read probably in excess of 20 dog training books. I have multiple DVDs and videos and have even been to training seminars but, when it comes to training my dogs I let my fear of not being perfect keep me from trying at all. I always think I need to read that one more book or watch that one more DVD before I am ready to finally try something. I just want to make sure I have as much information going into my training as possible. When I do try, the first sign that things are not going as planned and I shut down and give up.
It’s funny that you would chose this topic today because it was today that I finally came to that realization. I got your weave pole DVD a couple of weeks ago. I have watched it (no joke) at least a dozen times. I have a brand new set of 2×2 weave poles sitting in the living room and I still have not even attempted to train them. It’s not that I don’t want to, I just don’t want to mess them up. I have downloaded and printed both e-books you had on your website about the 2×2 training and I have started my own notebook with notes I have taken while watching the DVD (which was pointless really because everything is there in the e-books) but, still I am afraid to start working on training the weaves in case I mess them up.
I’m not much of a “New Years Resolution” kind of person but, today I made a resolution to myself. I will not let my fear of not being perfect get in my way of training my dogs. I got into training because I loved working with my dogs. I have so much fun training them. I just need to remember that and focus on the fun.
There is nothing stopping my dogs from being up there with the top competitors other then me. They are not without their issues but, they are both extremely talented dogs. Their abilities are limited only by my abilities as a trainer. When the trainer is to scared to even try, that limits them a lot! Tomorrow is a new day though and tomorrow we are going to start our weave pole training!!
So, my quote of the day comes from that Little Engine that could “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!” :o)
I think what separates me as a competitor in the sport of dog agility, from the best competitors in the world – is simply that, I am where I should be at this time in my journey with my dog. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason — and that all is as it should be right now. For whatever reason, at this time, it is not the right time for me to be the best competitor in the world…. It is not about my skills, my desires, my goals or my dog’s talent… it’s about being where I am supposed to be, right now … and I am happy and grateful to simply be here 🙂
The difference is Consistency!
As a green handler I went from flailing my arms like a windmill to gradually learning signals that told my dog where to go. She did her best to try to figure out just what I wanted her to do but what a journey it has been for the 2 of us!
When I look at top handlers I see clear handling that the dog understands and trusts. I see the same signals meaning the same thing all the time. I see a dance–with both partners knowing all the steps.
I see smoothness and clarity as they move through a course.
The biggest differnce however is that I am watching top handlers to try to emulate them and they are looking at me hoping that they never looked this bad!
I love this sport!
oops premature posting.
The trainer that I don’t want to be is the kind that wants perfection at all costs, where the ends justify the means.
I have been blessed with two very different dogs. One who is very soft and wants to please, and one who wants to do what he wants and in all honesty I sometimes just want to give up on.
Although he has been challenging he has really changed me as a person.
Before Brodie I was a perfectionist and wanted obedieince because ‘I said so’. Brodie has taught me to have patience and consistency in everything I do with him. Which has carried over into my everyday life. I can now take myself above a frustrating situation and disect what is really going on and work through the diffculties that come up in every day life with my dogs and life.
So when asked the question of what really separates the elite from the everyday competitors are the ans lessons that the dogs have taught them on their journey.
I hope one day I can be considered an ‘elite’ but I’m looking forward to the lessons that my dogs have for me in the future.
I am fairly new to agility but came from an equestrian background, which in all honesty are very different in many ways and have taught me many lessons about the trainer that I don’t want to be.
Wow what a loaded question??
Since losing my last dog at a young age I have had very valuable life lesson in goal setting vs reality. I truly dont think there is anything “special” that separates those at the top vs those that wanna be. It simply comes down to one’s personal desires vs their ability to succeed OR stand in their own way.
First I believe you must throw out all the things that make teams unequal such as one’s physical fitness and or fitness of their dog. One’s income or lack there of, and ones access to space etc. All things considered equal an able bodied dog and handler the true separation lies in the baggage of the handler.
I have found with students time and time again that if greed gets in the way of building a solid understanding that the extrinsic rewards that can be grabbed quickly with a fast young dog are exactly the death of that team later on. How many times have we witnessed a dog with blazing speed and drive just scream through a novice course and think WOW!!! Next the dog moves up and disaster starts to develop. Since no understanding of foundation work took place the dog loses trust in its handler each run. The dog either takes the opportunity to please itself (self reward) or starts to shut down do to a lack of understanding of task which results in a lack of value. The young dog appears to be the “smartest ever” as it seems to have met criteria to certain degree. The top competitors dont guess on their dogs level of understanding, they proof and prove it. The wanna be handler many times does not take the time to test understanding, in the rush to compete many raise criteria too quick.
Another point that separates the top from those that try and never get there is hard to put into words but I will give it a shot. Dog training as much as we would like is not a recipe that can be followed. People that strive to get to the top will fall short if they simply try to mimic those that got there ahead of them. Cracked me up to see all the handlers that suddenly felt the need to hold their dog by the scruff at the startline when the first Derrett video hit the market. This is just one example of the human end trying to gain success by mimicking an action instead of stepping outside that box to see what exactly that dog needs. This is not just an agility only problem, we humans tend to idolize those that have success that we would like to achieve and that is dangerous.
My last dog suffered from all the above as a result of me exhibiting the very symptoms I have been fortunate to recognize in my students. I failed this dog when I rushed criteria, was impressed with his “super powers” as a puppy, and sought out the newest fads in handling without regard to foundation work. Many people when they speak to me about my boy state that it was his illness and his uncontrollable epilepsy that stopped his success. While indeed the disease took him from me, it was me who stood in the way of his true potential. This life lesson dog has changed my outlook to make certain while my goals with my next puppy (hopefully to be in my home spring of 2009) are high that I dont lose sight of the moments we are given. Each interaction with our dog is a world team run, and as handlers we must remember that. We must cherish the reason why we decided to get a dog and it should not be to sit on top of some podium. We must be strong enough in knowing our relationship and all things equal trust ourselves in knowing that we CAN do the BEST we can in the TIME we are given. We must be strong enough to recognize what is best for our dogs EVEN if it goes against what some expert feels especially when it comes to motivation and value.
One of my favorite things to do is to watch the interaction of dogs and handlers that post their runs from a variety of dog sports on you tube. When seeing runs where there seems to be a team of 1 out there dog/handler so connected that the cues are almost imperceivable there is no better. That seemless communication built on clear critera, understanding of drives, and value for working with you is indeed what separates those at the top from those that dont quite make it there.
To get to the top we must look beyond the “sport” of choice and remember the living breathing partner we have chosen for the journey. The joy shown by the dog as it participates in its favorite activity should still be there in competition or we have failed. We must learn to operate on a level beyond just what we see, we must feel!
Thanks Susan for the opportunity to chat!
Special thanks to my boy Benson who while only with me a short time taught me lessons that will forever shape all the relationships in my life.
What seperates me from the best in the world? Time, knowledge, experience and cold hard cash!!! I am very new to agility and am very proud of what my first competition dog and I are achieving together. I am well aware that I am at the very beginning of a wonderful journey and I am making every effort to savour each step of the way.
When I sit and reflect on what I have learnt in just a couple of summers of competing with my wonderful Nell, I am pretty blown away! When I think about how much more I need to learn – the list is sooo long!
I am so very lucky to have two phenominal firends to train with (though it would be nice if they lived closer)and access to fantastic information. Every time we train together these days there is more positive energy and more clarity in our training. Slowly but surely, we are becoming better dog trainers and I know that the huge gap that seperates us from the best is getting a little smaller all the time.
We all know that any future successes will be built on the strong relationships we are building with each other and with our dogs. It is so fantastic to have eyes who care about you watching and providing feedback.
I know full well that any limitations on achievement will ultimately be self imposed.
Thanks for all the wonderful information and anacdotes in the blog.
Enjoy the sun for us,
Catherine from chilly NB
My first agility dog had a tremendous natural ability for running and jumping and a desire to please. She loved agility. We got MX and MXJ titles. I have recently started training my young dog. I became disatisfied with the training methods and started with a different instructor. She has introduced us to a more open, less rigid method of training and is teaching me to let my dog be more independent. So I feel what has held me back is a lack of trust in my dog. We still need to have a partnership but I don’t have to be overly controlling. Also, I have to be more open to different methods of handling so that I give my dog the best advantage at every obstacle. With this new instructor, I am enthused about agility again. I don’t believe the saying that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks; I am 66 – I hope an old handler can learn new tricks.
I believe that two key factors separate me, as a competitor in the sport of dog agility, from the best competitors in the world. Level of experience and personal goals.
I am fairly new to the sport of dog Agility. I only began to compete in Agility in August of 2007 and, honestly, I did not take it very seriously. I just wanted to try it for the sake of trying it.
I got into Agility in the first place quite blindly. My husband and I purchased a Border Collie puppy in 2001 and the breeder did Agility with her dogs. She had the father of the pups do weave poles and I thought it was “neat” and decided right there that I wanted my puppy to do that.
This particular puppy – who taught me almost everything I know about dogs and dog training – did not turn out to be a suitable Agility dog for a novice handler. He had too low of a stimulation threshold, and I did not know how to handle it. We eventually dropped out of Agility and I got into other sports with him – Rally and Freestyle – which were more suitable for him and I as a team.
A couple of years after I dropped out of Agility with my Border Collie, I took an Advanced Basic Obedience class with my female mix, and we learned just a few pieces of Agility equipment in there. We had quite the time convincing her that it was worth her while to go through a short tunnel and I laughed and said she would never be an Agility dog. The joke was on me when she got extremely bored doing Rally and I put her into an Agility class because “she didn’t hate Agility”!!
This dog, a Lab/Border Collie mix, does not have very much natural drive for Agility and I still didn’t really know much about what I was doing, but we continued in class because she enjoyed the “mom time” and she liked to go to class – even if the Agility itself didn’t interest her a whole lot.
A couple of years into this, our classmates started to compete and the focus of the class turned more to competition. I felt left out and decided to try competition with her to keep up with my classmates. Also, I found amusement in the irony of my couch potato, no drive, Agility-is-OK mutt competing.
Again, the joke was on me. I was hooked after our second competition. We got off to a slow start, but before long she had a couple of Q’s and a couple of titles and I realized what a treasure of an Agility dog I had, after all!
After competing with her for about a year, I began to take it more seriously and do more training with her outside of class and to focus on her fitness, etc. However, in spite of the fact that I am totally interested in competing now, and even got another dog to run, I am still very much the beginner.
To be fair, I don’t know any top level Agility handlers personally, but I would be willing to wager that if you stacked the average top level handler’s level of dog training and competition experience up against mine, it would be evident that my level of experience is considerably less.
This brings me to the second difference – goals. It is not in the scope of my goals to train my dogs to the level of being among the best competitors in the world. It’s kind of like the difference between an Olympic baseball player and someone who is very happy playing locally on weekends in the summer.
I like the local Agility scene. I enjoy going to competitions. I enjoy the time with my dogs and working toward very small goals with them. It’s not really in my nature to work to be “the best” in Agility.
Sometimes my own instructor is a little surprised that I don’t have more of a desire to “win”, but really I am very content to focus on my dog’s enjoyment of the sport, my enjoyment of the sport with my dog, and being the best that we can be on a very casual level.
I definitely have competition goals for certain Q’s and titles, but compared to the best in the world, they are quite small goals! Even if, to me and my dogs, these goals and working toward them are a very big deal.
Experience and Dedication are the two major things that make me different from the best competitors in the world.
Having a dog with natural talent helps but I have one of those it’s just me that lacks the skill. I can see in on her face “ What are you doing woman? Do you even have a clue?” LOL
It is very easy to make excuses. It’s to hot, It’s to cold, I don’t have the time, I don’t the equipment. PFFFT Excuses is all they are. There are so many activities that you can do indoors, in a small amount of space, in a small amount of time. Only those really dedicated to their training can gain enough experience to go a long way in Agility.
Training conditions, I’d have to say. I live in northern Norway, a poorly executed underhand toy throw from the North Pole, and with 9 months of heavy winter and a dog club without indoor facilities, I must say that I catch myself pondering what our agility would look like if we’d had access to a sports arena or something like that. Not that it prevents us from trying the best we can!
Thanks for this blog Susan, it’s priceless in an environment where guest instructors and sunshine are scarce!
Time– I believe this to be the only thing that seperates me from the best compeititors in the world. I believe in myself, my ability and my dogs. I believe that each of my dogs has made me a stronger handler and trainer – they have shaped me to believe that I owe it to them to be the best.
I have great supporters who also believe in me. My friends and family that know with continued proper training I will achieve all of my dreams, with their constant support we are unstopable.
So there really is nothing different between myself and the top competitors in the world. I know that in my heart we are the best, I also know my dog thinks I am the best so it must be true……
I will be there achieving all of my goals – in due time.
What separates me from the best in the world? Time to train, access to equipment and access to top class instructors. I don’t aspire to be the best competitor in the world, I just want to have fun with my funny little girl and enjoy the company and success of my agility friends. The only aspiration I do have is for my dog and I to be the best team she and I can be.
Great question. I suspect that if you asked this at club here, you would get a range of answers, mostly concerning all the excuses under the sun regards the lack of time people have, the unfairness of any given system, the gear that doesn’t suit their dog!
My thoughts? I believe that with the right dog not too much separates me from the top competitors in the world. (Apart of course from my current lack of fitness due to injury).
I do believe that natural talent of the dog does have an influence but not nearly as much of an influence as most people would care to believe. A good trainer can take a dog 90% of the way there – its that last 10% that might make the difference between a World Class dog and a very very good one.
I think something similar goes for hanlders – most anyone can master the turns, the technical stuff, it is that last little piece of the puzzle which truely gifted handlers contribute which stands them above others. True magic occurs when this gifted handler/trainer is matched with the gifted dog.
Fiona Hodgson
NZ
Susan I have had a good think about this question over my dinner and I did comtemplate writing all the negative thoughts I had when I compare myself to “the best in the world”. But thats not me, I wouldn’t have gotten anywhere if I always concetrated on the negative stuff so here is my answer to your question:
“Nothing”. Nothing seperates me and my dogs from the best competitors in the world. I strive to compete along side you and the best competitors in the world and perhaps one day I will be so good that I can give someone as glorified as you an autographed copy of my book.
Until that day I will continue to train hard, follow good advice and work my butt off!
Kenny Spottiswoode
What separates me from top competitors is multi-faceted. It involves experience, confidence, timing of cues, trusting my dog, solidifying the working relationship, skill development, fitness and nutrition, and making the most of my training sessions.
In the top competitors I consistently see this unique bond of mutual respect and admiration between dog and handler. They have a synchrony of movement, which makes their work appear effortless. To me, that is what is most impressive. It is readily apparent that these teams LOVE what they’re doing, and each other. I believe that by achieving that sort of relationship, the titles and Q’s will come. I know this is the result of a lot quality time and training.
Well there are other obstacles such as working full time, managing a household independently, available access to training space (I live in town with approx. 30’ x 30’ working space) and financial restraints. But these are easily used as “excuses”, and can impede progress if used as such.
It never seems that there is enough time in the day to work through my long list of goals. When it comes to competition, I’m working on developing a calm and assertive confidence, to prevent my dog from “stressing up”.
Due to limited space and time, I am trying to make my training as efficient as possible when I rent space. I write out my list of drills and goals for each training session so that I arrive with a plan. I track progress, successes and failures, and determine where to start (and stop) the next training session.
Brio is a red tri, tailed Aussie, and the dog of my dreams. She earned her CGC at 7 months, and went through 16 weeks of Rally Obedience to establish a working bond in a fun and controlled fashion. We began games and tricks that would transfer into agility from 8-1/2 weeks old, utilizing many of the puppy games from your book. I also found the book by Bobby Anderson (Building Blocks for Performance) to be highly useful. I certainly could be spending a lot more time on these foundational skills.
I often apologize to my poor dog for having me as her handler. Luckily she is young (22 months), knows nothing different, and loves her mamma. She has endless potential and drive, but I am relatively new to the sport. My first agility dog was a Labrador Retriever, lacking drive and confidence. We competed through MX, MXJ, 20 double Q’s and a NATCH in NADAC. She was a rescue dog with a lot of fear and confidence issues. We began agility to help her overcome some of these problems. It was the best thing I have ever done. Needless to say, I was hooked on agility and wanted a “real agility dog”. Well be careful what you wish for, because I certainly have that dog now (at age 51). I’m having the time of my life!