WAO 2013- team Argentina
Working with dogs, it means a lot of patience and a strong will. What do you will add to this list?
I know it sounds cheesy, but.. LOVE. I was watching an inspirational video some weeks ago, and a phrase got stuck in my head“ If you don’ t love what you do, you’ re going to fail”. This applies to absolutely everything, not only agility. Dogs test your patience and will of course; they are living, breathing beings that have feelings and a mind of their own, and it took me a while to truly understand this and keep it in mind to work-with- them. Developing that kind of silent understanding you have with your agility dog, the type of mute communication when you can tell what’ s going on by just looking into your dog’ s eyes, is simply magic for me.
What are your major strengths and weaknesses?
Wow. It’ s a rather good question. Lets see.. Weaknesses, the biggest one is my work schedule. I get home around 6:30pm, sometimes too tired to do any training, so maybe I end up taking Marvel and Bliss for a good 2 hour playtime at our local park. I may spend a day thinking of the bazillion things I’ m going to train with my dogs, but sometimes I have too much work and my brain is fried by the time I get home, so a walk at the local park and playing with the girls is all I do if I’ m in that state of mind. I need to be more regular and le“ messy” about my training( I don’ t keep written records for example, and I recently starte recording sessions with my newest pup). My biggest strength, I suppose, is that despite n having everything I train written on paper, I tend to teach everything step by step, hardly skipping one unless the dog is showing me they can. I’ m not in a hurry to see the finished result, so I start by very small things, and build from there. Also it’ s helped me that, so far my dogs’ breeds, personalities and temperaments have been very, extremely different so far, so it’ s never the same formula with them either. I love challenges.
“ If you don’ t love what you do, you’ re going to fail”