Just DO Agility!
03 Jun 2015
I sometimes get questions from novice handlers asking about preparing for competition and especially about getting stressed out at competitions. Stress and anxiety they happen to us all.
But you know what? The more you do it the easier it gets.
You will make mistakes.
You will learn from those mistakes and know what to expect and then you’ll know what to do.
You will forget things (collar on? collar off? brought your dog? entered in the trial/run? treats? crate? the course sequence?)
You will find that the trial tests your skills and uncovers your weaknesses and then you’ll work on improving those skills.
You’ll train out the “but we can’t” excuses and you will become a better team.
You’ll hang out with people who support you and your goals (and you’ll stay away from the rest).
And the whole experience will get easier. The packing, travel, hotel, trial check in, course walk throughs, warm up, run, cool down; all will become things you know how to do and with practice will become second nature.
Because if you do anything enough times you will own it!
You can move past the anxiety and overcome the stress with one important mantra:
Just DO Agility!
Read what other Dog Agility Bloggers have to say about stress in dog agility!
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