[Mary BonDurant]

Hi Diane,

I really got into this and have really been reading and re-reading the material so I can hopefully ask my questions in a precise way ,without confusion for you. I may over analyzed some of this and if I have please let me know.

Some areas I am still wrapping my brain around. But here is my start..

Rule #2 must be in position in time for dog to adjust stride- Now if I am understanding this and putting things together correctly… this is were the “Anchor ” part of the FC plays a major role especially if doing a moving or stationary execution???

Rule # 3 eyes on dog : turning cues need strong connection between handler and dog —–
There have been many times I don’t feel that I have even had my eyes on the dog ,do to just trying into get into position and get the cross in. So this is where the dog really needs to understand my body language, the turn, the handling moves besides the handler having confidence in the dog that he will know what needs to be done ??
Your video’s have helped give more of an idea of what your talking about concerning eyes on dog. But what if you have a very tight course in trying to get a FC in ?

Guidelines: NO FOOT RACE – I felt like that was describing me over 90% of the time in trying to achieve the FC or any cross. I had a nice chuckle in trying to think of the numerous times I have said to myself ” need to haul ass to get in position” Majority of the time I got it done and I am not sure if its comforting to know that is not right!! 😉

Avoid FC traps: I understand this to a point and yes I have had judges that do what you have described. This in a nut shell is the fact if you can’t get rotation done correctly you can send your dog off course?? So don’t attempt it.
Your example has both intrigued/ baffled me ” FC inside a box of obstacles”?? Will there be a map/picture some where in lesson to help me understand this better? I don’t think I have ever done that ??

3 COMPONENTS — 1.) Trigger – does this always include sending the dog out to get some distance btw you and the dog? What would the be the difference I selecting a specific object or handling line as to where to be at to do the FC??

2.) Anchor– will the ‘X’ always be found between two obstacles where a FC is to be executed? Can I assume that with practice one will be able to key in on the area/ obstacle as far as where they need to be?

3.)execution – now watching your video in the week 1 drill sets the second FC was stationary and it appeared to me that you were for a brief moment right on the dogs path for that FC. Is this normal for a Stationary FC?

I am soooo happy that you included some drill sets and explained them plus video.. As to what We can work on to help me provide more education to my boys in what I am wanting. Besides give me some practice sequences for myself. I really appreciate the slow motion you put in that is really helpful.

Now Before I even attempt the course analysis I want to be sure I am understanding all this correctly.

Mary and the boys

[Mary BonDurant]

Tracy,

You are the TOPS!! Thank you in letting the course run over a couple extra weeks.
I will definitely make a point to get to my local dog club and do the daily 18 challenge this weekend.
You have me really EXCITED about getting a chance to share with you how things workout in the next two trials. I have already printed out two ( one for each boy) workbooks. Making a rough outline from the various sections of the course with definitions ect. I am really stoked in putting this into use. That is super nice of you to give me a chance to discuss it with you.

Thank you Thank you!!
Mary and the boys

[Mary BonDurant]

Hi Tracy,

I wish this course wasn’t ending so fast. I really wanted to do Day 18 Daily challenge upload a video and discuss it with you. 🙁

Quick mention on day 19 Mental prep “NO Last minute pre event changes” I have never understood why people do this. I want to see what we have been working on over several weeks is being learned and understood. So I know what area’s I need to go back to in our training.

WOW Daily challenge FIGHT FOR IT! – I have done this in practice for years and had no idea there was a name for it!! I have found that doing this really gets me into the feeling I have before stepping up to the line at natls especially. CRT I am thinking I should include this before just regular trials. I found doing this with Toby we were able to connect no matter how nervous I was and knowing he could sense it or feel it I honestly think helped us both in the connection especially at natl level. probably sounds way out there.

Day 20 is there a definition of rhythm handling?? When watching the video’s I could kind a see a difference in what you were talking about. Is there a definition on ” dog’s rhythm “? I am assuming it pertains to dogs strides when running and doing obstacles.?!?

Which got me to thinking I have figured out how fast it takes my boys to do each obstacle so I can plan my timing right for when to buzzer will go off for a game and where I want to be to start the next part of the game which usually has to do with distance work. Do you do this? Where in my preparedness check list would you think it would or should fit in at?

I really liked the 8 keys to mental toughness… I am going to had that to my day before trial routine as a good reminder. 🙂

Run reminder challenge – so run reminders are the specific list of needs for each dog which would include in performance goals ( where I perform the cues ect correctly to dog so he understands what needs to be done at that moment)

EX: Tanner : make eye contact before releasing him at start line, when release at start line he runs then I move, include verbal cues, trust Tanner that he understands what we have been training.

Buddy : same first 3 , talk to him to keep him focus on me and not others, praise him when enter weaves correctly.
Right??

Very Interesting about body posture and effects on the chemicals in the brain that produce positive and negative.

On the success pyramid – we have covered a LOT !! wow so can I assume that in the future there will be a part two to mental preparedness??

Defiantly going to be thinking about symbolic actions I can use to help me let go of ugly runs. Do you have any that you use?

I want to thank you for this class. It has been an eye opener besides a huge enlightenment for me. I feel that I have learned a ton and wish that after the next two weekends of trialing I could really discuss with you what I discovered in trying these new things. Besides being sure I really have the understanding of it all on the various parts. Your input has been wonderful and very greatly appreciated.

Mary & the boys

[Mary BonDurant]

Hi Tracy ,
Okay to be sure I understand it correctly : Run reminders ( #3 goal setting – C ) would be a specific list like – Tanner = distance ,verbal cues, body specific cueing , A – frame contact verbal cue ( rrrrrrr)

Run reminders in #6 g : ( general reminders for me) before releasing from start line – eye contact, release word, dog moves then I move. or Buddy : bar setter close to jump 9 talk to buddy keep his focus

or is it the same for each # just perhaps more specific on the specific course I am running.

Which then thinking about example I used for buddy ( above) made me think that 1.) this would be a trial distraction ?? in the fact that and this would include my mind thinking : “ooohh fantastic bar setter is sitting so close to jump 9 Buddy is going to go visit” “How am I going to handle this one if I can’t keep is focus” ( which would be bad mind preparedness thought before the run because I have already started visualizing the negative in that are. Instead I should think ” woohoo a chance to work on his focus by talking more to him in that area” therefore my visualization is already thinking positive and remember what Buddy needs from me to help keep his focus when we get to that area. Which then would also include performance goals ( if he has been learning what we have been practicing with not visiting people) he will stay focus on me…Outcome goal ( what ever choice Buddy decides to do) ,,

Now when I through out Buddy example ( which is the story of my runs with buddy LOL) I noticed my breathing changing which I would need to remember to adjust while in my warm up to the line.

Is that about right in what we have been learning thus far???

okay now on to BRAVE REMINDERS: I honestly never thought that a list I started years ago on quotes would really come in handy for a class. I refer to many of them , some I have already memorized.. but woohoo lol!!

ALL the wonders you seek are within yourself – Sir Thomas Browne

We do not remember days we remember moments _ Cesare Paverse

Faith doesn’t get you around trouble , it gets you through it. — touch by angel
Sometimes endings are just opportunities — touch by angel

The shortest distance between two points is always under construction — Leo Aikman

Nothing is impossible the word itself says ” I’m Possible”!! – Audrey Hepburn

The Lord is with me, I will not be afraid. – Psalm 118:6

Another quick question I print out a few days ahead so I can read them in my free time or time I have allotted for study. Is there Suppose to be something written on Day 21 “Practical routines summing up” ? Cause there is nothing there.

I can’t get it figured out how to upload just the picture. IT keeps asking to enter to the url of the image and its just a jpeg image. MMM.. any other ideas.? ooh wait I just remembered that we are friends on fb I will send you a message with the picture of You Toby and I there.

Have a great day !!
Mary & the boys

[Mary BonDurant]

HI Tracy,

I appreciate your input and experience about distractions. I hadn’t thought about the differences between dogs along with continued learning and experiences I have had over the years. I have learned much before and after Toby’s passing. Yes I am sure you have guessed he was my first agility dog. Tanner is my second and well our journey has been frustrating , challenging for both of us and he has definitely forced me get out of my comfort zone so I can continue to still grow and learn. Honestly if it wasn’t for Tanner I would still be in a bad spot with my grief for Toby. Buddy we inherited from my brother and he is good dog with his own challenges where I am needing his confidence to build is coming along. I have had a couple judges this past year especially say to me you know they are both great agility dogs but if you could put them together man you would have an out of this world agility dog. I chuckle and say yep and I would name him Toby. Its interesting how My Toby is still living on through the next generation. I still have the picture of the 3 of us from 2012 and yes it was in June. If you would like I can share it with you. Its one of many treasured photos.

Anyway I am going to try and notice this area for me at our next trial.. there is distractions I am probably not really aware of them.

As far as other hobbies or things I do in my life. I have booths in two different antique malls so getting out and searching at garage sales for items is fun and I always seem to come across something that I can use in training with the boys (lol). Besides doing some research on items that I pick up is always interesting for the antique malls. I do have my church family and there are times I seem to be busy doing things for the church which is I find or doing things with different members of my church. My youngest brother has just recently retired from the air force and moved back into the state with his 3 adorable, wild and crazy little boys. Now I if I saw them every day I would probably drop several pounds just trying to keep up with them. lol

I have an older brother who has this past year gotten a dog and started obedience training with it. I have enjoyed listen and talking with him on his first journey of actually training a dog. He has always had dogs but he is on a new adventure and now they inherited a 9 month old dog that is really keeping them hopping. He is so eager to learn what else he can do with his BFF so I have introduced him to canine conditioning , agility, rally and various games to play. I have really been enjoying sitting back and enjoying this ride. I have various family around the area that I get together with. I have taken some seminars on what to do in various weather emergency situations. I do help with some research at the local university. Which is always interesting.

Before I forget again on the practical routines #3 goal setting – c. run reminders ( that would be my list of strengths for each boy ?) and that would be the same for #6 walk through routines/reminders – g: run reminders for the specific course ( where cueing at and handling moves btwn this obstacle and that obstacle)

Thanks
Mary n the boys

[Mary BonDurant]

HI Tracy,
I think you have flipped my light bulb on!!
Performance Goals: scenario -” there is two jumps then a turn with a tunnel and jump next to tunnel. I am wanting Tanner to take the jump instead of tunnel.”
“Now to have my body language indicate that we are turning tight, with a slight pause on my pivot & my arm dropping next to me when Tanner is 3 strides from jump and then saying my verbal cue “here” when he is two strides from jump.”

Performance goal : my body and verbal cue’s timing being accurate in the correct spot in communicating to Tanner to take jump. Which he takes the jump ( we party for that perfect team work :performance goal ( my timing in communicating with Tanner) and outcome goal (Tanner taking the jump). OR
Now even tho my timing was right on Tanner can’t help himself he just has to take that bright red tunnel !! My performance goal is my timing of cueing however the outcome goal is Tanner taking the tunnel.

Release Valve – Wow !! here a friend and I have a code word that we will say to one another before going to the line if we are really nervous /stressed. To help keep things in perspective in the run. I had no idea there was a word for it!! Awesome 🙂

connecting to the line – YES!! I totally get it now and your correct that I do have one , I had no idea there was a name for it !!! 😉

Reframing- Yes your examples were perfect.. doesn’t matter what is going on at that moment with one/few persons, there is still no cure for cancer. or my best example that my brain relates to ” it didn’t matter how many titles, and agility runs Toby achieved/had his last year of life, the fact remained Cancer would still be taking My Toby.”

I hope it sounds like I have it.. Cause I felt the light bulb come on !! If not please keep trying to get through to me.

Mary and the boys

[Mary BonDurant]

Hi Tracy,
I appreciate your input in locking into a color.. I have had courses where every jump was the same color and I end up counting each obstacle which can be very distracting.. So I think that learning to memorize and visualize especially is going to be really helpful when those same color courses pop up.

You made me feel soooo much better and all your fantastic suggestions are extremely helpful when dealing with those negative individuals. I honestly am surprised you even have to deal with it negative people so it is not just me out here. I think in some ways its worse that it was just a few years ago. But it just depend on the dog.
I was practicing today in the self talk , visualization and my affirmations and started to include your suggestions in my visualization.

As many people you meet and do seminars for I know you can’t remember everyone. But in 2012 I had an opportunity to meet you and attend two seminars you did before CPE Nationals that year with MY Toby. I luved your sense of humor, outlook and positive feedback at those seminars. When you were sharing “favorite way of handling every negative thing the person says.. reply to it..” I could so much hear you saying those suggestions. Your suggestions of handing the leash over and tell them to run the dog, I was rolling .. there was a 6 month time frame that many people would come up and say someone said ************ ******* and I would say who? no one wanted to relay that but I had some strong ideas who it was.. So I made it known to the agility locals that I wanted to know who it was that was saying all this shit about Tanner and I, because I would be glad to give them the pleasure of running him. So they can prove to me they can handle this corvette of mine. Well the individual that I was very confident in who was saying the crap. Happened to be in one of our agility classes and they were making some broad statements in general about handlers and their dogs. I had heard enough b.s. and I walked up to her, put Tanner in her arms and said okay run him!! Here is your chance to prove to me what a great handler you are. Her Eyes got as big as saucers and she handed him back to me with “we all know he won’t run for anyone but you just like Toby!” I looked her in the eye and said “then I strongly suggest you shut your trap and if I hear another word about what a horrible person I am to Tanner, and wants to undermine what I am working on with him besides what rotten agility dog he is YOU WILL be running him at the next trial!” Well all that B.S. stopped. I try to be a very laid back easy going, open minded person but I had enough on many levels with this person. I hate to be that forceful, mean and assertive with people. I was never that vocal with people concerning Toby’s space issues. But I certainly have been when it comes to Tanner. But at that point we were working on him not escalating to be over the top nuts when running a course and stopping putting him in a down to collect before continuing on was the best I could do since there was no way I could catch him to walk him off the course.
I know that the last 2 years of the 3 years of losing My Toby have been REALLY hard on me. Toby took me on such an amazing agility journey and the people I had gotten to meet was exciting. I remember telling my husband after your seminars How much I wished Toby and I could train under you. With Toby I didn’t hear that much unwanted negative comments. With Buddy I don’t heard those negative comments.

But with Tanner it has been almost non stop.. When I adopted Tanner the plan was that I would run Toby for another 4 years and have Toby help me train Tanner in those 4 years to be ready to compete nationally again. Well it couldn’t happen. Yet from the moment I saw Tanner I knew he was the Boy to follow Toby. I saw all this potential in this 6 month old pup. He was a lot softer dog than Toby besides some corky fear issues, noise issues to overcome ( which we did except certain noises that we are still working on) Tanner was the one that really had to deal with my grief in not only my frustration but his also with me. After Toby’s second year of being gone, I finally started healing and was really ready to move forward in my life without MY Toby. I knew that this agility journey was going to be strictly Tanner’s. SSSOOOO since I could get the help I was needing in the area I decided to take online classes something way out of my comfort zone and after the first one I was HOOKED !! The feedback I was getting from agility U was so positive and instructors explained the why’s, the information WOW!!
I hope I haven’t relayed more information than what you wanted or needed. But it was nice to rattle to someone that has been there and it definitely gives me more confidence in being prepared. Thanks
Mary and the boys

[Mary BonDurant]

Hi Tracy,
I have been busy putting ALOT of thought, some research and soul searching into your input. I maybe over analyzing if so please tell me.

I would like to start off with Visualization: I have read part 1 and was really shocked how well I accomplished this in actually seeing , feeling, sounds ect. Being able to switch visualization with each boy as fast and easy as singing to my favorite song would be sssoooo awesome and completely helpful!! Now if I am thinking wrong with this please tell me and assist me in getting redirected in my thinking.

If I write down each boy’s needs as their handler when I run them. Take that and start visualizing each course running with that particular dog ( maybe pulling some old course maps out to help me with the exercise). Now I maybe dense on this but I want to be sure I am fully understanding you and this correctly.. When you talk about “lists about the needs of the dogs” it would be something like:

Buddy – struggles switching btwn handler and obstacle focus – sending him when 3 feet away to an obstacle helps him with the switch into obstacle focus
Tanner – doesn’t like close micro managing handling – focus more on verbal cues

type of things to have on my lists???

SO answering your question ” Do I have trouble making a plan for each boy?” Yes sometimes I do really struggle with this..especially IF the course has sharp turns or herky jerky spots, or when the course gets the dog’s speed really turned up then to turn around and slam on the breaks with strong handler maneuver’s with challenges of off course if you are not in that correct spot. I hope this makes sense and gives you an idea of what I am asking/relaying.

As I have gotten better and more confident how each boy runs. I have put them in the same class and may have only a couple dogs in between switching them. I can ask my instructors to have me run each one back to back in helping me with this area.

Affirmations part: I luved both of your suggestions they were so right on!!! I did come up with these:

I will focus on our successes in each run.
I will praise God when we succeed and when we fail.
I will be positive and optimistic with each run & with Tanner / Buddy
I Will be the handler/teammate my Tanner/Buddy thinks I am
I am the handler that I seek
I draw from my inner strength, knowledge and light
I trust myself
I will forgive myself for handling mistakes I make
There is a good reason why God paired me with Tanner/Buddy
I let go of worries and let the run be the best we can do
I fully approve of who I am as a handler , even as I get better

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