shades of grey

(a little more Jane Savoie) (and some cool pictures I didn't know I had on a computer)

One of her key concepts is that attitude is a choice. Something I profoundly believe in anyhow. Watching people die with grace and dignity and humour does that maybe. Many people in agility/obedience/dog sport land get obsessed with a q or a placement. I see it on blogs, I see it ringside. But to q or not to q, to place or not to place is awfully black and white. If we can see in shades of grey we can actually identify progression (or regression); identify things to train; see how our dogs are feeling; identify our personal strengths or weaknesses separate to our dogs. It just makes to much sense to me.

See the black and white for sure - after all that's how our dogs see things. (NOTHING grey in Sally world let me tell you - or she'll tell you and she's a lot louder than me).
Did you get the contact or not? Did the cross you used get the desired result? But consider the grey too .. you felt awful leaving the ring as you had a fly off the teeter but your dog held a start line stay better than ever. You won the class and got the q but you thought your dog missed a contact. Both cases are cause for the same work to be done but if you don't notice grey you might not do your homework properly.


A good to school yourself to see grey is to ask questions.
Was my posture better?
Was I in the right place for the cross?
Did my dog hold a steady start line stay?
Was my contact/weaving criteria met? was it better than last time?
When I warmed my dog up did he stretch better and stay more relaxed then last time?
Did I remember the course more easily than last time?
Did I stay more focused than last time?
Did I reward my dog for every effort that was closer to what we were looking for?
Did I feel like I was having a better dialogue with my dog? That is, I was a bit clearer in what I was asking him to do, and he understood me better.
Did I think throughout the majority of my run?

and so on ...

happy grey Sunday to you all :)

basic concept for this is from Jane Savoie as stated - specific examples here: http://www.barnmice.com/profiles/blogs/heres-how-to-have-a-great-ride