August 2017 Edition OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE AGILITY DOG CLUB OF SA INC. Visit our website: www.agilitydogclubsa.com Excellent Agility (400) Robyn Jackson & Hillani Regal Reko Novice Agility (400) Ashleigh Guest & Icustaf- fy Beautiful Boy Master Agility (300) Sally Millan & Donriver Platinum Edition Open Agility Snooker Dog Master Tam Holmes & Hunter Strategic Pairs Novice Janine Feil & Jadziah Real Wild Child Strategic Pairs Dog Masters Neville & Elaine Cox with Sherbrooke Fun in Rio & Sherbrooke All the Sevens Our New State Champions Master Agility (300) Excellent Agility (400)
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Our New State Champions - Agility Dog Club of SA · Ashleigh Guest & Icustaf-fy Beautiful Boy Master Agility (300) Sally Millan & ... Erin Slater Danielle Graham Chris Rivett. 5 PLACE
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Several Club members did extremely well at the recent State Agility Championships. They are all listed in the Newsletter, so congratulations to you all. The Agility Advisory Committee is working on staging the 2018 State Agility Championships at West Beach. Let’s hope that comes to fruition so we can enjoy a home ground advantage.
It was quite noticeable that entries were down for the State Agility Championships. The Committee has also noticed that entry levels in our Trials are not what they used to be. Similarly attendance at training lately has been low, to the point where there have only just been enough of us to pack up after the second session. The weather has been a factor but we do not think that’s the only reason.
Cathy Warcup recently started a discussion about this on the Agility SA Facebook page. If you have not already done so please have a look and contribute if you feel so inclined. It would be especially useful to hear the views of people who are not yet trialling or are relatively new to the sport.
We are quickly coming to the end of the Club year. The Trialling Year concludes at the end of September. After that we have our Annual General Meeting, then our Awards Presentation. These are important activities for the Club, mainly because they are the only times when we gather without it being training or a Trial.
The AGM is particularly significant because that’s when the Committee is elected. These lucky people then take on the task of managing the Club for the next twelve months. Without that the Club would not function. These tasks need people to do them. So now is the time to start thinking about whether you would be able to contribute to the running of the Club by serving on the Committee.
This year is the Club’s 25th anniversary. We will celebrate that milestone at the Twilight Trial on Saturday 25th November, because that is the closest event to the actual date. To mark the occasion there will be a raffle of sets of jumps, and a commemorative gift for members and entrants in the Twilight Trial. The raffle will be drawn at that Trial.
So until then, enjoy your dogs and remember to have fun at Agility.
Geoff Sykes
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Head Instructors Report
Hi Everyone
Thank you to all the hardy souls who come out regularly on Thursday nights to set up and pack up
the equipment. There are unfortunately less of you as the year rolls on.
I know it is winter and cold and wet and creature comforts at home are a better proposition than
braving the elements out at training.
That might be the reason for the low attendance numbers which is the cause of my quandary to
how much equipment to set up. If there are not enough trialling members in the second session to
pack up the equipment I seriously have to consider not to put up the agility course which would
leave you only with the short sequences to run. This will be reality if numbers don’t start picking
up. Ask yourselves, would that effect your ability to complete a full course successfully at a trial?
The member numbers in the first hour are keeping stable and training is progressing quite well. I
myself have been taking the beginners and what I sometimes have called the advanced beginners
and experienced quiet satisfaction in every little successes dogs and handlers are achieving. So
keep up the good work to keep yourself, your dog and myself happy.
In closing I would like to ask, if you have any problems with the training you are receiving please
come and talk it over with me. I cannot fix something I have not been made aware of.
In the meantime enjoy your dog and I see you out there at training.
Ingrid Hanegreefs
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Assistant Instructors Report
Read this article by Lisa Selthofer and thought I might pass it on to our members…
All handlers have the ability to create agility superstars in their dog.
How do I know YOU can create a superstar in your dog?
Like the majority of others, you likely made the leap into the sport of agility intending to mainly have fun with your dog. First, that’s an incredibly positive intent which says a lot about the quality of your heart. Second, the fact that you continue to be involved in agility despite the steep learning curve tells me there isn’t much you wouldn’t do for your dog’s benefit.
As an agility trainer, I recognize and want to verbalize to you, what those two very special traits represent. They are your purpose and commitment to your dog. These are two very powerful attributes when it comes to developing a dog and reaching mutual goals, especially in agility training.
Purpose is to have fun with your dog. Commitment is to improve yourself for your dog’s benefit. – Lisa Selthofer
So how does one have fun while plunging into the constantly developing lessons we face in agility training?
3 Traits of a Successful Agility Handler
Be Open Minded –
Being open-minded can be really tough sometimes. Most of us are brought up with a set of beliefs and values and, throughout our lives, tend to surround ourselves with people who share the same values and beliefs. Therefore, it can be difficult when we’re faced with ideas that challenge our own and, though we may wish to be open-minded, we may struggle with the act of it from time to time. –– Dani DiPirro
In dog agility, being open minded means that we consciously and lovingly refuse to limit ourselves on the agility jour-ney. Some examples of being open minded include:
• Exploring all handling methods
• Accepting all dogs (no matter their breed or cross-type)
• Accepting all handlers (regardless of their uniqueness)
• Adapt your training and reinforcement techniques so it is applicable and understandable to your individual dog
• Choose to not have an opinion on a topic that does not impact you
• Recognizing that we ALL will make mistakes
• Understanding that mistakes are simply a means to learning
• Congratulating ourselves for being brave enough to get out there and being open to the learning experience Letting go of the need to be in control
• Skip the judgement (on ourselves and others) as this effort will not aid your purpose or commitment and so much more! Go to Dani DiPirro’s website for more information
Constantly Learning –
I’m told that the most successful people never stop learning. While I don’t have any evidence to prove that, I can share that every person I admire, consider a mentor and love to learn from, all embrace and live that motto. Both in and out-side of agility.
When it comes to dog agility in particular, the types of challenges, equipment performance requirements and course types are always evolving. After 20 years, I’ve come to realize that in agility, there is no end game. Oh sure, you might hit the highest titles with a particular dog, but the moment you begin the journey with a new dog, the agility landscape changes instantly and the personal challenges start again.
That’s because the dynamic and uniqueness of the agility team is rarely the same from dog to dog. It seems with each new dog, there are new hurdles to conquer and new things to learn about ourselves along the way. So be kind to your-self during this process and accept that agility truly is a journey, not a destination.
Always Be Teachable –
Being teachable is a choice. We choose whether we are open or closed to new ideas, new experiences, others’ ideas, people’s feedback, and willingness to change. The key to teachability is not just that we try ideas on for size, but that we actually learn from others and change our point of view, process, and future decision making based on the what we have learned. – John C. Maxwell
Being teachable has two main parts.
First, it means that we are on a sincere mission to embrace answers and/or solutions and chose to see the benefits of each item presented to us for learning. There are many times I took the time to learn something that wasn’t currently applicable to my situation, only to have it be the key of knowledge I needed later in my agility career.
Second, it means that we are voluntarily willing to change. I’ve been to countless seminars where a participant made it the trainer’s responsibility to ‘convince’ them to change from their current process. It’s important to understand that it is nobody’s role to convince you of anything, even if it’s for the better. Don’t cheat yourself by neglecting to add the mindset of willingness when presented with the potential of change.
Teachable People (1):
• Observe before acting
• Close their mouth and listen to hear vs. respond
• Are aware of their strengths and weaknesses
• Accept that other’s opinion might be better than theirs
• Learn from criticism rather than choosing to take a situation personally
• Take responsibility for their failures and seek lessons to learn
• Focus on solutions rather then get caught up in the why or seek to place blame
• Embrace going out of their comfort zone
• Admit when they are wrong
• Are aware that they don’t know everything Remember
Purpose is to have fun with your dog. Commitment is to improve yourself for your dog’s benefit. – Lisa Selthofer