Clean Run - September 2017 - 5

The Dog Is Always Right!
By Susie Blackledge

Recently I heard a story where an experienced handler was kicking at the dog after a bad run... in Novice.
Not that this type of behavior toward a dog is acceptable at any
level, but in Novice? Really? Where did we ever get it in our heads
that a dog could be wrong on an agility course? Especially in Novice. The dog did not ask to be trained or entered in a trial, nor did
he drive himself to the trial.
The day I recognized the fact that my dogs were never wrong was
a day of enlightenment for me.
So why is the dog always right? Because not only is it our job to
properly train the dog, it is our job to keep him engaged, focused,
healthy, and happy. Most problems that occur in agility can be
blamed on a lack of training or a problem with engagement, focus, health, or happiness.
Yes, I do understand that certain breeds have special needs. And,
guess what, I run Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers; dogs that love
to sniff everything, to meet everyone, to know what is going on
everywhere, and that have that Terrier 'tude, "Ain't gonna do it
unless I want to." And still I profess that the dog is always right.
Although, I'll admit, it took me many years to figure this out!
If my dog is sniffing, I need to be more interesting than what he is
sniffing. If my dog is visiting and running off, I need to be more
engaging. If my dog is doing zoomies around the ring, I need to
get his focus and make sure my cues are coming early enough that
he stays engaged with me.
Yes, you will hear me complain in frustration about the dog that
was screaming in his crate right next to my ring (while his handler was running their other dog in the next ring) and ruined my
run because I wasn't able to get my dog's focus on me, or the inconsiderate handler who tugged in the exit gate forever, distracting my dog. But in the end, I know that keeping my dog engaged
and focused is my responsibility. Keeping him healthy and in
good shape with proper training-up to me. Keeping him happy
and enjoying himself while running with me on a course-my
job. I am the one responsible and accountable here; after all, my
partner is a dog!
And now to the craziest thought I have: all errors on course are
the handler's fault. Even if you show up to the run with an engaged, focused, healthy, and happy dog, there's a good chance in
our fast-paced and difficult sport that errors that will occur, either

due to a lack of proper cues or lack of training-again, our areas of responsibility. That is why video and having honest friends
watching you is so important.
How many times have you watched someone else's dog go offcourse and thought to yourself that the handler's cues weren't very
clear? So if you see this happen all the time, why would you blame
your dog in this scenario? Isn't there a good chance that your cues
weren't as good as they could be or your timing was slightly off?
Because trust me, when you go home later and watch the video
and see your mistake, it is a little late to admit to your dog that you
made a mistake. He only knows the look of disappointment you
gave him when you left the ring. Yes, I have learned this lesson the
hard way, and shamed I am.
When you pick up your dog and stampede off, when you look
mad and stare at the dog like he is dirt to you, when you don't
treat your dog with his reward at the end of the run, we are not
impressed. But we really don't matter, what matters is how your
dog feels. A sensitive dog is going to be confused; sometimes my
handler is happy at the end of the run and sometimes not, and I
have no idea why! Do we expect our dogs to read our minds even
if we don't give proper cues?
So if something goes wrong, before you blame the dog, explore
thoroughly other reasons it could have happened. It is in such honest conversations with ourselves that we discover training opportunities and new strategies so the mistake doesn't happen again.
My goal is for my dog not to know when we haven't qualified-
well, my primary goal is always to Q, but if we don't, my secondary goal is to make sure my dog doesn't know. Why? Because if I
explore deeply enough, I know I will discover the error is probably my fault. Feel free to remind me of this is my dogs don't get
the reward they deserve!
A great compliment is if someone comes up to you after an NQ run
and says, "You know you didn't Q right?" Because you looked so
happy you fooled them into thinking you thought you had qualified!
I want to be that handler because after all, my dog is always right!

Susie Blackledge

Susie Blackledge resides in Florida with her husband Robert and two Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers, all of which have earned agility titles. She recently lost MACH2 Robert's
Sugarbear Riley MXS MJG OF who was ranked in the top for his breed for multiple years, receiving multiple invitations to the AKC Agility Invitational.
September 17 | Clean Run

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - September 2017