Yes, I did cry - but only once!

For all of you that get frustrated with agility, your dog, your timing, your lack of speed, skill...whatever...I do feel your pain.  On Saturday afternoon of training with Stuart and Pati, I did dissolve to tears.  We were working an exercise they call "Triple Threat Drills", and the name alone should make one want to cry.

The sequence started with #1, but then we got to #8 and from there we had to pick up any of the 4 obstacles that were not part of the sequence and get back to #1 and do the course again. After the 2nd run through, we had to pick up another of the 4 obstacles, just not one we had already done and then run it again...as you can tell, that wound up being a 26 obstacle course. I ended up taking the A-frame first time around, followed by the #4 jump on the second go round...that is NOT what made me cry. 

As we started the exercise, I made the mistake of handling that #4-#7 sequence very conservatively...let me remind you that I was training with Stuart and Pati Mah as they prepped for the USDAA Nationals.  Pati immediately stopped me and wanted me to get 2 back to back front crosses in...one between #4 - #5 and the other between #6 - #7...take a look again at the line from #1 to #4 and let's think a second about who I was running...oh yes...I kid you not.  After the 4th failed attempt, I dissolved.  Pati quietly came out and reminded me they fully intended to "push" me beyond my limits all weekend.  She told me I could make it happen but had to give Karma her "shhhh" as she went between #3 and #4...even though I was needing to get there...so...on the 5th attempt, we finally got it.  It was just one more example when they proved to me that our dogs indeed need and use all of our cues...not just the motion alone.  That was the first and last time I cried that weekend...when all else fails...give your dog more information!