 The MCR Pack in Alberta!! Remember that trip that didn't go according to plan? 🚐
Well, 52 hours of driving gives you a lot of time to think. ⏰ And somewhere between Alberta and home, I found myself breaking down my lead up to Nationals and the weekend itself - what went well, what I would have changed and everything in between! My post-competition analysis is just as important as my pre-competition analysis and planning! 📊 We Talk About Change, But We Don't Actually Plan for It 🎯 "My dog's contacts need improvement" 😰 "We really struggle with confidence at trials" 🤔 "My handling could be more consistent" 😬 "I wish we were more prepared for challenges" 💪 "We should have focused more on fitness this year" We recognize the problems. We talk about wanting change. But how often do we actually sit down and create a real game plan? A systematic approach to get from where we are to where we want to be? 🎯
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 Quinn, Siren, Keeper, Fifty, Shades and Grey In early August, I packed up my 6 dogs in the RV for my first ever AAC Nationals and IFCS World Tryouts in Leduc, Alberta. Life on the road has so many unexpected moments that teach you to pivot, adapt, and grow - and boy, did this trip deliver on all fronts! 🚐
Here's how it really went down. Living with 6 dogs means something is always going sideways, and this trip was no exception. 🐕 Before we even left, we were delayed by 2 days when my Aussie developed a sudden UTI. A 52-hour drive ahead and a UTI? Not exactly the send-off I had planned... 😅 But we eventually made it to my first ever AAC Nationals and IFCS World Tryouts! This was my first time competing with all three dogs at a National event - all who run quite differently. For those with multiple dogs - you know the challenge! Still a learning curve, especially with dogs in the same height class!! 😅 🐕 Agility is such a mental and physical game at any given trial, but over a 4 day event, it is truly a marathon!! The weather tested us right from the start with brutal conditions - cold, rain, wind. It definitely messed with my mental game, and eating dirt Saturday morning (after a fall) didn't help my confidence! One of my dogs was also performing uncharacteristically, forcing me to change my handling while trying to problem solve the underlying issue. 😅 By Saturday at lunch, I was feeling defeated and struggling to be the best teammate for my dogs - and we were only halfway through our weekend!! But sometimes you need that rock bottom moment to find your turning point. Trust yourself. Trust your dogs. Happy May!
Spring is upon us and summer is right around the corner - it's been a long winter here in Southwestern Ontario - bring on the summer fun!! While we often focus on training tips and performance optimization for our active canine athletes, today I wanted to shift our attention to an equally important topic: supporting our retired athletes through the aging process. This was based off of NEW research that just came in!! |
AuthorCarolyn McIntyre Archives
May 2025
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