I do best when I have things to look forward to — like the Tracking Test we entered for early April in Boise. Having that goal structured and shaped my training for the past few months, and yes — the test is canceled.
Understandable, of course, but also understandably disappointing.
Life with Covid-19 involves a lot of loss. The obvious one is loss of life but there are so many smaller and accumulating losses.
It is okay to acknowledge that losing opportunities, events, and goals is sad and hard. Please don’t make things worse by minimizing your personal losses — they are real and they matter. Just because it could be worse doesn’t mean it isn’t crappy and griefworthy.
And so let’s recognize that the loss of dreams and goals is tough. Let’s also acknowledge the choice it forces on us — to give up or to go on with faith and hope towards something we cannot yet see.
Those of us who track with dogs know well that feeling of marching on without a clue about where this is going — who knew we were practicing for Covid-19?!
This is what it looks like to just march on with faith and trust. It isn’t easy but these days, it is necessary.
And so we feel the feelings, and get back on track — literally and figuratively.
Sundance is off track here — no worries. It happens to all of us! Suzanne waited him out and he recovered quickly.
I want to mention a worry I have — that our wonderfully enthused humans could be pushing dogs too hard and too fast, and that this could be exacerbated during Life With Covid-19 because of extra time and extra stress.
It is exhausting and discouraging to constantly be pushing the envelope, whether one is a human or a dog.
Sit with success.
Visit what is easy again.
Stop making things harder just because you can. (Those of you doing 1+ mile freight hauls with weight — I am looking at you.)
Sundance and Claire, both skilled and advanced tracking dogs, will both be doing straight tracks of about 100 yards with lots of treats and articles this week. In fact, that is likely what we will do for the next 2 - 3 tracks.
Why?
Because maintaining motivation and attitude is every bit as important as skill, and always wanting more from our dog (and ourself) is a great way to destroy it.
Covid-19 has given us time — let’s use it to our advantage.
For the next week or two — sit tight where you and your dog are rocking it, and just enjoy and celebrate what success feels like. I think we all need that right now.