I was so focused on the Specialty and so consumed with training for all the weeks and months before the event that sometimes I almost forgot — about everything.
It was awesome.
Sparkle
And then it was over and I was back home with all the things in my life that cannot yet be done or decided — and the things and people who ARE done 💔
Anytime we work in a focused way to achieve something — and then it is over — finding our new groove can be tough. Totally normal and fine — but yes, it can be rough.
I think there is also loss and grief involved when we have to leave people we love and things we love to do. For me, the contrast between family, friends, and fun and my stalled and isolated life in Montana felt stark and real — and just hard.
But we humans are pretty darn resilient.
Formerly feral kitten!
We have the amazing ability to feel the feelings, and then find new hopes and dreams to pull us forward. Yes, it is sad when those peak experiences are over but they offer reminders about possibilities.
I had a long drive to consider the “now what?” question. I love driving for this very reason.
Although we did pretty darn well at the tracking test, I have not been happy with how Claire is tracking. I did not believe she was staying close enough to the track, and I did not trust her commitment. Part of me wanted to give up on Claire and track with my young dogs.
But I had that long drive to think about it, and I decided to focus on the only part of this team I can control: Me. And that is how and why Claire has gone back to tracking kindergarten.
Each morning, Claire and I head out to beautiful new fields I just got permission to use — tracking heaven, to be sure. They are less than two miles from my house!
I lay a track — no aging — and it is just one or two long legs. There are liberal food drops on the track, articles for additional reinforcement, and her favorite foods in a covered container at the end of the track. After the track, we go for a walk.
My goals are to reset how she tracks and how she views tracking, and improve my ability to “read” her. We will hopefully be in a June tracking test — I have a plan for how to scaffold her training back up to TDX-level tracking between now and the test.
This is why I love training dogs — because when you come down to it, it is all about practicing skills that make us a Good Human: take responsibility for your part, be smart about things, and be kind.
Well — I also love training dogs because it is fun. I think fun is also integral to being a good human. You should have some today ❤️