(in honor of my heart dog Mo Chroi I lost in Oct 2019)
It can be so discouraging when you spend a ton of money on entry fees, travel expense, accommodations, training and equipment, not to mention all of the time invested, just to end up going home without any wins.
That used to be me. I’d go to the shows sometimes winning, but more often times losing, and ultimately feeling discouraged, confused and upset! What a terrible hobby/sport to be in! I hated the way I felt when I lost. I wanted to give up.
However, one day I discovered the secret to winning, and ever since I have been a winner at every single dog show I have ever entered and I’ve been sharing this same technique with my clients and friends!
The first step is, to stop focusing on the win. I know this sounds contrary to what you might think you need to do, but seriously, take the entire thought of possibly winning out of your head.
Now this can be extremely difficult at first, and it does take time to reprogram your mind. You have to constantly remind yourself and catch yourself before you start to want to will the judge into giving you a win, but this is a very important step to this process!
So first step, clear your mind of winning altogether!
The second step, is to focus on ONE thing you are going to work on in the ring for that show/day/weekend etc. Just one very specific small thing you are going to focus on perfecting, such as:
-moving faster
-moving slower
-getting your dog to stand still
-getting your dog to not jump up and try to bite the bait put of your mouth (a real example from my list 😁)
-stopping sooner before you get to the judge on your down and back
-moving more gracefully
-getting your dog to freestack
-holding your arm out firm without wavering while you go around the ring
-keeping your thumb up on the go around
-taking longer smoother strides
-doing a quick 4 point stack with no fussing
-gaiting on a loose lead
-gaiting into the ring instead of walking
-looking confident
-just having fun without stress
The possibilities are endless!!!
Once you have come up with the one thing you are going to work on, focus 100% during that show, on perfecting that one skill or thing. All weekend long let that be the only thing you think about in the ring. And if you do it well?! Then THAT is your win! Anything else that comes along, ribbons etc. will just be icing on the cake! And believe me, if you focus on the little details, and celebrate those small but very important victories, the other wins will come naturally! But don’t even think about them! 😁
So try this out at your next show! And the next! And the next! And reflect on how it makes you feel to win those small victories and how it has helped your show experience overall! Share your goals with others! And be sure to include your successes on our brag posts! I’d love to hear about all of yours wins, big and small!