Category: Common Problems, Performance Events ¤
  Author: M. Shirley Chong ¤
   Title: Ring Nerves: A Baylee Dilemma, Parts 1 & 2 ¤

Part 1 ----------------------------------------

Andrea Mraz wrote:

> BUT....she shuts down terribly in the show ring, especially during
> heeling.

This is a very common problem. There are various ways to solve it; I
think the best way for Baylee is if you can teach yourself to act
like you are totally in control of the ring. If you can walk into
that ring as if the judge and stewards are there to serve you, if you
can pretend you *own* that ring, Baylee will do that cute little
strut. Be as borderline obnoxiously confidant as you can.

Be the Leona Helmsley of the obedience ring!

If you have a camcorder, videotape yourself with someone else calling
run-throughs. Study that videotape and identify all the body language
that says nervous that you can. Do your shoulders tense up? Does your
face get stiff? Do you carry your hands differently? Check your
breathing--do you breathe in a relaxed, normal way or do you tend to
tae short, shallow breaths? Or even worse, do you hold your breath
before you give commands?

Then do all those things one at a time in training. First do them
while asking Baylee to do very simple things. Drop your criteria
really low and click Baylee for performing while you do your weird
body language.

About half of all people can self-induce an adrenaline rush by
panting for about thirty seconds and then holding their breath. If
you feel your face, head or upper chest tingle, chances are you've
successfully induced an adrenaline rush. Do the adrenaline rush and
then scatter a handful of cookies for Baylee.

In training, start with small body language movements and work until
Baylee is perfectly happy working with the most exaggerated,
ridiculous body language you can come up with.

It's not a real fast process. If Baylee knows all of Open, getting to
the point where she can do all of Open when you walk like a gorilla,
hold your breath, stiffen up your shoulders and do any other weird
body language thing you can come up with can take about two months.

If you do both things--practice entering the ring like you own it and
train Baylee to recognize and deal with your nervous body language--
you've got a pretty good chance of Baylee figuring that any weirdness
in the ring is just another silly training game.

Oh, a third approach that takes time and practice but is extremely
successful for those who stick to it. Practice your footwork without
Baylee but with someone else calling (you can use a recording some of
the time). When your footwork is smooth and automatic, practice
counting your footsteps as you move. If you lead with your left, make
that one "one" and your right foot "two." Each time your foot hits
the ground, count. So walking becomes "one, two, one, two, one,  
two..."

Practice until you can do any heeling routine you or your friends can
think up while counting and with perfect footwork.

This is a form of meditation and helps normalize your body language
in the ring. The counting gives the critical voice in your head
something to do other than critique your footwork.

Part 2 ----------------------------------------

> I wrote:

> Be the  Leona Helmsley of the obedience ring

Andrea Mraz wrote:

> I love your ideas and I know this will really help with Baylee.   She
> definitely, relies on me being a confident leader and all too  
> often I  fail her.

My synapses are rusty on heeling because I haven't done any  
teaching in way too long! I've had a few more ideas for you.

Roleplay being assertive with someone playing judge, without Baylee  
being there. I wish I'd remembered this sooner because at the  
seminar, what you did in roleplay carried over beautifully to the  
actual situation. That's not true of everyone but since it seems to  
be true for you, you should take full advantage of it.

Do run throughs where you sass the person playing judge. Give them  
backtalk, quibble about where you are going to start, end, etc. Do  
lots of laughing! Try to crack the judge up! This helps you develop  
a more interactive attitude with the judge rather than giving the  
impression that you are just following orders.

Another fun and useful heeling game is to say "in a minute!" every  
time the judge gives you an order. Try to say "in a minute!" before  
letting your feet move to carry out the maneuver.

Yet another fun game that is best played with a whole group of  
people is Simon Says. The first few times play it without dogs  
while everyone gets used to calling commands for a whole group of  
people (and obeying commands in a whole group of people!) and then  
play with dogs.

See if you can find a conformation class that will help you learn  
to use body language that says "this is MY dog and she is worth a  
blue ribbon!" Watch the breed ring, particularly breeds that have  
lots of pro handlers and big classes. The best pros say with every  
single movement they make "this is the dog that deserves to win!"   
No matter what the dog happens to do, a good pro acts like that dog  
is just the most incredible dog present.

Think of the difference between the way you'd hand someone a  
Corelle mug and a Limoges teacup. Your body language would say that  
the Limoges is precious and beautiful and should be treated  
carefully. And isn't that Baylee?

M. Shirley Chong
http://www.shirleychong.com
Grinnell Iowa USA