One “secret” to success in agility is not letting the rules of the game define your training. You must know the relevant rules and filter that information into your training in a way that 1) makes sense to your dog and 2) creates the qualities in your performance that are important to YOU.
There’s no rule that says your dog has to stay on the start line. No rule that says they can’t start running before you were ready, or creep all the way up to jump one while you lead out. Although it might be less likely, you can still earn a qualifying score if any of these things occur.
Can you see why you shouldn’t use the rules as your sole gauge of what to aim for? First, you undermine your chance of running clean if your dog’s skills are unpredictable, even if they’re not faultable. Second, even if you do run clean, you undermine the quality of your experience and your dog’s when you allow confusion and conflict to persist in your partnership.
Do you really want to lead out hoping and praying your dog will stay? Or scolding them into staying, not even knowing if that will work? Is THAT what you got into agility for?
It wasn’t what I got into agility for, which is why I was simply unwilling to raise my voice at Zi as a strategy for addressing her tenuous start line. I didn’t get into agility to argue with my dog, to be frustrated with her, or to think that she is stubborn or naughty. I got into agility to be in awe of her, to love her, and to be continually amazed at the magic we’re able to create.
So those are the things I allow to define my training. The rules of the game are just the framework I choose to create within.
