August 2015

Congratulations and Thank YOU!

A hearty thank you for sharing how much you enjoyed July's Weave Pole Distractions Exercise for dogs. Also, CONGRATULATIONS to those handlers who made the healthy commitment to incorporate the liquid vitamin we use into your own daily care routine! Call us crazy, but we love to see other people happy & succeed!

If you missed out on either item and would like to get caught up, click: Dog & Handler, July 2015

The NEW Spot On Agility Website

Our dog agility website has been around since 2008 and we've gone through some huge growth spurts in the last 7.5 years. Big isn't always better and we're thrilled to share that we have revamped and downsized our website so that we could return to the personal feel that you enjoyed and, quite frankly, WE loved doing. Come check us out at SpotOnAgility.com.

Now onto the August fun!

For the Dog - 11 International Sequences...in ONE Course

Have we got one heck of a unique course to test your agility skills on! This single course features 11 International style sequences. For those getting ready for AKC's new Premier Class, here is a peak at some of the sequences you may soon be seeing at a local trial.

What's the Goal? Well, depending on your level of experience, there are three potential goals.

Not familiar with International Courses? The goal is to learn and begin to recognize the various sequences. To begin, check out the course below. At the top of the course is a key that briefly describes each sequence and the corresponding obstacle numbers. Some sequences you may recognize (i.e. Serpentine or Backside Jump) and some may be new (i.e. Optional-Side Jump).
Don't know how or have limited handling with these sequences? Learn how to handle these sequences comfortably and with confidence. Start by initiating a conversation with your local trainer, take a seminar, use an on-line agility resource (SpotOnAgility.com has several free videos, links and courses) or do a search on YouTube.com and checkout some of the thousands of free videos available (the link provided is to our YouTube Channel which includes a link on the left to 2015 Crufts).
Already have experience? Why not test your collective skills on the 26 obstacle course below!

A few tips to help with training:

Tackle one sequence at a time. Break the course down into manageable parts.
Generally there are multiple ways to handle each sequence, so try different handling options.
In a sequence, if sending your dog over an obstacle in one direction seems the obvious choice, consider sending them in the other direction and compare the results. For example, when considering the sequence #2-4 in the course below, at the #2 jump, which direction is best for your dog? Sending them to the left of #2 or to the right? Which direction gives the best path for the dog?
You'll hear me say this A LOT...if things aren't going as planned, WALK the course with your dog! This will allow you to be clear on what you're doing as a handler and train the dog on the new expectations.
HAVE FUN! You'll always hear me way that too!

For the Handler - It's All In a Good-Night's Sleep (Really!)

Remember: Our dog(s) have the absolute best resources (food, massage, chiro, training, etc.)...but dog handlers RARELY take care of themselves...it's time to change that outdated thinking.

Why Care for Ourselves? Because our dog(s) & loved ones NEED US...and they need us to be healthy and well-rested.

Here are some easy tips:

Hear It Again...Quality Sleep IS Necessary - I'm a busy person and I tend to think sleep is a luxury - I'm WRONG! According to HelpGuide.org (a trusted non-profit) Quality sleep is as necessary "...as exercise and nutrition are essential for optimal health and happiness...The quality of your sleep directly affects the quality of your waking life, including your mental sharpness, productivity, emotional balance, creativity, physical vitality, and even your weight." In summary, "No other activity delivers so many benefits with so little effort!"
Nitelite to the Rescue! - While we aren't always able to control our amount of sleep, we can improve the QUALITY of our sleep thanks one of my favorite products, Nitelite by Omnitrition. This amazing liquid product doesn't put me to sleep, but instead, gives me more restful and deeper sleep. I take 1 teaspoon every night just before bedtime and love how refreshed I feel in the morning. The company has been around for 26 years and they provide a 30-day money back guarantee on all products. To order go to www.SpotOmni.com.
How Much Sleep - According to HelpGuide.org, most of us need 7.5-9 hours of quality sleep per night. Check out their sleep recommendation below and to read more about the importance of sleep, click HERE to read their full article.

Think six hours of sleep is enough?

Think again. Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco discovered that some people have a gene that enables them to do well on six hours of sleep a night. This gene, however, is very rare, appearing in less than 3% of the population. For the other 97% of us, six hours doesn’t come close to cutting it.

Average Sleep Needs by Age
Newborn to 2 months old	12 - 18 hrs
3 months to 1 year old	14 - 15 hrs
1 to 3 years old	12 - 14 hrs
3 to 5 years old	11 - 13 hrs
5 to 12 years old	10 - 11 hrs
12 to 18 years old	8.5 - 10 hrs
Adults (18+)	7.5 - 9 hrs

Enjoy the 11 Sequence International course and remember, it's important to care for YOU, the leader and handler - so go get some quality sleep!

If you have questions, please feel free to contact me at AgilityOne@gmail.com.

Happy Handling!!!

About us: My hubby, Dan and I have been active dog agility enthusiasts for over 20 years and are both into our 2nd decade of Agility Judging for the AKC. In fact, we met at an agility trial and 3 years later were married in a beautiful dog training facility with our dogs & agility friends in attendance.

More recently, we made a choice to care for ourselves with the same quality and commitment as we provide our dogs. If we want to reach our dog agility goals, it was time to shed that 'thicker around the middle' fluff and become the happy, healthy, sharp and energetic handlers we wanted to be.

The Dog & Handler newsletter is a combination of our two passions, dog agility and encouraging healthy handlers. After all, Dog Agility is a team sport and both ends of the leash deserve quality care.

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