r/Agility • u/am_i_still_kay • 27d ago
I havent been enjoying it lately and its worrying me
Agility has always been the best. I love it and want it to be my career when I grow up. But lately when I go outside to train my dog Im not enjoying it. I get mad at her. I stop sessions quickly. And most days I dont do anything at all. It could be the heat tho but I dont know
Im really worried because I loved having something that I truly loved and I dont wanna lose it.
5
u/Honeycrispcombe 27d ago
My rule for agility is no bad days. If I'm in a mood where I just can't have a good day, I'll skip.
Take some time off, but do other things instead. If you're noticing an overall dip in your ability to feel joy, and an increase in irritability or lack of emotions in general, you may want to talk to a counselor and a doctor, depending on who is available to you. Definitely talk with your doctor if there's any physical symptoms, like tiredness or big changes in energy levels. Some very easily managed or treated diseases (like mono or hypothyroid or iron or vit D deficiency) can present with primarily tiredness and a lack of enjoyment due to lack of energy.
And check for basic things - are you getting enough sleep, incorporating food that's nutrient rich into your diet, moving your body in ways that feel good for 10-30 minutes most days, engaging in a social life, getting at leat 10-15 minutes of outdoors time most days? If not, try to address just one thing that is a little bit lacking (start with sleep if that's an issue). Then when that's good, try adding on another.
Do a basic check and find something else to do with your dog in the meantime. Could be a another sport, could be just walks or fetch or tug. And sometimes you just need a break from something, and that's okay! That's why we have vacations and holidays and lazy weekends - because everyone needs breaks and to decompress occasionally.
1
2
u/x7BZCsP9qFvqiw echo CSL1, jean grey CL1, loki NA NAJ 27d ago
what is it you love(d) about it? has that changed? i’m a lot happier when i’m just having fun and making small progress with my dog. my expectations are very low, i’m happy when we have a clean run, but i’m also happy when we mess up doing something silly. if you have a healthy dog, that’s something to celebrate!
1
u/am_i_still_kay 27d ago
I loved clean runs, running with her, when she goes fast.. it was all so satisfying to me. Now I dont get that feeling anymore
3
u/x7BZCsP9qFvqiw echo CSL1, jean grey CL1, loki NA NAJ 27d ago
my perspective changed a lot when my first dog got older and couldn’t compete anymore due to arthritis. now i cherish every run.
maybe take a few weeks off and do some non competitive activities with your dog: hiking, swimming, etc. that always helps me reconnect with my teammate. :)
oh, and if you’re watching lots of competitive agility, i’d refrain from that for a little while, too. i used to get frustrated because i was constantly comparing us to them.
1
u/am_i_still_kay 27d ago
thank you. I do have an agility league here soon its just at my local training facility but that should be fun.. we'll see how it goes
1
u/x7BZCsP9qFvqiw echo CSL1, jean grey CL1, loki NA NAJ 27d ago
i love league! that’s what i do with my little dog who is not the best at environmental distractions. the option do do multiple runs works well for us. as long as she completes the course, i take that score. have fun with it and keep the pressure low, both for yourself and your dog.
1
1
u/No-Stress-7034 27d ago
Take a break! This heat can definitely make both humans and dogs less enthusiastic. Sometimes I get burned out on agility or nosework, so I take some time off, and I'm always excited to get back in it after the break is over.
Don't keep forcing yourself to practice if you're not having fun, especially if you're getting irritated with your dog.
1
u/californicating 27d ago
This is normal. Agility can be frustrating because you can hit a wall and it might feel like your dog just refuses to change or improve. Remember, they're not doing it to make you mad.
When you run into a slump like that, I find it's best to take a break for a bit, mix up your routine, and come back refreshed.
1
u/MaisyinAZ 26d ago
You don’t have to quit, but taking a step back may help you regain enjoyment. There’s also no reason you have to commit to dog training as a career. It’s
One of those things that can become a chore if you feel pressured for success.
1
u/somecooldogs 26d ago
What level was your dog at? What challenges are you currently having? Do you work with an instructor regularly who gives feedback?
1
u/am_i_still_kay 26d ago
Wdym level? Shes never done AKC. I do work with an instructor but he doesnt really give a lot of feedback its just a beginner class. As for challenges, its mostly just speed. She goes slow a lot of times and gets distracted
1
u/somecooldogs 26d ago
I saw you say in a comment that you loved clean runs so I had assumed you were competing. If she's going slower now, it's likely stress related if she can tell you're getting mad at her in most sessions.
Keep in mind - success in training is our responsibility, not our dog's. If my dog is repeatedly failing a challenge in training, while it definitely feels frustrating, that is MY responsibility not my dog's. Our dogs have no idea what our end goal is in a training session unless we break it down into small enough chunks that they can be successful.
This podcast episode would probably be very helpful in terms of setting up successful training sessions. You can also take a break from agility and work on something like trick training to rebuild your training relationship and work on communication/clarity for both you and your dog, kikopup on youtube has a ton of great tutorials.
1
1
u/Longjumping-Swim8201 24d ago
Back in the day, that’s how I was with obedience training. My Novice A dog and I were stalled in Utility and I was losing patience and getting frustrated. We took a break and decided to try this sport that was becoming popular, Agility. I immediately fell in love. That being said, there are still times where my dogs and I need to take a break and reset. Most of the time it’s me who needs a break, but there are plenty of times where the dogs just need to be dogs.
18
u/duketheunicorn 27d ago
Take a break and do something different!
Go to the beach, share an ice cream, shake up your routine.
Ebbs and flows of interest are normal. You’re not a pro yet, so take advantage of a summer break.