New attitude

I've been talking a lot lately about trying to change certain aspects of my personality... especially those which interfere with my ability to be a good and effective dog trainer and handler. I get so caught up in worrying about what other people think that I end up completely psyching myself out :-P

Unfortunately, my special lady Cedar has had to bear the brunt of a lot of my insecurities over the past few years...especially in herding.

Yo lady... that's not fair. Kthx.


I get caught up in worrying about whether my dogs are "as good" as everyone else's, or whether I'm a "good enough" handler to do them any justice. It's easy to get sucked into that negative space, especially when certain people around you try to take you down there with them. I've learned to distance myself from those types, and just do my own thing. It's harder than it sounds!

Instead of trying to compete with everyone else, I need to play to MY dogs' strengths. It's not a one-size-fits-all kinda deal.

You'd better believe that I'm one of a kind!


I need to learn to do better at ignoring those negative influences and do what's best for me and my dog. So what if Cedar will most likely never run in an Open trial? That doesn't mean she's any less of a dog, a failure as a working dog, a "Barbie Collie," or inferior in some way. It just means she has different skills. For one, I know she would be an awesome chore dog if (and when, hopefully!) we get property and livestock. She would do anything for me.

I would like my own sheepz. Kthx.


She has the skills, I just need to have more confidence in her. Trash talking my own dog is about the least productive thing I could do. I'm ashamed to say that I have done that in the past...a lot... as if I was trying to explain why we were having so much trouble with certain things. It wasn't enough to play up my "newbie" status and put myself down, I felt the need to put my dog down, too.

Not cool, man.


It's easier though, to make excuses... then to actually push the ego aside and put in the work to make things better. I know she can do it. I know I can do it. It's just a matter of determining some goals for us on the herding field and working towards them!

I need to take a good hard look at myself and my goals with dogs, and figure out what to shoot for. I need to figure out what I want to do and am comfortable with, not what I think I'm supposed to do or want. A girl can only do so much!

I would like to do more arena trial-type stuff with Cedar. AKC, AHBA, and ASCA. I know that she can at least get her OTDs in ASCA... and with some practice could totally do Intermediate and Advanced work in AKC trials. I think we both would like doing that kind of thing. It's a lot less stressful... as well as being very achievable. :)

Plus, I like titles and ribbons. There--I said it! And you know what? The Border Collie gods haven't smited me down yet...

:-P