The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind. - William James

Issue: June, 2003

Publisher & Editor: Diane Peters Mayer

A. PeakSpeak

Hello and welcome to all of our readers and the many new subscribers who have signed on.

This month I'm working…working…working on the first draft of my new book Conquering RIng Nerves! I look forward to sharing it with you in the Spring of 2004.

So in the Training Tip I'm again sharing one of my most requested exercises to help you in the ring – as well as in your everyday life. In Handlers' Tales CAYP alum Ruth is retelling her story, and in Second Chances you'll find the story of Benny's rescue – and how CAYP began!

Always a call for: your stories, poems, rescue sites, book reviews, questions and comments. Submission deadline for the June issue is June 20th. Thanks.

Please join us to become the handler of your dreams. Your dog will thank you!

Enjoy. See you next month!

Diane

B. Training Tip of the Month

Does pre-show anxiety make you feel shaky? Here are 8 steps to keep you on solid ground.

1. Breathe.
   Proper breathing is the number one technique for easing anxiety quickly, and getting and remaining calm. Learn diaphragmatic breathing (Yoga Breath) and practice it until it becomes second nature. Yoga Breath will help you stay physically and mentally relaxed and in the here and now, and keep pre-show jitters away.
   
   **Note: See the end of this column for Yoga Breath instructions.
   
   
2. Stay in the Moment.
   Do not obsess about past show experiences or dwell on what "might happen". If you learn how to be present centered, you'll be less worried about your performance, more connected to your dog and able to concentrate fully on your event. So, "be in the now" and watch your anxiety plummet.
   
   
3. Face Your Emotions.
   When negative thoughts and fears emerge, Do Not fight them. Trying to stay calm by "white knuckling it" won't work, and will actually increase your anxiety. Immediately begin Yoga Breath, and allow your feelings to surface. Acknowledge them, name them. For example, say, "I know I am afraid of the judge". Then, refocus on how well prepared you and your dog are, and that you will do your best. This is hard, we know, but with practice, it works!
   
   
4. Do Not Focus on Winning.
   Compete for the love of working with your dog and moving as a team toward success, not a title. View each show as a learning experience. Break down major goals, like earning your AD, into small manageable pieces. For example, "I'm going to work on breathing properly during my event." Remember, no matter what happens, you get to go home with your wonderful dog!
   
   
5. Get Physical.
   Any type of physical exercise can help relax your body and mind. If you don't work out regularly, then days prior to a show get on the move! Walk, run, bike, play a favorite sport, garden, or clean your house with vigor. Exercise helps to reduce muscle tension, produces endorphins to ease anxiety, and just plain feels good. Remember to stretch properly before any physical activity, and that includes before competing in a dog show.
   
   
6. Detoxify and Fuel Up.
   Reduce caffeine and nicotine days before you compete, because both increase the production of adrenaline. Stay away from junk foods. Choose a low fat diet and lots of fruit and veggies. Drink plenty of water a few days prior to competition, to flush out your system. Remember to sip water on show day to stay hydrated and keep fatigue away.
   
   
7. Take the Pressure Off.
   If the anxiety gets to be too much for you, then Do Not go to the show. If you do go, you Do Not have to go into the ring. There is always next time. To scratch is not to fail! Do what's best for yourself and your dog, and forget the rest.
   
   
8. Practice, Practice Practice.
   Ring nerves will not go away over night. Have patience and be kind to yourself. Just as you train your dog, you have to train yourself, to be able to Compete At Your Peak.

   Yoga Breath:

   1. Sit in a chair with both feet on the floor. Your hands rest comfortably in your lap, palms face up.
   2. Close your eyes.
   3. Breathing only through your nose, exhale to a count of 3.
      Note: As you exhale your stomach should contract. With an inhale your stomach will expand.
   4. Pause for one second.
   5. Inhale slowly to a count of 3.
   6. Your chest should be as still as possible.
   7. Concentrate on your breath as it goes in and out of your body.
   8. Breathe slowly and quietly, keeping your breath as smooth as possible.
   9. Continue inhaling and exhaling for 3-5 minutes.
   10. Make sure you practice with your eyes open, and while standing and walking.
   11. Practice daily, and use Yoga Breath wherever you can. It's a great help in the on-deck position.

C. Handlers' Tales

Ruth is a Competing At Your Peak alum. Many of you may have had similar experiences and will relate to her story . Thank you Ruth.

Ruth: My first competition with my English Springer Spaniel, Penny, was an obedience match in September, 2000 when Penny was 1 1/2 years old. I was very excited because Penny had been doing quite well in training, but as the day of the match approached I became more and more nervous. On the day of the match I could barely breathe and my legs and hands shook almost uncontrollably. Every minute prior to our entry into the ring seemed like hours. I was terribly distracted and irritable and Penny, who is usually very clingy, seemed remote and detached. Finally we entered the ring, and during our first heeling pattern, Penny vomited. It was downhill from then on, and we scored miserably. Hours of practice and preparation amounted to nothing, it seemed. Worse still, I emotionally rejected the dog I love so much by being disappointed in her. She knew I was upset and begged for my attention which I withheld. Two days later, during our pre-dawn walk, I knelt beside her, hugged her, and cried because of my attitude toward her. I was beginning to see how competition was effecting every aspect of my personality.

In Spring, 2001 we entered our first obedience trial. My anxiety over competition had not abated but I had learned not to blame Penny for any failures. And fail we did. It seemed that Penny and I were nothing more than backyard champions. At the very least I had learned that my nervousness incapacitated her as well as me. During the summer, Penny and I attended a week long camp for agility. Mid-week the instructors sprung a mini-competition on us. What had been a relatively stressless week suddenly became very stressful. Uncontrollable nervousness set in, hampering my judgment. I overestimated Penny's ability and speed, and we came in dead last. My disappointment turned into a huge funk which colored every aspect of the camp for another day and a half.

At camp we could consult with a sports psychologist who worked with Olympic athletes. She gave me some pointers about competition but there was nothing I could really sink my teeth into. Fellow campers contributed platitudes like "Just go in there and enjoy...have fun." Yeah, right! No one seemed to understand the level of my uncontrollable fears. The last thing in the world I could do was enjoy being in the ring! I found a quote. "Competition is to the soul, as sugar is to the teeth." I agreed wholeheartedly. My soul was decaying from the mere thought of competition. Finally, after long hours of agonizing thought, I decided to quit competition altogether. As much as I loved obedience and agility training, I could not risk the pain and agony of going into the ring, for myself or Penny. And that's what competition was for me - pure emotional pain, before during and after.

I became a dilettante - a dabbler - in obedience and agility training. I still went to classes but vehemently stated that I wasn't going to compete. Yet, I always searched the listings for a show-'n-go, a match or a trial near me. When I found one, I would toy with the idea of entering, but the nervousness set in almost immediately. It was futile. Then, one day, I came across an advertisement for Competing at Your Peak: How to deal with ring nerves. I raced to the computer and visited the website. I liked everything I read, so I filled out a questionnaire and signed up for the next month's free telecoaching class. The coaches, Diane and Vanessa gave me some breathing instructions over the phone and lots of moral support. Shortly thereafter I entered another obedience match. I practiced the breathing exercises for days before the match and at the match. I was still nervous, but not nearly as nervous as I had been in the past. But miraculously I was able to make decisions. Penny had picked up some bad habits and I wanted to correct her in the ring. The judge said I couldn't be scored if I used corrections. I said, "That's fine. I need to do what's best for Penny, and she needs corrections before we need a score." I had not been able to make those kinds of decisions before talking with Diane and Vanessa, and practicing my breathing exercises.

In October Diane and Vanessa held a four hour Workshop. What a wonderful experience! They taught us more breathing exercises, ways to feel safe in the ring, and how to dispel negative thoughts before competition, among other things. About three weeks later, Penny and I entered 2 trials where she placed third and tied for first.

The following week Penny and I attended the 6 hour Competing At Your Peak seminar, where we learned physical exercises, great techniques on how to concentrate and stay focused, and clicker training for humans. The day after Thanksgiving, Penny earned her CD in obedience, coming in 8th out of 36 dogs. She had earned it in 4 trials.

Was I nervous despite the workshop and seminar? Yes, but I wasn't incapacitated as before. I was able to think and concentrate and do my exercises and enjoy the experience. Oddly enough, I was almost free of nerves prior to the last trial. It felt like there was something wrong, that I wasn't nervous. In all three trials, either the judge or the stewards told me I was the only person they saw who smiled throughout the exercises in the ring. The truth is I couldn't stop smiling at Penny. Diane had taught me that "No matter what happens, you still get to go home with the dog you love." That's what made me smile - seeing that adorable little Springer in the ring with me.

I know handlers who are completely at ease in the ring. That's a gift. Lacking that gift, the best thing for me was to sign up for Competing at Your Peak's programs. It has completely changed my outlook on competition and given me tools to minimize my awful anxiety and nerves - nerves which almost ended Penny's career before it started.

My Bio: Ruth, a high school special education teacher, lives in Upstate New York with her husband and English Springer Spaniel, Penny. Growing up on a farm with all kinds of animals, Ruth loved dogs the best but as an adult felt her lifestyle was too busy to have one. After her husband's cancer surgery, he could barely walk to the mailbox and back, so she purchased an ESS for exercise. Penny has brought miracles to their life in more ways than one. Introduced to the world of obedience training, Ruth is now in Open and agility training with Penny. She firmly states she will never, ever be without a dog again in her life. A husband maybe, but a dog never!

Note: Have a rescue story you'd like to share with us? Want to highlight a shelter or rescue group? Please send it to: CAYPNews@aol.com

D. Second Chances

Competing At Your Peak came about because of an abandoned beagle mix with incredible eyes and big time "behavior problems."

By profession, I am a psychotherapist and Personal Life Coach, in private practice for over a decade, with a specialty in treating people who suffer from and are hampered by anxiety.

In the summer of 1999, my husband and I decided to adopt a dog. It had been 8 years since we had to put down our Bassett hound, Ollie. Our criteria for adoption: female, at least 4 years old, had some training, calm disposition, likes cats.

In September 1999, we found a handsome 2 1/2 year old male beagle mix, Peter (now called Benny), who had been relinquished to a local shelter by his family. His history stated that he had spent his days chained up in a yard, that he " barked excessively" and had other unnamed "behavior problems."

We were attracted to him, not only because we thought he was beautiful, but he was the only dog not jumping and barking. In fact, he sat in his cage as still as a statue. Only his eyes moved, warily watching us. It was love at first sight.

Goodbye all rational thought. Tear up the criteria list. Forget "excessive barking and behavior problems". Hey, he likes cats!

Within days of Benny's coming, we realized that Godzilla's destruction of Tokyo was a cakewalk compared to what Benny was doing to our house. He suffered from SEVERE separation anxiety and would start ripping at anything he could get to if either of us left the room, or God Forbid!, the house. He startled easily and screamed and jumped at the slightest noise, and lunged at other dogs and people, barking wildly.

We needed a dog trainer, fast.

When Benny's trainer, Pam Dennison of Positive Motivation Dog Training, found out what I did for a living, she asked me to coach her to conquer the "ring nerves" she suffered from when she competed in Competition Obedience dog trials. She also knew many other handlers who suffered too, and asked me to run seminars for them at her training facility.

So, Conquering Ring Nerves The Unique Dog Handlers' Training Program to Combat Ring Nerves, was born.

Vanessa Klapper, a Personal Trainer and group fitness instructor from New York City, was asked to join the company, so we could offer a "complete" approach to helping handlers conquer ring nerves.

By following my heart and not my head, I adopted a dog who I love dearly, and found work that continues to bring me great joy and fulfillment, that is, helping great handlers and their dogs find enjoyment and success in the ring.

And with Pam's guidance and wonderful training methods, Benny is a thousand times better, with a CGC somewhere in his future.

Note: Please send us the story of your rescued dog and how it became or is becoming a competitor. As a thank you for your contribution, Competing At Your Peak Inc. will donate $25.00 in you and your dog's name, to the shelter or rescue group of your choice. To submit a story, please write to us at: CAYPNews@aol.com

E. Book Picks - These books can be purchased from Amazon.com by clicking on the book title.

The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook
by Edmund J. Bourne, Ph.D

If you suffer from severe ring nerves and panic, have stopped competing or are thinking about doing so, this book may be of help. It offers information on everything from stress to panic attacks with accompanying exercises and worksheets.

Using Your Brain For a Change
by Richard Bandler

One of the developers of Neuro-Linguistic Programming or, NLP, Bandler based his theory of communication and change on information science and computer programming. He states that if we can change our internal pictures then we can change our feelings, reactions, belief system, and behavior. Case studies and exercises are included. (We teach a clicker training exercise based on NLP, in our Workshop).

Read a book that you loved or has helped with competition? Submit a review to CAYPNews@aol.com

F. Announcements & Coming Events

Upcoming Combating Ring Nerve Seminars for handlers and their dogs:

• Saturday, July 12, 2003 at The Oriole Dog Training Club, Baltimore, MD
  
  
• Saturday, October 4, 2003 at Positive Motivation Dog Training, Blairstown, NJ

Space is limited. Register Now!

For more information, please write via email: CAYPNews@aol.com or click here.

Want to Beat Ring Nerves? Want to Beat Those Nerves?

Here are two more ways to learn the Program that has helped handlers from across the US and abroad achieve success in the ring:

ONE-ON-ONE Training — we'll custom design a program that's just right for you!

Click here to read more about it or register
or call Diane at 215-348-8836

STOP "RING NERVES" FROM HOME with our Audio Ring Nerve Program for All Dog Sports, with Training Manual.

• Great Exercises & Techniques.
• A Super Quickie Stress-Buster.
• Guided Imagery to mentally rehearse your perfect performance.
• Terrific Training Tips.

This program will help you do it!

The Audio Program & Manual is $29.95 plus $6.00 S&H in US. (PA residents add $1.80 sales tax). International add $10.00 S&H.

To read more about it or purchase by check or secure credit card online, please click here.

or call Diane at 215-348-8836.

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H. Invitations

If you enjoyed PeakNews I invite you to forward it, intact please, to other handlers who might benefit from it.

Thank you! See you next month.

**Note: Columns may vary from month to month.

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