Getting over the freaky outies.

Talked to one freaking out dog agility student last night. Oh dear. I think some people, tend to be sort of freaker outers. Was a case of the disbeliefs that she had actually entered her dog, in a dog show. Like worried it will all be a bad dream, starting at 6am this morning.

Sometimes ladies get the freak outs at horse shows and an old horseman's remedy for the nervous nellies, the cocktail! Travel bar in the dressing room. Port. Chardonnay. Xanax.

So maybe that's something need to add into my list of getting ready for your first dog show. Canopy cocktail shaker if you tend to have the creeping willies about going off course or dog freakout or you forgot to wear pants and showed up for the judges briefing, exposing briefs. Dog agility, I believe more about nice cold cerveza and Mike's Hard Lemonade. You got creeping willies at 8am? Bloody Mary in a thermos? Coffee with a special, secret kick to it?

Tried to emphasize the whole, It's supposed to just be fun, thing. Fun! Dog grinning as it leaps off it's contact/into the off course tunnel/knocks that bar. Just try it. We all were in that Starters Ring at one time. Hell, I'm back there now. Gustavo may be a lifer in Starters Standard, for all I know. But hard to explain that peculiar thing that happens when you and your damn dog finish out a course that had more excellent moments than crappy. You get it when you practice, you get it at the dog show. You never would have signed up, if you didn't have an inkling about it. Most everyone that got hooked on this sport/hobby/dog thing, never thought they'd be spending so many weekends in the middle of nowhere, lugging crap around for a couple of minutes running fast with a dog.

I'm even missing work tomorow! See everyone there. Manzanita Park, Prunedale. A nice patch of grass parked squarely between Salinas and Watsonville. Come say hi! Just look for all the little black dogs, or the lady lugging the garbage.