Mentors and anti-Mentors take 2

Blogger edited my blog...leaving out whole paragraphs...which might have been a good thing...but here is the semi-original...uncut and raw!

The Rocking Dog Ranch Urban Dictionary definition of Mentor:  One who, at the end of the day really wants to see a person get better. Though they might mention good, they are honest with the input.  Their intention is for the mentee's gain.

The Rocking Dog Ranch Urban Dictionary definition of Anti-mentor:  One who is just darn right mean and says mean things for one of two reasons 1) they really want to make a person feel bad about themselves or 2) they really want to make themselves feel superior. 

This weekend found me at yet another sheepdog trial.  The highlight for me was 1 point off my shed with Sally on Sunday.  We've been working on shedding.....Sally and I.  Today I can sit and giggle at the 9 points added to my score for a lovely shed.....giving me a 29!  Yep a third of my points came from my shed!  Holy guacamole, Batman!  As my friend, Geri, says...."besides that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?"  I was very glad to have one I call "mentor" at that trial.  Free perspective was given when it was shared that, on set-out, that group of sheep that Sally pulled were very likely to give a dog a run for their money, and just as likely to end with a sheep win!  Sally and I held them together and made it to the pen....a run to be proud of despite the score.  I really might not have found my way to that conclusion had it not been for the conversational words from someone I have trained with for years, knows me and my dogs, knows my progress and struggles.  Obviously this person did not see my run....from the top setting sheep, the trial field was unviewable.  I'm not even sure this person knows the impact of their words to my thoughts but it was just what I needed.

Mentors are invaluable....and good mentors worth so much more.  My first run with Nell was less than one to write home about!  WAAAAYYYY <<<<<<<< Her first go I could not convince her to try to go through the TRICK gate....the one in the corner that was open into another pasture where her sheep were waiting, the one that has never been open when she comes to train or trial on this particular field, the one in the shade from the trees lining either side of the fence, that gate.  Gone was her clever "look back" from the trial before.  That day, "look back" meant to run all over the field and finally end up  finding the open gate into the field that had yet another open gate and into the exhaust sheep and bringing the entire freaking flock!  Nell would tell you I am a nit picker!  She would also tell you, if this were Vegas she would have won that jack-pot and the story would have stayed in Vegas and not ended up on my blog! I left the post.....

After Nell's not-a-run, a friend that has given me lessons and I love talking dogs with...mentioned that I might consider keeping my cool at the post  (my interpretation of her words btw).  Me, well I thought I did a pretty good job of "keeping my cool" and I broke out into the tantrum that I was proud to have held in!  Hair tendrils waving, spittle flying, a tourette outburst of swear words cleverly used as nouns, adjectives and verbs, all while jumping up and down. Okay, I hear ya....next time I need to leave the post a good minute before I hit panic/excitable/begging.  I will practice my fake smile and my parade wave (elbow, elbow, wrist, wrist, wrist) all while sweetly saying..."Nell, that'lldooooo" and will have a, "just wasn't our day, she must be coming into heat" up my sleeve.  Got it!

I pulled Nell from her second go in open....we have some work to do....some tools to buy the next trip to Home Depot. She-who-has-been-doing-this-for-a-while reminds me that Nell is young, new to open, and has trained and trialed on that particular field with the sheep on the hill over to the left...just where Nell wanted to get them.  No excuses....Nell and I need to have the communication in place to over-ride Nell's "I KNOW!!!!!" to be able to work as a team any time/any where.  That said, I believe that leaving the post (timely) and pulling from a run might be what is best for my relationship with my dog for that given day.  Whether anti-mentors agree or not...this is a journey and I am glad to call it mine!


It was fun to hang out with the Idaho tribe.....Eyeherdewe and I exchanged beads for firewater. I'm hoping she will be a guest blogger here one day...where you can hear the truth about the temper tantrum I re-enacted!!!

I continue my learning journey.....one is:  to die to expectations for the run and handle what is presented. I think my excitement about seeing how Nell would handle these sheep kept me trying beyond reasonable to get her to them.  Oh that is a hard one!  The next is to be a mentor...not an anti-mentor.  Life is short....everyone is trying their best.....the day really does look much better through rose-colored glasses!

Seize the day!