# Fighting Burnout



## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

For those of you that have been in the game for a long time, how do you fight burnout? What are some things you do to keep things fresh and keep your motivation up?


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

I have taken a couple of breaks (6 months or so) though I never totally quit training my dogs. Just took a break from the clubs and the official training. What keeps me going is that I LOVE training these dogs despite everything else that I have had to deal with to continue.


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

For a few months now I've been fighting it every step of the way. I started training dogs full time, and I think that has a big part of it since I can't get away from it anymore. Also running my club and breeding stuff mostly by myself was just getting to be a lot. I decoy all over and have been helping a few different groups with training and trials all over CA from IPO, WDA and PSA. My body is feeling broken at this point. I am also not even currently working a dog of my own. I screwed up and injured Kimber. So she's retired. We do some light work and I take her everywhere, but not working or trialing her. I sold Areli, mainly due to the fact that I just wasn't working her. I don't have an experienced decoy that can help me get my dogs to where they should be. So I've gotten to a point where I feel like all I do is put work into everyone else dogs and then am too tired to do anything with my own. I'm trying to figure out a way to get healthy and back in it both physically and mentally.


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## gsdoglife (Apr 15, 2018)

Mycobraracr, I know literally nothing, but i can tell you the fact that you mentioned you aren't working a dog of your own jumped out at me. It sounds like you are doing all of the work with none of the reward. Get yourself a puppy :wink2:


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

You are doing too much. Find what you love. Do you prefer decoy/helper work or working the dogs? You can't give all the time and not expect to burn out especially if you are in pain. And, yes, turning your hobby into your job changes things. 



I am in a club with 5-6 helpers. Except for 1, they didn't just arrive fully trained. Many of them needed/need a lot of coaching and we are always working to develop new helpers. Just because someone is inexperienced doesn't mean there are things they can't do. Developing helpers so we have a lot of them is how our helpers avoid burn out. If they have to go somewhere then we have others who can still work dogs and they don't feel that constant obligation. Only our TD is pretty much always there. 



I don't do helper work so I have to help in other ways like walking tracks, laying tracks, spotting in obedience, making sure groups are out there, etc and I am working 3 dogs right now. Working with lazy demanding people that put no effort into the club or helping the members can burn anyone out. Been there and totally understand. 



Saw that you sold Areli.


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## Chip Blasiole (May 3, 2013)

Sounds like you need a good prospect and a good decoy. The best of dogs will not do that well with a decoy who is not very good.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

If we want good decoys we often have to train them. It is a real pain, but it is the only way we will be able to continue in our sports. I have trained a number of them (well, helpers), dragged them around to seminars and often use my dogs to train them now as do all of our members.


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

I became more selfish in my endeavors. 

I don’t do helperwork, but I stopped taking training clients. I took a job in an industry that doesn’t burn me from training completely. 

I *only* train with people who I think will help me achieve my own goals at the level of my standards. It pushes me to do better all the time, and keeps me from feeling “used”. I have to travel for it, but it’s worth my time more than anything else. 

I sold the dog who I couldn’t achieve what I needed, and have a new prospect. I set achievable goals by a timeline, and schedule my training days far in advance, to hold myself accountable. It’s a start.


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## Heartandsoul (Jan 5, 2012)

Back in July I had my first disconnect with my boy in NoseWorks and I took the advice the members here gave, including yourself ; ) I took a little breather. That helped and what clinched it, brought back the vitality, mojo, what ever you want to call it, was signing up for a mock trial where I knew and had a really good connection with the mock trial host. She just has that kind of upbeat, no pressure, you guys are great attitude. 

At the time I never considered quitting the sport, just the question of where did the fun go.

Maybe take the breather and then switch up a little who you work with or how/where you work if that's at all doable.

Adding: I know it is probably not due to the people you work with in the sport but sometimes just changing things around a little can help.


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## Hineni7 (Nov 8, 2014)

I speak from a different world, but one that I'm sure parallels club/sport. SAR is demanding in every way, often made all the more so by ego's and petty bickering. Add to that the demands for keeping dogs at the top of their game as someone's life is at stake, and the pressures are exacerbated by everyday life. When unable to get tracklayer, let alone good ones (no, walking a complete circle does not work; if you lay an aged track, no you cannot go for a walk in that area until I have run my dog or that becomes the freshest track; I asked for right left right left.. Not left left right left.. Etc) or the financial drain begins to really be felt, it is very easy to want to quit..

How do I get through it? Whew.. That is a hard question.. Lots of prayer and analyzing why I do what I do : to save lives. I think about what I would do if I wasn't doing SAR and how crazy my dogs would make me, lol! Honestly, getting Hokhmah, who is 18wks old now, really helped as her talent alone can't be ignored. Having a hobby that demands everything from you without replenishing is no longer a hobby but a job... And a bad job at that. I agree with getting a puppy, or train in scent work/nose work with Kimber. Find the joy in why you wanted to do this for a living and you will find the hunger come back... Just a thought


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## Heartandsoul (Jan 5, 2012)

I'm sorry my post is way off I was typing while you were giving more information. I'm sorry about Kimber and Areli and hope your situation turns around for you. Being a little selfish is ok. It's actually called self care.


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## WIBackpacker (Jan 9, 2014)

The only way I've been able to balance business, marriage, and dog/other personal endeavors has been to get better and less forgiving with scheduling. 

I now schedule myself for hours (or a full day) OFF/UNAVAILABLE so I can focus on personal goals. 

It took a lot of conditioning and time to get people around me to start accepting that I mean it. I spent too many years answering the phone at any hour of any day and dropping my personal priorities to the bottom of the list. That eventually led me to realize that even when I was working with my own dog, or spending time with my husband, my head was somewhere else and none of my personal priorities ever received my full attention. It bled over into everything.

Turning off audio notifications on my phone also helped. Before that, I'd be standing out in a field with the dog, hear the dreaded DING, and immediately start thinking about clients or projects. Even if I didn't touch the dreaded device. 

Once I started respecting my own time, people around me started doing the same (sometimes). It's a work in progress. Best wishes.


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## Steve Strom (Oct 26, 2013)

I quit. Thats obviously not the answer for a lot of others, but since its a hobby and something I would do for fun, once its not, I found other things. Maybe I'll get the urge again, probably not.


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

GatorDog said:


> I became more selfish in my endeavors.
> 
> I don’t do helperwork, but I stopped taking training clients. I took a job in an industry that doesn’t burn me from training completely.
> 
> ...


I'm with you. Sometimes you need to be selfish. 



lhczth said:


> If we want good decoys we often have to train them. It is a real pain, but it is the only way we will be able to continue in our sports. I have trained a number of them (well, helpers), dragged them around to seminars and often use my dogs to train them now as do all of our members.


I agree! I am very grateful to the clubs, people and dogs who have and continue to help me along the way. I was training one guy who was doing awesome! But I think after a few months of realizing the commitment he quit. I have another guy who is going to be good! Problem with him is for about a year he's been inconstant. Shows up for a couple months then gone for a couple months and so on. Never going to get there like that. We have a ton of younger dogs in the group and I always want to work them. Something always gets done a way I don't like so then I "have" to do it. 



Chip Blasiole said:


> Sounds like you need a good prospect and a good decoy. The best of dogs will not do that well with a decoy who is not very good.


I could not agree more! Even the dogs with the best drives and nerves, needs to be shown how to channel them and what to do with them. How to work them and build on them. 



lhczth said:


> You are doing too much. Find what you love. Do you prefer decoy/helper work or working the dogs? You can't give all the time and not expect to burn out especially if you are in pain. And, yes, turning your hobby into your job changes things.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I told my young helper the other day that I want him to start working the majority of the dogs and that I was just going to stand there to yell at him haha. That way I can try and heal up a bit. It's going to be a challenge for me. I'm also trying to get him to travel with me a bit more. Scheduling isn't always easy, but I could use his help. I had three calls this morning from different clubs asking me to help them out. I try and want to, that's what I'm here for. 

Decoying or handling? That's a hard question. I love them both so much and I feel like they are each their own sport. Without decoying I don't think I would've learned nearly as much as I have. Even on the handling side. It gave me mutiple opportunities every training day to see handler errors and how to fix them without handling my own dog. So by the time I worked my dog, I already knew what to do or how to avoid a situation. I learned how to read a dog, build a dog and get inside a dogs mind. I used to always say decoying, but that was until Kimber. I love working her! Yes there is some ego to that. I love showing off what we can do, but I also feel that she helps me prove what I can do as a trainer. I was starting to feel that way with Areli as well. She was finally coming into her own. Not as polished as Kimber, but that's my fault. With decoying though, I love watching the dogs progress. I love building them. A new highlight to my decoy career just happened at a trial this last weekend. A dog I was told wouldn't bite the first time I saw it, I was able to build and work and he achieved a title last weekend. That's a win! I have many dogs like this in my career. Those are my high lights. 

Selling Areli was really hard. I love that dog! She's just so easy and fun to work. I do think she's in a great home and think they will accomplish a lot. I do miss her though.


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

WIBackpacker said:


> The only way I've been able to balance business, marriage, and dog/other personal endeavors has been to get better and less forgiving with scheduling.
> 
> I now schedule myself for hours (or a full day) OFF/UNAVAILABLE so I can focus on personal goals.
> 
> ...



You just described me to a "T"! Even on my days off I was answering emails or talking to clients. I try and mountain bike or hike with Kimber to clear my head, but I find myself constantly thinking about what else I need to get done or what I should be doing instead.


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## Dunkirk (May 7, 2015)

Sorry you're going through this, 'been there, done that'. I like to understand a problem, so I can effectively deal with it. It's easy to forget we work to support our family. They would be feeling the effects of your burnout. It would be great if you could all take a short break away (without technology), rest, sleep, have fun. When you get back reset your boundaries and guard them. 2Tim1:7 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/.../the-tell-tale-signs-burnout-do-you-have-them


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## Sabis mom (Mar 20, 2014)

I have no advice. But I hope you get yourself back on track, and I am sad that you have all this to deal with. Boundaries are important. 
I hope that Kimber is all right.


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## Thecowboysgirl (Nov 30, 2006)

mycobraracr said:


> You just described me to a "T"! Even on my days off I was answering emails or talking to clients. I try and mountain bike or hike with Kimber to clear my head, but I find myself constantly thinking about what else I need to get done or what I should be doing instead.


I was going to say earlier that boundaries with people is the best thing I've worked on this year. People calling me in a panic wanting me to make something happen for them because they did not plan.

I've been really getting strict, not answering texts outside business hours, etc. People literally text me at midnight to see if I can take their dog. Or not long ago I got a text at 8:45 pm could I take the dog two hours earlier than I open tomorrow morning, instead of the time we had set up prior. 

I've lived at two jobs and people will just push and push and push, up to and including knocking on your door when it is totally inappropriate. They will suck the life right out of you because to them it's just one little thing but when everyone is doing one little thing, I can't possibly have any sort of a life. You really do have to just decide when you're gonna do that stuff and when you're not, just stop and be unavailable. 

As far as training my own dogs: I really like to switch from one sport to another depending on the season. I still work on stuff on the sides from other things unless it's like dock diving in the winter which obviously doesn't happen (well, there is an indoor pool but it's 4 hours away and I don't care that much)

When the weather is bad we often do obedience because we can do that indoors. Moderate temps we track. Super hot dock diving. Something to do, we don't get bored.

Surely Kimber can compete at something, I don't know if it would be enjoyable to you to do it? I met a lady doing rally with a malinois that she was going to be doing protection sports with but the dog got hurt so she had to do something else. Can Kimber do dock diving?


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## fireBrand1$ (Jan 24, 2019)

I saw an internet advertisement from a trainer, stating: DONT ASK ME WHAT I'M DOING THIS WEEKEND. I'M TRAINING WITH MY DOG, I'M TRAINING WITH MY DOG, I'M TRAINING WITH MY DOG". Good for him, you guys have to have a life. And people wont respect you, just use you if you dont set boundaries. TOUGH LOVE.


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## Chip Blasiole (May 3, 2013)

IMO, finding really good decoys in the U.S. without having to travel for hours, is very difficult. There are some people out there who are young enough, athletic enough and can learn to catch dogs safely. But then, they need years of experience and a knowledge base of operant learning, how to read a dog and respond correctly, an ability to act, etc. It really has to be a passion, because there is usually little to no money to be made. Having to travel, even two hours one way, pretty much shoots the day except for training and most people have other responsibilities like caring for their homes. After many years, I recently totally lucked out and found an excellent certified PSA decoy who lives ten minutes away. The training is so much more enjoyable not having to be the decoy, even though I value the experience. And I would not consider myself a top decoy, but I was safe and learned to read dogs and get into their heads some during bite work. The other thing is that really good decoys have presence and can mess with a dog simply through their eye contact and body language and that is what you want if you really want your dog tested in a trial.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

I was TD and president of a club that I hosted on my land (so I also did the maintenance of the field and tracking fields) for a number of years. I made sacrifices, including the training of my own dogs, for that club and the people. It eventually imploded because one person can't do everything while getting little back. Don't get me wrong, we had a lot of fun for much of that time. 

Heel your body and find your focus again. Standing back and delegating is a good start.


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

Chip Blasiole said:


> IMO, finding really good decoys in the U.S. without having to travel for hours, is very difficult. There are some people out there who are young enough, athletic enough and can learn to catch dogs safely. But then, they need years of experience and a knowledge base of operant learning, how to read a dog and respond correctly, an ability to act, etc. It really has to be a passion, because there is usually little to no money to be made. Having to travel, even two hours one way, pretty much shoots the day except for training and most people have other responsibilities like caring for their homes. After many years, I recently totally lucked out and found an excellent certified PSA decoy who lives ten minutes away. The training is so much more enjoyable not having to be the decoy, even though I value the experience. And I would not consider myself a top decoy, but I was safe and learned to read dogs and get into their heads some during bite work. The other thing is that really good decoys have presence and can mess with a dog simply through their eye contact and body language and that is what you want if you really want your dog tested in a trial.



I agree, it's fairly easy to teach anyone with athletic ability to catch dogs. But the reading and reacting without hesitation is hard. Also getting new decoys to understand to balance out the dog. If the dog is bringing a bunch of energy, then you don't need to. If the dog is not bringing energy, then you need to. 

Pressure is one of those things I think a lot of people really don't get. It absolutely comes from the decoy. Not gadgets and gizmos. Not that those things can't have an effect, but IMO especially when talking about GSD's, they should be environmentally strong enough to ignore that stuff. Something that really struck me, was a few years ago Anne Kent (Vandal on here) was critiquing a video for me. She called me out and said "you young helpers always needing all these tools to work dogs instead of learning how to use your body". I started working really hard after that to try and bring out different things in the dogs using presence and body posturing/language. It's hard. But the dogs see and feel even the smallest change in our demeanor. A couple weeks ago I was working with a newer club. The TD has been to a couple trials I've decoyed. Both trials he was at I ran 80% of the dogs, most of them before they even bit. So the TD came up to me and said he didn't understand how I get to the dogs because I'm a small guy and he just didn't get it. I told him it's not what they see, it's what they feel. He looked kinda confused. As we stood there, I quickly shoved him hard digging my fingers into his chest as I did it. His jaw clinched he tightened up and closed his fists. It was that instant red fight reaction. I said you feel that right there? That feeling you just had when I did that? He said yes. I said that's how I run dogs. As a decoy you need to be able to turn that on and off like a switch. The TD started laughing and said ok, now I get it. 



lhczth said:


> I was TD and president of a club that I hosted on my land (so I also did the maintenance of the field and tracking fields) for a number of years. I made sacrifices, including the training of my own dogs, for that club and the people. It eventually imploded because one person can't do everything while getting little back. Don't get me wrong, we had a lot of fun for much of that time.
> 
> Heel your body and find your focus again. Standing back and delegating is a good start.



I have backed off some things. Slowed down my group. It was growing too much and just becoming a drain. Some people requiring too much hand holding. I want to get it back to just close friends having fun. I'm not going to breed anytime soon. So pushing people away for that. Now just trying to learn how to schedule my time better. I am getting antsy for a puppy, but need to thin out my herd a bit first. I'm hoping maybe this fall I'll be ready. There are a couple potential litters I'm looking out of my "A" litter girls. So even though it won't be my breeding (one might be) at least it's out of my dogs. 

Kimber's injury, isn't life threatening by any means. Just not worth it for me to keep trying to push her. Basically it's a pinched nerve. I can't remember the medical name, but the specialist said it's a real common injury in agility dogs from all the jumping. Guess what we were doing a lot of? Palisade walls multiple times a week, and doing bail out drills with a decoy hopping fences and what not with Kimber in chase also jumping fences. Real fences, like 6ft chain link, wood fences, stuff like that. So basically I'm an idiot and broke my dog. It really breaks my heart since she is my everything dog. So she can no longer do things that require jumping or really even fast running. Anything that causes her to really extend. Her new job is helping me with my client dogs, going on hikes and being my truck passenger haha. We are also going to start on narcotics here shortly.


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

Dunkirk said:


> Sorry you're going through this, 'been there, done that'. I like to understand a problem, so I can effectively deal with it. It's easy to forget we work to support our family. They would be feeling the effects of your burnout. It would be great if you could all take a short break away (without technology), rest, sleep, have fun. When you get back reset your boundaries and guard them. 2Tim1:7
> 
> https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/.../the-tell-tale-signs-burnout-do-you-have-them



Thanks for the article. It hit home for sure!


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## Chip Blasiole (May 3, 2013)

mycobraracr,
You wrote a couple of things that caught my attention. One was about needing to bring energy with some dogs. That was my POV until I started training with the new decoy. His philosophy is that he is not going to beg a dog to bite. Either the dog is eager to or not. With the early bite work on my young dog, he would calmly walk up to the dog just out of reach with a leather pillow at his waist. Fortunately, my dog easily came into drive the first session and really wanted to bite the stationary pillow. The only prey movement he would add was a very slight raising and lowering of the edge facing the dog, and that has been mostly to develop better control with the protection obedience. There is no whip or movement of the decoy's body, except when slightly backing away from the dog after a strike to develop a pushing bite.
The other thing is that the decoy is also a small guy, but has a reputation for running a lot of dogs in PSA trials. He says when the dog comes onto the field in a trial, he goes to a dark place in his mind. I think because dogs can read people so well, presence can be displayed with very subtle cues.


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

In these videos, you can see what I mean about bringing energy. It's not about begging a dog to bite. One of the issues I have with a lot of the sports right now especially the suit sports that are primarily mal based is people aren't building the dogs anymore. They are just getting 8 week old puppies and and stapling them on bites.


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## Chip Blasiole (May 3, 2013)

In the group I train with for PSA, I am the only one with a GSD. The others have unregistered KNPV Mals which they breed. Even the very young ones don't need any drive building. They are extremely possessive due to extreme prey. They use food and toys for obedience and there is a lot more emphasis on control earlier on because of the nature of the sport. The end goal in the bite work is to teach a pushing bite which encourages the dog to learn how to fight a man. Even though some say a suit is just a big sleeve, there are differences. One is the close proximity to the decoy's face on the bicep bite and another is the dog can feel the decoy's muscles and tendons moving under the suit because he only uses a competition suit in training that is lighter. Also, with PSA, the only need for barking is with the car jacking scenario. In IPO, barking is a big part of the B&H, and I think a lot of the foundation becomes about getting the dog to bark more than getting the dog to fight the decoy. They are also very much into indirect learning at an early age via a place box and activation exercises, such as after freeing your dog from an obedience exercise, luring the dog into a spin with food to keep him energized and engaged with the handler.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

I understand the frustrations of injuries. LB was out all last year due to a stupid mistake on my part. No problems so far this year and I am being careful as I bring her back. She really missed working. 



Many helpers/decoys no longer know how to work a puppy/young dog that isn't screaming, barking and sending spit everywhere. And many clubs would wash a puppy/young dog that isn't doing the same. It does get very frustrating and I feel sorry for new people who don't have the experience to know to either wait or to look for different work.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

Chip Blasiole said:


> In IPO, barking is a big part of the B&H, and I think a lot of the foundation becomes about getting the dog to bark more than getting the dog to fight the decoy.



Barking is important because of what it tells about the dog, unfortunately it has become easy to create barking now. Unless a judge knows what he/she is looking at, even created barking can look very convincing. 

Don't get me started on what is considered "fighting" in IPO now. When I started we wanted dogs that fought the man. Now they want the dog pulling, avoidance, and call it fight. Some dogs do this naturally, because that is how they fight, but others would rather fight more into the helper (does that make sense?) and have to be forced to pull. A dog that toques or grips in is called "not calm" or pulsing. Vent over. LOL


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

lhczth said:


> Many helpers/decoys no longer know how to work a puppy/young dog that isn't screaming, barking and sending spit everywhere. And many clubs would wash a puppy/young dog that isn't doing the same. It does get very frustrating and I feel sorry for new people who don't have the experience to know to either wait or to look for different work.




^^^This!!!!! The puppy I posted was a screamer and crazy drive. That wasn't built, it's genetic. I made those videos to sell him. Other than that and I told the people who bought him, to put him up. No need to do bite work with him yet because he's not mentally capable of working the way he wants to work. That's what they did. 


Chip, I'm a PSA decoy, and my club is a PSA club. I understand the differences in the sports. I actually don't compete in IPO, I just do helper work for other clubs. Same with WDA. I decoy trials and for other clubs but that's about it. You basically backed what I was saying. You have the only GSD in the club, the rest are mals. That's a lot of places. Now everyone is trying to work GSD's like mals. They aren't the same and shouldn't be treated as such. I understand the control aspect. Something I work on a ton. I also believe that the dog needs to have that level of control in the highest state of drive. Because when stress levels rise, or things go wrong that's the state of mind the dog will be in. It better be used to thinking and working in that state. 

Gripping behavior I like. This is after the dogs session. He's smoked at this point. This is my wife's dog. https://www.facebook.com/jeremy.friedman.7737/videos/vb.1612512497/10214937733389475/?type=3
https://www.facebook.com/jeremy.friedman.7737/videos/vb.1612512497/10209920063710869/?type=3
https://www.facebook.com/jeremy.friedman.7737/videos/vb.1612512497/10215420999510826/?type=3


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

You would love LB's brother Frank.  Need to make a visit to VA.


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

Doesn't matter what it is in life.....except inherent responsibilities..... but when I hear the word "burnout"......all I hear is.... the passion is waning.....and when one loses the "passion" ....one has to be honest with themselves. There's no disgrace in losing passion....especially in one's hobbies and pursuits.....it's just a fact of life. Passion is the name of the game.......rarely will anyone get as far as their potential allows them without true passion. A true competitive spirit requires passion......and it can't be artificially manufactured.


Find the passion or move on.......


All IMHO.


SuperG


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## Chip Blasiole (May 3, 2013)

Lisa,
I fully agree with your comments about barking, gripping and fighting. They are, IMO, major reasons IPO has negatively effected the type of dogs selected for breeding resulting in a loss of valuable working traits.


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## Chip Blasiole (May 3, 2013)

mycobraracr,
The dogs in our group are essentially worked the same and there is no attempt to amp the dog in drive during the bite work because all of our dogs have good drive and it is working against yourself with all the control required in PSA. One dog is a KNPV Mal import and he will never be titled in PSA because his foundation in Holland was that every time the handler brought the dog out, it was bite, bite , bite. Now it is too late to put the level of control needed on the dog to obtain a title. The main difference I see between my dog and the Mals is the quickness and intensity of their strikes.


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## mycobraracr (Dec 4, 2011)

SuperG said:


> Doesn't matter what it is in life.....except inherent responsibilities..... but when I hear the word "burnout"......all I hear is.... the passion is waning.....and when one loses the "passion" ....one has to be honest with themselves. There's no disgrace in losing passion....especially in one's hobbies and pursuits.....it's just a fact of life. Passion is the name of the game.......rarely will anyone get as far as their potential allows them without true passion. A true competitive spirit requires passion......and it can't be artificially manufactured.
> 
> 
> Find the passion or move on.......
> ...




Lack of passion couldn't be further from it. Lack of time, lack of sleep and in some ways a lack of fun. I start my first dog at 0500 every day, seven days a week. I try and take about an hour everyday to go to the gym, ride my bike or hike my dogs. My last dog usually gets put up about 2300 every night, depending on how many board and trains I have. Then the next day the cycle starts over. Again, seven days a week. Thursdays and Saturdays things are a little different, because that's when I run my club. Where not only am I working/decoying dogs, I'm helping with obedience and everything else in between. Lately a lot of other clubs have been bringing me out to decoy for them. Nice to change up the day to day but then usually puts me behind on everything else and inevitably cuts into my sleep time. 

In the last eight months, I've taken days off twice. One of those times I took 17 days, but traveled to different clubs/groups all over the Western US and worked dogs every day usually from sun up to sun down, then drove through the night to the next place. 

These last two weeks I've decoyed trials for other clubs, came home and still worked dogs. Last weekend I drove seven hours, decoyed a trial got right back in the truck to drive the seven hours home and, you guessed it worked dogs. I could go on, but I won't. What I'm saying, is it's not a lack of passion. Passion is probably the only thing getting me through this.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

This is such a common theme with decoys. You guys spend so much time training everyone else's dogs that you don't accomplish your own goals. Don't be afraid to be selfish.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I am currently not training in sport and it was/is very hard to have such a change in lifestyle. I hope to get back into it, but my passion kind of died when I lost my heartdog.
The one thing I wish more than anything, is to be younger! My body is screaming at me daily, and sport takes a toll on the dog and the handler....if we aren't hurting, we aren't training enough! 
Jeremy, I hope you can get your groove back. It is hard when the demands become a drag instead of something to look forward to. 

Refresh yourself, take a break. You are still young enough to give so much, but don't lose what your actual passion is for the benefit that others reap. 

Time flies and yet, that journey isn't long enough.


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## Elisabeth Ann Parent (Dec 1, 2016)

I was going full force with Zefra, she was older with a knee injury (healed). She reinjured her knee a week before her IPO1. I honestly think she would of showed very well. Powerful dog, nice obedience... Really nice strong female. She made me look good and feel confident on the field.

She injured her back (nerve damaged in neck and spine that has resorted to locking jaw and several other issues).

My new puppy arrived just weeks before it happened.. 

I lost interest in training. Super depressed. 

I changed clubs hoping to get my spark back. 

The puppy is almost 15 months and I am just now starting to really work her. She is a tremendous young dog but I still don't feel the spark to get as involved as I once was.

I hope you find your spark. I am giving myself a full year, attend club, try for our BH and then if I am still feeling this way we will try something else.


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## Dunkirk (May 7, 2015)

mycobraracr said:


> Lack of passion couldn't be further from it. Lack of time, lack of sleep and in some ways a lack of fun. I start my first dog at 0500 every day, seven days a week. I try and take about an hour everyday to go to the gym, ride my bike or hike my dogs. My last dog usually gets put up about 2300 every night, depending on how many board and trains I have. Then the next day the cycle starts over. Again, seven days a week. Thursdays and Saturdays things are a little different, because that's when I run my club. Where not only am I working/decoying dogs, I'm helping with obedience and everything else in between. Lately a lot of other clubs have been bringing me out to decoy for them. Nice to change up the day to day but then usually puts me behind on everything else and inevitably cuts into my sleep time.
> 
> In the last eight months, I've taken days off twice. One of those times I took 17 days, but traveled to different clubs/groups all over the Western US and worked dogs every day usually from sun up to sun down, then drove through the night to the next place.
> 
> These last two weeks I've decoyed trials for other clubs, came home and still worked dogs. Last weekend I drove seven hours, decoyed a trial got right back in the truck to drive the seven hours home and, you guessed it worked dogs. I could go on, but I won't. What I'm saying, is it's not a lack of passion. Passion is probably the only thing getting me through this.


I don't know if it's possible to have fun when you're physically and mentally exhausted. You've got me very concerned for your health. Unless you stop, a breakdown is likely. Please, please, start saying "No" to people, clubs and groups. You need to come apart and rest, before you come apart.


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

mycobraracr said:


> Lack of passion couldn't be further from it. Lack of time, lack of sleep and in some ways a lack of fun. I start my first dog at 0500 every day, seven days a week. I try and take about an hour everyday to go to the gym, ride my bike or hike my dogs. My last dog usually gets put up about 2300 every night, depending on how many board and trains I have. Then the next day the cycle starts over. Again, seven days a week. Thursdays and Saturdays things are a little different, because that's when I run my club. Where not only am I working/decoying dogs, I'm helping with obedience and everything else in between. Lately a lot of other clubs have been bringing me out to decoy for them. Nice to change up the day to day but then usually puts me behind on everything else and inevitably cuts into my sleep time.
> 
> In the last eight months, I've taken days off twice. One of those times I took 17 days, but traveled to different clubs/groups all over the Western US and worked dogs every day usually from sun up to sun down, then drove through the night to the next place.
> 
> These last two weeks I've decoyed trials for other clubs, came home and still worked dogs. Last weekend I drove seven hours, decoyed a trial got right back in the truck to drive the seven hours home and, you guessed it worked dogs. I could go on, but I won't. What I'm saying, is it's not a lack of passion. Passion is probably the only thing getting me through this.



I'm glad you have passion for your described rigorous schedule.....


I guess it was the word "burnout" that confused me.......I guess my interpretation of "burnout" is just different than others.......





SuperG


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## Chip Blasiole (May 3, 2013)

IMO, you are pushing yourself to do way too much and not getting enough sleep. Inadequate sleep can cause all different types of physical and mental problems. You call it passion, but it almost approaches a compulsion.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

If the passion is truly still there it will slowly disappear if you ignore what your mind and body are telling you. Delegate so hard for many to do and is key. Find a apprentice/assistant/partner that will help you free up some of your time and hopefully make it easy to just say no. Give yourself days off. Set hours and stick with them. Go on dogless vacations either short or long. Find a new hobby that does not involve dogs. Find time to take care of you. Something has to change you need to make a change.


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## Gregc (Aug 10, 2012)

Your passion is awesome and I sincerely applaud your efforts. I know a few folks like this (different games), and I admire them all! However (and there is always a however, isn't there?)..... you cannot run like this in perpetuity.
Please say 'no' to some, or better yet, find &/or train a few folks to stand in for you. Begin to delegate. Begin to trust others to get the job done. Become a mentor and then let your students fly. I know it can be difficult to 'let go' of things. I've been there. You will need to do so, before you just 'crash'. You, crashing, is not good for anyone. Please take this with my very best warm regards,
Greg


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## ausdland (Oct 21, 2015)

I observe other trainers, helpers, breeders and wonder how they do it 7 days a week all day long? 
Self care! Got to make time to stretch and work your core.
What's Kimber's injury?


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