Is it Really a Popularity Contest?

I had another sucky agility class with Weasel.  She was checking out and running off.  I was so worried that she would run off and go play with other dogs doing other exercises that I was frozen and not giving her proper cue at the proper time or maintaining any connection with her.  As I got more frustrated, she checked out more and well, yeah.  One of those classes.

It is frustrating.  When we get it together, she amazes me.  She is fast, bright, responsive and makes it look so easy.  It's like a dance.  I can see such potential in her.  But, instead, I am stuck in the position of competing for her attention with all the other dogs, and their squeaky toys, and their handlers.  I have been sucked into the "just need a better toy" vortex.  It doesn't work.  A toy she can't resist in someone else's hands she won't even look at when I'm holding it.  I've tried the switching toys, etc.  I don't know how many times I've heard the "you just have to be the most interesting thing."  I wave the toys and scamper and play growl and dance and all of that, and it just revs her up until she turns into the glassy-eyed dingbat that can't even see the tug toy bouncing off her nose.

I don't think it's a matter of being "the most interesting." I don't think agility is about a popularity contest where I spend the entire class competing to be the most interesting thing.  I believe that it's not about "being the most interesting thing out there" but about being the safe, trusted, reliable and habitual thing out there; about having developed a relationship with her that causes her to habitually check in, trust, listen and respond.  (Keep in mind, I currently suck at agility)  Weasel finds agility fun, but stressful.  Stress causes dogs to revert.  I believe my frustration and the exposure to strange people stresses her and the best thing I can do is to give her a safe harbor and reassuring direction.

So, based on that theory, I am going to spend the next couple of weeks working on that relationship:  walks, just her and me, massages, tricks for treats, and just try to build that communication and relationship.