Was it worth it?

You may not get a rosette at your first show, or you may win out of Elementary! Whatever happens, you've hopefully had fun and learned a lot, and your training will be a lot more focused now you know just how important it is for your dog to turn left or right on command, or enter the weaves correctly, or get the contact on the A-frame (we've all had those perfect "if only" runs).

Now you may feel that that was an awful lot of trouble to go through for the dubious pleasure of standing around in a field getting soaking wet or a bad case of sunstroke, and being shown up by your excited dog. If that's you - oh dear, maybe you'd better take up knitting instead!

Hopefully, though, you've now decided that you'd happily drive to the corners of the earth in order to gain that elusive Clear Round Rosette. After all, it's got to be worth spending lots of money on entry fees and petrol and getting up in the middle of the night in order to get a nice piece of ribbon, hasn't it? If you're like the rest of us, the answer to that will be a resounding "Yes"!

In that case, you'll be wanting to head back to the All About Agility page so you can track down some more shows and show schedules. This is where you can begin to kiss your sanity goodbye. Next thing you know, you'll be buying a tent or a caravan.

Now might be a good moment to read Sue White's poem below - don't say you weren't warned!

Agility Addiction

You know you're well and truly hooked
When every weekend in the summer is booked
When even your annual holiday vacation
Has become another agility vocation.

You know when you've gone round the bend
When you get every schedule for which you can send
When you've spent every last penny and pound
On your not so good, but loveable hound.

You know when you've gone totally cuckoo
When the accommodation's a tent with an outside loo
When your feet are wet and your hands are cold
And your dog still will not do what it's told.

You know when you're out of your head
When at five in the morning you're out of your bed
When the odds of winning are 500 to 1
But you still carry on doing it 'just for fun.'

You know it's finally taken over your life
When you've covered the distance from London to Fife
When nothing will make you miss your agility session
And you've booked up every type of course and lesson.

You know when it has affected your brain
When you're standing in a field in the pouring rain
When your heart is beating and you're gasping for air
And you're covered in mud, and still don't care.

You know you are certifiably insane
When you study a course again and again
When you are willing to travel mile after mile
For one small rosette that still makes you smile!

Sue White - Whirlwind Agility Group