Reader Mailbag
Thank you for all of your emails! The inbox was full of congratulations for Jennifer on both her pregnancy and her TED Talk, and we’re thrilled to hear how much you’ve missed the WWU (we’ve missed you too!).
I especially loved the stories several agility handlers shared about competing while pregnant. It’s not a contest but if it were, this reader takes the blue ribbon:
“I was only able to run agility up to 4–5 months pregnant, but I was carrying triplets, so most people thought I was nine months along at that point!”
Podcast: Jennifer Crank on the TED Talk Stage
You can’t watch the TED Talk just yet, but you can listen to our podcast conversation with Jennifer about the whole experience. Jennifer was invited to speak at the very first TEDSports, and we sat down with her to hear what it really takes to prepare for a TED Talk.
She talks about doing all of this while eight and a half months pregnant, being put up in a nice hotel, and rubbing shoulders with famous people, experts, and high achievers from all over. Jennifer didn’t just want to run a demo—she wanted to leave the audience with a message they could take with them, something bigger than dog agility.
It’s a rare peek behind the red letters, and a moment of pride for the agility community. Listen here: Episode 369: Jennifer Gives a TED Talk
WNBA Playoffs
During the extremely close, tense, epic battle between the Indiana Fever (our team) and the Las Vegas Aces in a win-or-go-home Game 5 (we lost in overtime), my daughter confessed she was super stressed and not enjoying herself. She finally blurted, “What’s the point if you don’t win?” To which I replied, “Welcome to being a fan.”
I’m not really wired this way anymore, but I used to be,especially around football. It got me thinking: do you ever feel this way about dog agility?
As fans, we become a part of our favorite team—their victory feels like our victory, their loss like our personal failure. But in agility, most of us aren’t just spectators; we’re the athletes! That changes the psychology. To me, spectator stress is about powerlessness. You care deeply but can’t influence the outcome. On the other hand, agility stress is about control and performance. You can affect the outcome, but that brings pressure of its own.
Some people even find competing less stressful than spectating, because at least they’re doing something (my daughter is like this, and I know Sarah got really nervous when I ran in big events). Others feel the opposite, because competition places the spotlight squarely on them and their dog.
What do you think? Is the stress of spectating the same as the stress of stepping to the line with your dog, or are they two totally different animals?
Valley Fever
I haven’t thought about coccidioidomycosis since my med school and residency days, but here it is again. Coccidioides is a soil-borne fungus that, when inhaled, causes what’s known as Valley Fever. It doesn’t just affect people; dogs can get it too. Typically, infections happen in the Southwestern part of the United States, but the numbers are rising.
UC Davis reported nearly 12,500 cases in California last year, the most ever. So if your pup has a lingering cough after a road trip out west, keep this in mind. Read the full article here: UC Davis Health
Literary Trivia
Our daughter has never read a Harry Potter book or seen a Harry Potter movie. She’s not alone as there’s a whole generation of kids who shrug at the mention of Hogwarts. Still, October is here, and this song just gave me a shot of Halloween cheer:
Know the literary work this song is based on? Email your guess to team@baddogagility.com—but don’t bother if you had to look it up! 🎃👻
Happy (October) Training,
