Interpretations of Empathy and Jealousy

Agility has always been a huge part of my life, not just the animals and the lifestyle but the sport itself. Dog agility is not just a sport though, I've come to realize it is more of a community.  And without the support or disdain of others, one simply cannot grow to become a true competitor.

There is a certain sense of reliance within agility and I believe that is greatly overlooked.

Despite being so blatantly surrounded by "the dog life" I took all of it (whatever it may be) for granted.  Obviously I liked it all, and considered myself a part of this community, but I hadn't been what I regard as actively involved until this year when training, trialing, and thus the agility community became my life. From my perspective, I view agility as my misfit home, as do so many other juniors that I've talked to.  However, despite agility being slightly less scary than the outside world, everyone knows there are a few bad apples.

Just like in training, repetition of bad behavior, unsuccessful attempts and scolding will, in most cases, lead to shut down and an unwillingness to work as a team.

The same applies to life.

However, this theory must be taken with a grain of salt.  We are not dogs, we are humans, and therefore we must learn to cope with factors we would rather not and "perform" despite it all. In our cases, the dynamic of handler and animal must be replaced with individual and community wherein we aren't being forced around a course but rather are being examined and many times picked apart depending on who sees your runs.  Whether it be online, in person or by word of mouth, everyone or no one can know about your progress or failure in the agility world.

I know many people claim to hate this aspect of agility, but yet, is it not a main aspect of life as well?

I really should find a word to address both agility and life... In most of my blog post I tend to use both synonymously.  This one is no exception.

In both life and agility your biggest blunders and worst fears will be realized with a large audience there, forcing you to never forget. But no matter how big or small the mistake, there will always be those who talk and just like in agility, in the beginning, your amount of drive as a human can be made or broken depending on the forces behind you.  Whether they be forces of the positive or negative sort.

I've come to realize that there are two determining factors in which one can gauge whether or not to, putting it blatantly, take these attempted tear-downs as compliments.  Two things in which one can take demotivational handling and transform it into positive re-enforcement. 

I clearly love reversing things seemingly black and white...

Empathy and jealousy are these two determining factors.  If someone honestly thought you were a terrible handler, or had an awful dog they most likely wouldn't comment, or would take pity, rather than spreading rumors and blatantly stating their pure disdain through condescension. If they did comment something as such that would only reflect poorly on them... Aren't humans wonderful?

However jealousy, in many cases, drives people to the brink of madness replacing the good with the ugly, breaking all barriers of what is clearly stated as acceptable, whether this be in the agility community or again, in the many scenarios in which life will play out.  Jealousy forces those who feel inferior to justify their statements when walking all over those by which they feel threatened.  This forced justification only aggravates the statements and enlarges the number of people they will infect with negativity in your regard.

This spread of infectious negativity by the core virus is, again, your truth, your nutshell.  This person is only wishing deep down that they had the guts, the handling capability or the training skills in order to have a dog like yours.  One would not simply rip someone's hard work and commitment down for fun, although that is what they would like to claim.

However that is not to say that there are no good apples either, and in any group of individuals there will, and always be, those who support you with more force than the blows of those trying to knock you down which, again, applies to life as well.


Negativity and positivity are ideas which have always appeared so black and white to me though I obviously can't speak for others.  However, I know that whether the clashes of these shades, colours, ideas or abstractions are clearly defined is irrelevant. There is always room for interpretation.

I choose to interpret the concepts of positivity and negativity so that I may reach my full potential, and I encourage others to do so as well.  My theories of jealousy, empathy and how these ideas affect the viral spread of negativity throughout a community only help me to justify the "gray" area I detect.

Life is full of justification and interpretation, but choosing to see those that allow you to excel is an art that will be learned, re-learned and attempted to be understood throughout the entirety of one's life no matter what community someone is a part of.

Personally though, I choose positive re-enforcement.  For my friends, for my animals and for myself.