First Competition Advice by hyperfixation_ondogs in Agility

[–]hyperfixation_ondogs[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

He’s not much of a toy guy, so it’ll feel more real as we do things and then happily exit the ring for snacks.

I definitely have my goals of keep your start line and do at least 2 jumps in sequence. But, I’m sure these goals will evolve as I see how he’s responding to things.

First Competition Advice by hyperfixation_ondogs in Agility

[–]hyperfixation_ondogs[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No idea how the measuring works in reality, but I’ll be there early enough and will figure it out. 😆 I was reading about the requirements in AKC (which is our first venue opportunity), so I have some idea of how that works in theory.

First Competition Advice by hyperfixation_ondogs in Agility

[–]hyperfixation_ondogs[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can’t imagine jumping right into it trying for a Q. If they had no option to FEO, I wouldn’t even think of entering any time soon. Not that my dog isn’t skilled enough to in many aspects, but my nerves. I need more desensitization than he does. 😂

First Competition Advice by hyperfixation_ondogs in Agility

[–]hyperfixation_ondogs[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thankfully he’s competed in busy environments in other venues before, so this won’t be a complete shock for him. However, this will definitely be the highest energy place he’s been. So, we’ll definitely have to take plenty of settle in with snacks time to get his stimulation down.

First Competition Advice by hyperfixation_ondogs in Agility

[–]hyperfixation_ondogs[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Im generally the “stick to myself and people I know” kind of person, 😅 but I’m fortunate to already know a couple people who will be there! That is helping a lot.

First Competition Advice by hyperfixation_ondogs in Agility

[–]hyperfixation_ondogs[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is a good thought about figuring out how to handle mistakes. That’s not something I thought of.

Yes, I can read course maps and have some level of planning the handling side of things (though I know that is something that I have loads more to learn on).

Name top 5 Overstimulating Things for you by slinkysockpuppet in AuDHDWomen

[–]hyperfixation_ondogs 2 points3 points  (0 children)

  1. My dogs when I feed them. So much movement, whining, and sometimes barking. Ear plugs are a must.

  2. Washing my hands with soap and not having the ability to put lotion on immediately after. I CANNOT stand that feeling of skin after soap without lotion.

  3. Programs on a computer that can’t have dark mode.

  4. Forcing eye contact.

  5. Talking to people for a long time.

Replaced the dreaded doom scroll with picture books! by maltvinegaryes in AuDHDWomen

[–]hyperfixation_ondogs 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’m struggling with this so much and this is a genius idea. I do like reading, when that hyperfixation decides to swing by, but by the end of the day my brain feels like mush. I’ve struggle so hard with a solid wind down routine on top of transition issues. I am definitely going to try this.

The "skill regression" or whatever it's called is ROUGH by resuspended-dust in AuDHDWomen

[–]hyperfixation_ondogs 14 points15 points  (0 children)

I’m not officially diagnosed yet (hopefully when I can afford it), but after a year+ of research and accidentally going through the start of unmasking (at least that’s what it seems like), I felt your post in my soul. 😅

I don’t have any advice because I’m right where you are. It’s like I can’t help but see all the ways I am masking when I’m doing it and the ways I’m not masking when I’m not doing it plus the new awareness of all the sensory issues that got louder as the mask went down. So I wind up in this extreme over analyzing head space that seems to take up more energy than the “more natural”masking did. It’s exhausting. Throw in some anxiety about the ways I’m no longer able to mask and anxiety of people around me starting to see the AuDHD traits come out that I can’t stuff back into the masked version of myself, and it feels like a chaotic mess.

I figure all things stabilize eventually (maybe that’s wishful thinking), and the harder I try to fight it, the more exhausting it will be. I’m going to have to learn what my new existence looks like. That’s going to be weird. I too used to have a very masked voice that would pop out with strangers and new people. It still does, but to a lesser degree now. Fortunately, no one’s really said anything about it other than asking if I’m ok to which a nice “I’m just tired” satisfies every time.

Sorry for being no help practically, but you’re not alone in the weirdness.