Trial and Error
I don’t know about anybody else, but I learn through trial and error. So does my dog! (That’s not to say I set him up to fail; sometimes things just happen!)
The learning isn’t in the error, though. The learning is in how you recover from that error and correct it. For instance, when I was young in 4-H, when I made an error with my dog I would immediately overcompensate and start drilling her. Now that I’m older (much older!) I sit back and laugh first, and then figure out where the error occurred, and how to work on fixing it. Let your mistakes be moments to learn, not get frustrated.
Remember! you’re not behind anybody. You’re right where you are, and that’s a good place to be, and a good place to move forward from. Your dog’s all ready to go!
Good sportmanship is how I keep my cool. There are plenty times when the mistake is my fault so when my dog makes one how could I be mad. I always have said “If she had a great handler she would be a National Champion”….it’s all about enjoying your dog and having fun.