Inside a tiny corner of a hallway two cones sit on either side. The walls are dark and painted in crazy colors narrowing an already tight space. A judge, a timer and a photographer wait for us to begin.
Before the cones, I take a breath coming back to my body, and say one word. "Okay."
Simple permission. Nothing formal, nothing dramatic. Just "Okay."
Daisy bounds forward already working. Excited to explore and to win. The darkness limits some visual signals, but I hear the shift as her sniffing speeds up. Then her mouth opens with a smile and before the confirmation I know.
"Alert." "Yes."
Daisy comes to me celebrating her success. My nerves stayed contained so she could win. I worked on myself so she could be free.
The Call was my breath and release. The Circle was the knowing I would walk out with the best dog there. Success or not. The Weave was that moment of knowing. The confidence in the dark hallway.
This is what we build together in Bondweaving.