The Beginning...

Today marks the beginning of our training season and I have done a lot of thinking about "goals". I recently read an article by Sylvia Trkman about goals and how she doesn't set any. I thought to myself "well that's easy for her to say because she has all the tools she needs at her disposal (time, money, equipment, space) and she's a naturally optimistic person (I am not though I wish I were). Then I thought to myself "but I just spent all this time thinking about our goals and now I am supposed to just let it happen?". I hear so many contradictory theories in agility and dog training, in general, that I, as a beginner, start to feel confused. Where do you start when there are so many overwhelming choices. Some people start foundation training immediately and others wait until their puppies are older. 

I was able, this week, to think about what I want for myself and my dogs and what I want is to run fairly clean. To feel like we are working in unison and having fun doing it. I don't want to spend all the money I have trying to reach a likely unattainable goal. Some people might say I am being pessimistic and they might be right. But I believe that with optimism you must have realism. I work 8 hours a day, I have a boyfriend who has 2 children, I have 3 dogs, and I have lots of family that I don't see often even though they live within 2 hours of me. I could spend every free minute I have training and goal setting but that's not what I want. I envy those fellow competitors and friends who are able to go further than I will be able to but I have realized I don't want to be them. Not because I don't think they are happy but because it's not what makes me happy. I love my dogs and I love agility but I love other things too. 

I was overwhelmed with the amount of work I thought needed to be done before our first trial in October at LCDA in Charelston, SC. After going to train tonight at our instructor's place I realized that we all still had the tools we had before our 3 month hiatus. Monster weaved like he'd never stopped weaving and regained the level of confidence he had for the chute (which wasn't much to begin with but after getting stuck in the chute several times at our last trial he was shaken up a bit) and Shawty ran with more speed than he had before our break. Punch had more obstacle focus than I'd expected and was able to start learning a new piece of equipment that we don't have at home- the chute. I love seeing the strengths my dogs have in agility because they are so different. I can really see all the foundation work I was able to do with Monster in Daisy Peel's foundation class online and I love remembering how much natural drive my old JRT has (I thought he was slowing down but he's definitely still got some years going!). I love seeing Punch complete a few short sequences when I was wondering if we'd ever be able to get to that point (my pessimism at it's best, lol). 

Look, don't get me wrong, I believe in myself and my dogs but World Championships and Nationals are not on our list of realities or goals. I might like to go to regionals and if we ever happen to get further than that then we will have fun along the way but it's not on our list. I want to accomplish things between my dogs and myself and not between us and the rest of our agility competitors. We will support them, watch them, laugh and cry with them, but we will not compete against them. The journey is about what we can do together and that's how I want it. I want us to test our training and our strength as a team. I hope this all makes sense.

Anyway, the point of this post was to say that we're back! And in the right headspace :) We can't wait to see our friends at LCDA!

Start Where You Are...

Pics of the Pack!

Monster:

 The gang:

 Shawty:

 Punch:

First Post!

Hi! I started this blog page for myself but others are welcome to read. I am trying to find a way to keep track of my experience in the constantly evolving world of dog agility. I have 3 dogs: Punch, a 14 month old JRT mix, Monster, a 2 yr old Spitz/Staffy mix, and Shawty, a ~9 yr old JRT. Shawty is the inspiration for my introduction to the world of agility. We were really just doing it for funsies and I was "bit by the bug"and have been competing for the past 3 years. Monster has been to a a few trials but his career has really just begun and still needs some fine tuning. Punch is technically old enough to start trialing now but we have MANY skills to work on before that time comes. 

I have set and reset my goals with my dogs numerous times. Some times I reset my goals because of my own personal preferences, some times because others have inspired me, and some times because of economical restraints. 

At this time, my economic status is preventing my goals with my dogs but that's ok! I think, in a way, life is steering me in the right direction. You must learn to walk before you can run and there are plenty of skills the dogs and I can work on before excelling to the next level in our game. Could I make it to USDAA nationals with 1 or 2 of my dogs the way they are now? Probably. But the reward wouldn't feel as great because I haven't put the work into my dogs that I should. 

I have created (sort of) goal sheets for each of my dogs. The sheets definitely need some tweaking but I will only know where the tweaking is needed once I begin using them. Suggestions from readers are welcome!

So, this post is really an intro for me and I will be posting often (hopefully!).

Inspiration for the day: Don't You Dare Steal My Joy

-Jen