January 1st is traditionally the time for us to reflect back on the previous year and use those experiences to plan for the new year. Most years I have set lofty outcome oriented goals for agility, promises to work out more, eat healthier and plan my trial schedule.
This year I am already eating healthy. I have learned that Yoga and stretching is just as important as my cardio and weight training. My hamstrings tell me so! So today I will work out a written schedule for myself and the dogs. This schedule will include trials, training, meal planning, indoor work outs, outdoor workouts and yoga for all of us.
Each year the dogs grow in different ways. Lainie is becoming more confident and speedy. Is she ready for tryouts or nationals for 2014-2015? If so then we need to work those international moves more and I need to train more with her. Pippin is gaining more core strength due to the stretching and exercises I am working with him. Continual work on collection, jumping, bars and arousal level is on his list of goals. It is my challenge as a dog trainer to figure out this exuberant boy. Sully, well life has made his goals change a bit. No matter what the circumstances in life, we must still have goals. My goals for Sully is to keep him in shape physically and mentally by providing whatever means needed to do that. He must trial to keep him happy and I must handle him as though nothing has changed. Yes, Sully will be happy in 2014, that is my goal. Little man Max is on the cusp of starting is agility career. My goals with Max are simple. I will pay attention to our teamwork together and make sure I address any issues right then and there. I will not gloss over training issues. I will provide to him what he needs to be successful and learn. I will remember to work lots of tricks and shaping behaviors this winter to keep him "thinking".
So there it is. Each dog has their own training booklet with goals in the front and a page for documenting our training sessions. What did we work on? What were the results? What do we need to focus on next session? In June, we look back at our progress and maybe modify the plan for the remainder of the year.
OK 2014, I am appreciative of our cold, long NY winters to allow life to slow down a bit and give me the time to set goals, work on all those things I never have time for in the summer. Here is to a happy, healthy and fun filled 2014. After all goals like life should be fun!!!
This year I am already eating healthy. I have learned that Yoga and stretching is just as important as my cardio and weight training. My hamstrings tell me so! So today I will work out a written schedule for myself and the dogs. This schedule will include trials, training, meal planning, indoor work outs, outdoor workouts and yoga for all of us.
Each year the dogs grow in different ways. Lainie is becoming more confident and speedy. Is she ready for tryouts or nationals for 2014-2015? If so then we need to work those international moves more and I need to train more with her. Pippin is gaining more core strength due to the stretching and exercises I am working with him. Continual work on collection, jumping, bars and arousal level is on his list of goals. It is my challenge as a dog trainer to figure out this exuberant boy. Sully, well life has made his goals change a bit. No matter what the circumstances in life, we must still have goals. My goals for Sully is to keep him in shape physically and mentally by providing whatever means needed to do that. He must trial to keep him happy and I must handle him as though nothing has changed. Yes, Sully will be happy in 2014, that is my goal. Little man Max is on the cusp of starting is agility career. My goals with Max are simple. I will pay attention to our teamwork together and make sure I address any issues right then and there. I will not gloss over training issues. I will provide to him what he needs to be successful and learn. I will remember to work lots of tricks and shaping behaviors this winter to keep him "thinking".
So there it is. Each dog has their own training booklet with goals in the front and a page for documenting our training sessions. What did we work on? What were the results? What do we need to focus on next session? In June, we look back at our progress and maybe modify the plan for the remainder of the year.
OK 2014, I am appreciative of our cold, long NY winters to allow life to slow down a bit and give me the time to set goals, work on all those things I never have time for in the summer. Here is to a happy, healthy and fun filled 2014. After all goals like life should be fun!!!
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