Clean Run - November 2011 - 35

Ready, Set, Trial!
By Jamie McKay, CPDT KA

Goals and Expectations
Agility is a game we play with our dogs. When we choose to compete it adds another dimension to the game. There is no absolute predictor of how your team will perform in competition. Expectations are based on what we believe is likely to happen. Our expectations may or may not be realistic. Runs that do not live up to our expectations can be disappointing and leave us doubting both our abilities and those of our dog. Replace expectations with clearly defined individualized goals. Focus on process and performance rather than outcomes. Goal-setting gives you an idea of where you and your dog are in terms of skills and lets you plan where you want to be. Be specific about the goals you are striving to accomplish. Vague or grandiose goals can leave you overwhelmed and doubting your ability. Commitment to training is easier if you are working toward a clearly established goal. Choose systematic goals that are achievable but challenging. Develop a training plan to break tasks down into smaller parts with a series of short-term or process goals. Set measurable goals. An example of a measurable goal is “My dog
November 11 | Clean Run

will hold a start-line stay while I do a one-jump leadout.” Starting out with your dog learning stay and understanding the release word while building on the three Ds (distance, distraction, duration) is the first part of the task to accomplish the goal. Having your dog understand his job in taking a jump while being called over the jump is another part of the task. Impulse control and building value for the jump is yet another part of the picture. All of these tasks add up to a dog that holds a stay until released, despite distractions. There’s nothing wrong with setting an outcome goal of a clean run for your first competition, but don’t measure your success by a qualifying run or a placement. Instead, measure success by what went right and build on it. Learn from your mistakes and go forward. When a run does not go according to plan revisit your goals and adjust your training accordingly. Ask yourself what you can do differently now and how you can work on improving your team’s performance in the future. My goals and your goals will be different. Set goals based on your team’s experience and comfort level. As a nov-

ice handler at my first trial, my short-term goal was to remember the course and keep my dog running happily with me. I achieved those goals and while we didn’t qualify I finished the course happy and with a boost to my confidence. Achieving your goals requires effort. There are no shortcuts. Leave the excuses behind. Make practice and preparation a priority and make the most of your time and resources by planning your training sessions ahead of time. Set up your training so that practice mimics the trial situation as much as possible. Save your course maps so you can set up the same scenarios that you encountered at a trial and work on the specific skills that you had problems with. Keep yourself on track by writing down your training plan. Maintain a written record of your progress, including your ups and downs. Use a video camera to record practices and competition. Video recording provides a completely objective overview of your status. Video can show if a handling maneuver caused your dog to incur a refusal or an off-course. You can also get information by recording your dog’s body language during a run, there
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Clean Run - November 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - November 2011