Goal Setting

In article <cm87d6$5a8c$1@netnews.upenn.edu>,
Melanie L Chang <mlchang RemoveThis @mail1.sas.upenn.edu> wrote:
>My goals are amorphous and prone to changing.

Mine, too. My big goal for the winter is to get the dogs
fit and have a bunch of outings, and possibly one race.
"How fit" is an open question and hard to quantify. In
terms of writing things down, from my own fitness experience
that unless we're actually trying to finish high in the
rankings it's most useful to keep in mind a broad general
goal ("complete event <XXX>") as a target while keeping a
pretty specific training log. The log is the most important
part, and being able to quantify improvement and see it in
the record is itself very highly motivating.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis - shore RemoveThis @panix.com
Na na na na
Na na na na
Hey hey hey - goodbye
 >> Stay informed about: Goal Setting 

Melanie L Chang wrote:
> My goals are amorphous and prone to changing.

Everyone's are. You set long term goals, then you look at short-term
goals that can support the long term goals. When you reach a long-term
goal, you then move forward with another long-term goal. Or, in some
cases, you scale back your long-term goal to suit what has happened in
real life. A friend's dog got hit by a car several years ago and ended
up with 4 pins in her hips. Her long-term goal after that happened was
first to have the dog walk again, then to have the dog compete again in
regular classes, then, as she's gotten older, to make time in Preferred
Standard classes. Now her long-term goal is to make time in Jumpers
Preferred classes and work on weave speed.
>
> For Solo my main goal in agility is to no longer have it be a question
> whether he's going to finish the course or not. As of now, his judge
> issues are the only thing we really need to work on -- he is competent at
> everything else, brilliant at some things and would be regularly
> competitive in novice-level classes if not for ring nerves (his and
> mine). I suppose if he ever gets over the judge thing we will move on to
> increasing accuracy and speed and that's when I'll start realy worrying
> about things like up contacts (which he blows occasionally) and weave
> entrances (as of now he has blazing weaves IF he has a straight-on
> approach; if he doesn't, it's about 50/50 whether his entry will be correct).

Super. Those are all real, concrete, task-oriented goals.

My long term goal for Cala is absolutely 100% solid 2o2o stopped
contacts at trials, with me moving anywhere on the course at speed and
her sticking until released. Because that's my long term goal, it makes
it very easy for me to stop a run if she blows a contact performance,
even when she's Qing, even when she doesn't miss the contact. Because if
I let her go on, then the short-term accomplishment is detrimental to
the long term goal.
>
> My other Solo goal is to enter him in a sheepdog trial and finish the
> course before he's too old to move sheep.
>
> For Fly my goal is to learn to shed with her and move up to Open in the
> next couple years and to not look like complete fools once there.
>
> For Skeeter my goal is to improve his attention span to the point that I
> don't lose him halfway through agility class!
>
> I should have more explicit goals, especially in herding. I'd probably
> frustrate my dogs less that way.

I think your goals sound realistic and good. YOu need to set a goal that
you feel confident you can attain with work. It's useless setting
goals that are out of line with your dog's abilities, or your abilities.
 >> Stay informed about: Goal Setting 

Robin Nuttall said in rec.pets.dogs.activities:

> I have both long-term
> and short-term goals for my girls, but I'm not always good
> at writing them down.

I'm concerned with mostly short-term goals with Friday. I don't
want to be a downer, but Rocky's troubles have convinced me to
live for the day and not plan too far ahead.

In agility trialling situations, I'll focus on a couple of
things; lately it's been contacts, but usually it's getting
through the course without Friday barking - he's the best judge
as to when I'm mishandling (and not shy about telling me). Of
course, I'm happy if our only achieved goal is the "having fun"
one.

It's also great having a close group of friends to train with.
Before a trial or training session, we'll ask each other what
the day's goals are - and we're not faint-hearted when it comes
to telling each other where we screwed up. Plus, the video
camera doesn't often lie.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.
 >> Stay informed about: Goal Setting 

Robin Nuttall said in rec.pets.dogs.activities:

>> It's also great having a close group of friends to train
>> with. Before a trial or training session, we'll ask each
>> other what the day's goals are - and we're not
>> faint-hearted when it comes to telling each other where we
>> screwed up. Plus, the video camera doesn't often lie.
>
> Yes. Though it's not a very good idea to do what a friend
> did to me this weekend--come dashing up to me just as I
> came out of the ring to tell me how badly I screwed up my
> dog by not doing this and that. It's not that she was
> wrong, but just after a run isn't a good time to criticize.
> Not only did it make me mad, but I was still adrenalized
> and I didn't even remember half of what she said later.

We're a little more laid back than your friend when it comes to
offering critiques. Still, we don't overly pull our punches -
this is a group that we've formed for this specific purpose; as
"Training Troop", we rent a horse arena for weekly training as
well as putting on 2 trials a year and sponsoring seminars
(we'll be bringing Kathy Keats in twice a year). We're a small
group, with only 8 members and no plans to expand. While we're
friends first, we've put a substantial committment (financially
and timewise) into helping each other train towards the higher
levels of agility.

In the year-and-a-bit that we've been together, positive results
are showing with all of us - to the point that we've had to fend
off numerous membership requests, even though be don't have
memberships, per se.

We keep it fun, though. Our 2 trials have been extremely
successful - not financially, but funwise.

--
--Matt. Rocky's a Dog.
 >> Stay informed about: Goal Setting 

Robin Nuttall <robinjn.TakeThisOut@mchsi.com> wrote in news:NiMhd.355594$D%.234844
@attbi_s51:

> So how many of you actually write down performance goals for your dog?
> And what are your goals? Doesn't have to be agility-only, I'm just
> curious (and Matt is telling us we need to revive this group!)

My goals are a combination of long- and short- term, concrete and fuzzy.
Moreover, they change over time as I get to know Ms. BlackNFuzzy better.

Medium-Term-Concrete: Senior Hunter (CKC) and Hunting Retriever (UKC)
titles, over the 2005-2006 time frame. I'm confident that this one is
attainable if we do the work. Knowing that I have these goals focuses
my daily training sessions. I have checklists of specific skills that I
need to train/drill for in order to achieve the goals.

For example, I know that Storm has to be able to run/swim 100 yard
blinds in the spring, so I have drills for lining, handling, water
handling, and confidence in my pocket. If I don't do that work this
winter, we won't succeed in the spring. With this dog, one of the fuzzy
goals is *always* more confidence. With that in mind, I'm stretching
many of our training blinds out to 150 - 200 yards. If she can work at
that distance, we'll both be much more confident when the test blind is
at half that distance.

In the winter, I really can only do field work on the weekends. Right
now, I go to work in the dark and come home in the dark, and that will
last until next February :-(. So, another medium-term goal is a CD with
scores in the 180s some time next year. We can do Obed. work in the
basement, in the yard, and at a friend's training building year-round.

The work that goes to make that happen is, of course, attention heeling.
With that in place, I think Storm can slam-dunk a CD test. Putting that
in place and proofing it will be at least another six months of regular
work.

Long term, ultra-fuzzy goals are fun to play with, too. I don't
actually have any for Storm. I suspect she'll top out at the SH level,
but I'm happy to be surprised farther down the line. The poor thing is
my Learning Dog. Instead, I fantasize about The Dog to be Named Later.
Unfortunately, the breeding I was looking at for this winter did not
take, so TDTBNL is on hold. (Breeding to be repeated some time in the
Spring.)

My fantasy, one that keeps me driving and working and wanting to learn
more is:

Ch OTCH HRCH TDTBNL MH HOF. I have that on a framed piece of paper,
hung on my ribbon wall, reminding me that everything I do with dogs can
help to build to this long-term idea.

(There's a tiny dash of realistic thinking in there... as long as I have
FCRs, I don't think the AFCh can go on there too :-)

--
Kate
and Storm the FCR
 >> Stay informed about: Goal Setting 

"Robin Nuttall" <robinjn.RemoveThis@mchsi.com> wrote in message
news:NiMhd.355594$D%.234844@attbi_s51...
> So how many of you actually write down performance goals for your dog?
> And what are your goals? Doesn't have to be agility-only, I'm just
> curious (and Matt is telling us we need to revive this group!)

I don't write them down. I guess I should.
Normally, I try not to focus on BIG goals, like titles etc. I have a few - I
wanted to get Wylie into excellent by the end of the year, and that one has
been met. I'd like to be in B by spring. I'd like to qualify for the
Nationals when they are back in California - got a couple years for that
one.
Small goals are more fluid, depending on what we are working on and often
depending on the courses. I will break courses down to components and set
one or two goals there, so that I can still have a successful run even if
not a qualifying run. Sometimes they are goals for me (i.e. getting in a
front cross without getting in my dog's path) and sometimes they are for
Wylie (nailing all three contacts with a stop and release) and sometimes
both (putting myself in the right place to work a tricky weave entry.)

> I use my Agility RecordBook religiously, and always record YPS as well
> as any notes about the judge or mistakes (or good things) about the
> course. I can then look back and not only see progress, but monitor YPS
> over time (I only use JWW YPS), and to look at judge notes when I may be
> having them again.

I use this too, and often record goals met in the notes section, as well as
problem areas. It helps me to focus on what we need to work on in training.
I haven't paid much attention to YPS at this point, because without a clean
run, the numbers aren't accurate. Once we are in sync, I'll start noting
YPS, but at this point, time is not really the issue. :)

Christy
 >> Stay informed about: Goal Setting 

"Robin Nuttall" <robinjn.DeleteThis@mchsi.com> wrote in message
news:S3Qhd.288139$wV.90186@attbi_s54...
>
> Yes. Though it's not a very good idea to do what a friend did to me this
> weekend--come dashing up to me just as I came out of the ring to tell me
> how badly I screwed up my dog by not doing this and that. It's not that
> she was wrong, but just after a run isn't a good time to criticize. Not
> only did it make me mad, but I was still adrenalized and I didn't even
> remember half of what she said later.

I find that very annoying. Fortunately my friends don't do this to me. I do
have friends, a couple in which one runs the dogs and the other critiques
the runs having never run a dog, and I often have to run interference to
keep them from having a brawl after a bad run. After several years, I find
myself just hiding out instead...
Usually, I know where I screwed up, and if not, I'll ask - what did I do to
make him miss that jump/hit the weaves wrong/go in the tunnel or whatever.
If its on tape, I'll watch it with a friend and have them point out to me
where I mishandled it. But offering free critiques right after a run? No
thanks.

Christy
 >> Stay informed about: Goal Setting 

Rocky wrote:
> Robin Nuttall said in rec.pets.dogs.activities:

> We're a little more laid back than your friend when it comes to
> offering critiques. Still, we don't overly pull our punches -
> this is a group that we've formed for this specific purpose; as
> "Training Troop", we rent a horse arena for weekly training as
> well as putting on 2 trials a year and sponsoring seminars
> (we'll be bringing Kathy Keats in twice a year).

Well my friend usually isn't that tactless, and I was being overly
touchy all weekend for who-knows-what reason. To give her credit, as she
told me later, it was like an epiphany what she saw and she was in a
hurry to tell me before SHE forgot. But yes, we are very tough on each
other. Since we're fairly isolated training wise, we all have to learn
and grow together.

Our Advanced Handling class is full of honest critiques. It's a fun
class. Each week one member brings a problem. We set it up together,
then run it. Everybody watches the one person run it, and if they screw
up, we suggest alternatives. Or maybe we think the dog could go faster
if it was handled a different way, or whatever.
 >> Stay informed about: Goal Setting 

KWBrown wrote:

> Robin Nuttall <robinjn.RemoveThis@mchsi.com> wrote in news:NiMhd.355594$D%.234844
> @attbi_s51:

> Medium-Term-Concrete: Senior Hunter (CKC) and Hunting Retriever (UKC)
> titles, over the 2005-2006 time frame. I
> So, another medium-term goal is a CD with
> scores in the 180s some time next year. We can do Obed. work in the
> basement, in the yard, and at a friend's training building year-round.
>
> Long term, ultra-fuzzy goals are fun to play with, too. I don't
> actually have any for Storm. I suspect she'll top out at the SH level,
> but I'm happy to be surprised farther down the line.
> My fantasy, one that keeps me driving and working and wanting to learn
> more is:
>
> Ch OTCH HRCH TDTBNL MH HOF. I have that on a framed piece of paper,
> hung on my ribbon wall, reminding me that everything I do with dogs can
> help to build to this long-term idea.

Okay, no offense intended at all, but these are the kinds of goals I
don't make--goals tied to titling, and especially titling within a
certain time frame. I *used* to do this, but I don't any more.

Those are outcome related goals. It's not that they are awful to have by
any means, but it's very easy to lose the good stuff in the
disappointment of not reaching a title within a certain time period. If
my goal is to have X title by Y date and I don't, then it really doesn't
matter what good things have happened with my dog or how much progress
I've made. I'm disappointed, because I failed to reach my goal. For
agility, if my goals are tied to qualifying, and I have a brilliant run
but drop a single bar, then even though I've had a brilliant run, I'm a
failure. If my goal is to always run clean, it's never going to happen.
If, however, my goal is to get the contact behavior I want, to speed up
weaves, to execute front crosses more fluidly--those are task-oriented
goals. And amazingly enough, if they happen, the Qs just might happen
too. And if I succeed in those goals and don't Q, I don't feel a failure.

For example, I know that Storm has to be able to run/swim 100 yard
> blinds in the spring, so I have drills for lining, handling, water
> handling, and confidence in my pocket. If I don't do that work this
> winter, we won't succeed in the spring. With this dog, one of the fuzzy
> goals is *always* more confidence. With that in mind, I'm stretching
> many of our training blinds out to 150 - 200 yards. If she can work at
> that distance, we'll both be much more confident when the test blind is
> at half that distance.

THOSE are task-oriented goals. Good, solid goals to work toward, and if
you are successful in those goals, the other stuff will come. Make sense?
 >> Stay informed about: Goal Setting 

Robin Nuttall <robinjn.DeleteThis@mchsi.com> wrote in
news:u8Shd.346203$MQ5.291245@attbi_s52:

>
>
> KWBrown wrote:
>
(title goals)

>
> Okay, no offense intended at all, but these are the kinds of goals I
> don't make--goals tied to titling, and especially titling within a
> certain time frame. I *used* to do this, but I don't any more.

No offense taken, at all - and I see the value of your point of view.
We certainly have great days that don't make progress (the day itself)
toward a title, but do serve to demonstrate that we're getting
somewhere: as in your example with the great run with a knocked bar,
Storm and I did a double-header Hunt a few months ago. The first day
was a difficult, difficult Seasoned - Storm didn't pass, but the work
she did (except for that last mark) was exceptionally good. I was
pleased. The second day was a relatively easy Seasoned, and Storm
passed it easily... but it wasn't as much fun.

>
> For example, I know that Storm has to be able to run/swim 100 yard
> > blinds in the spring, so I have drills for lining, handling, water
> > handling, and confidence in my pocket. If I don't do that work this
> > winter, we won't succeed in the spring. With this dog, one of the
> > fuzzy goals is *always* more confidence. With that in mind, I'm
> > stretching many of our training blinds out to 150 - 200 yards. If
> > she can work at that distance, we'll both be much more confident
> > when the test blind is at half that distance.
>
> THOSE are task-oriented goals. Good, solid goals to work toward, and
> if you are successful in those goals, the other stuff will come. Make
> sense?

Perfect sense.

--
Kate
and Storm the FCR
 >> Stay informed about: Goal Setting 

KWBrown wrote:
> Robin Nuttall <robinjn.DeleteThis@mchsi.com> wrote in
> news:u8Shd.346203$MQ5.291245@attbi_s52:

>>Okay, no offense intended at all, but these are the kinds of goals I
>>don't make--goals tied to titling, and especially titling within a
>>certain time frame. I *used* to do this, but I don't any more.
>
>
> No offense taken, at all - and I see the value of your point of view.
> We certainly have great days that don't make progress (the day itself)
> toward a title, but do serve to demonstrate that we're getting
> somewhere:

The thing is, life often interferes with outcome oriented goals. Viva
has had various injuries which have forced a pull from training for
months at a time. Then I would keep thinking, wistfully and with some
disappointment, "but we should have had an MX (or AX, or whatever) by
now..." It's still a very tempting way to think, especially since about
the only place Viva can now go is to the MACH. However, with her turning
7 and with a tendon gone in her foot from one of those various injuries,
I have dropped that goal. I just want to get out there, have a good time
with my dog, and handle her well, giving her clear signals.

I highly recommend a little book published by Clean Run called "Your
Secret Coach." It talks about this along with how to deal with ring
nerves, etc. It's the first book I designed for them. It's not very
long, but it's got tons of great information in it.
 >> Stay informed about: Goal Setting 

Robin Nuttall <robinjn.DeleteThis@mchsi.com> wrote in news:z2Thd.288586$wV.242282
@attbi_s54:

> I highly recommend a little book published by Clean Run called "Your
> Secret Coach." It talks about this along with how to deal with ring
> nerves, etc. It's the first book I designed for them. It's not very
> long, but it's got tons of great information in it.

Thanks for the recommendation. Will check into it.

--
Kate
and Storm the FCR
 >> Stay informed about: Goal Setting 

"Robin Nuttall" <robinjn DeleteThis @mchsi.com> wrote in message
news:NiMhd.355594$D%.234844@attbi_s51...
> So how many of you actually write down performance goals for your dog?
> And what are your goals? Doesn't have to be agility-only, I'm just
> curious (and Matt is telling us we need to revive this group!)

I actually made myself a "Goal Journal" about 4 years ago. It has tabs for
different things, like dogs, work, school, financial, and
health/personal/psyche. At the time I was going through some depression
problems (hence the psyche) and it really helped. I write down what I want
to achieve and by when. I go through it about every six months or so and
see what I've accomplished. It's obviously a long-term goal type of book.

For example, in the dogs section...I have a page for each dog I have or
work.

For Bridget (my now 12-yr. old Lab), I have 2002 - Finish CD by June
(crossed out) Christmas (crossed out) Cobo in March. Then I have the "cobo
in March" bit marked as achieved.

For Rusty (my 15 month Lab puppy), I have Ready for CD by March at Cobo.
That goal was initially made for the last year, but he needed more time, so
now it's the goal for next year. He should achieve that. I also have a
list of those titles I want to try to accomplish in his lifetime. It's
pretty much everything one could possibly try to do with a Lab ;) I'll
cross them out as he shows me what he wants to do.

I also have short-term goals--right now, I am putting a lot of effort into
attention heeling towards his CD and getting straight sits. I'd like to
have a dog that works in the 180s so we're going to try that with him. He
also understands concepts a lot better than the other dogs I've worked.
Less interest in making Mom happy--but better comprehension of what I'm
trying to teach him. We are also working a lot on his retrieves as I'd like
to start training for his JH once he's two in July.

Emily Carroll
www.fluttervale.com
 >> Stay informed about: Goal Setting