It can be hard to set goals unless you can see the small pieces and the big picture of what you are working on.
Sometimes I am working with people who do not realize their goals are not realistic. Sometimes this is due to handler skill, sometimes it’s about dog’s physical or mental capabilities. And more often, it’s just that the person does not realize how complex the goal is and is not willing or able to put in the time needed to reach that goal.
More often, people underestimate what their dogs are capable of. It can be hard to communicate to pet owners that, yes, they can do various dog sports and activities and that it’s not a thing only for special dogs or special people.
There are a few questions we consider when working on setting appropriate goals:
What does the person want to do? This is the part of the team that pays for lessons, facilitates training sessions at home, and drives to lessons. If the person is motivated, they are going to be able to make more progress.
Is the dog capable of the goal? We consider dog size, age, health, history, and motivation level. Sometimes what the person wants to do is not something that is appropriate for the dog. We have to work to find a compromise. We can typically find a good compromise, especially considering the number of different sports, activities, online classes, and video competitions available these days.
What is the handler skill level? A more skilled handler will have an easier time reaching a goal than a less skilled handler. Some people have to put in a lot of work to be a good trainer, and due to past experiences, others find it to be much easier.
How much time can be spent on this goal? Wanting to train a dog to do agility with five minutes a week will put a team in a very different place than someone that does multiple five minute sessions a day. Some problem behaviors require daily management during the re-training process. If a person is not willing to provide the management, the training is likely to be unsuccessful. The time needed to be able to run a Level 1 CPE jumpers (jumps and tunnels only) agility course is different than what’s needed for a high-level agility championship title. Knowing the daily/weekly amount of time available can help us to determine when we tentatively expect to reach the goal.