SkySoaringMagpie Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 What is your goal with your dogs? Titles? Wins? Other achievements? Health? Fitness? Life skills? Do you have a goal? Do you have a philosophy that guides your efforts in dogs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saffioraire Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Where to start..! Can I ask what train of thought led to this question? Out of pure curiosity, nothing else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkySoaringMagpie Posted August 14, 2012 Author Share Posted August 14, 2012 (edited) Where to start..! Can I ask what train of thought led to this question? Out of pure curiosity, nothing else Actually it was the thread in the Show Ring about Supreme Champions. Not just that thread, but the discussions that immediately followed the changes to the Gr Ch and Supreme Ch titles. I wonder sometimes if we're encouraging the right sort of goals in pure breed dog world. Nothing wrong with titles to the extent they reflect achievement, but I'd give over any Supreme Title for a litter of dogs that all lived to 15, for example. I was wondering what goals people had personally set for themselves, but didn't want to lead with "is there not something other than titles guys??" EFS Edited August 14, 2012 by SkySoaringMagpie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkhe Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 I don't really have any.. it's pretty much the only area of my life where I don't. Sometimes I think about getting my little poodle to an obedience title, but .. I just don't think it'll happen, and I don't really mind either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Podengo Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 (edited) What is your goal with your dogs? Elsie is first and foremost a very loved and spoiled pet. One of my biggest goals with her is having a lovely dog that my (formerly) not dog loving partner would fall in love with. Goal achieved! He is madly in love with her We also have many dog sport goals, she is my first serious sporty dog, I have big goals, we'll see how it goes!!! Elsie is also an important part of my job, she comes along to visit aggressive dog cases with me and needs to be cool and calm while doing so - which she is. She is the best dog in the whole world! Titles? Wins? Other achievements? Health? Fitness? Life skills? I think health, fitness and life skills all go hand in hand with the "other achievements" and titles and wins part for me! Sort of embarrassing as I have pretty massive goals for Elsie... But here goes... I want her to be a triple champion (agility, jumpers and working trials), and if we can manage obedience then having an obedience CH title would be nice too! One step at a time though. I would also love for her to achieve well at the National Agility competition when she is ready, well enough to travel over and kick some Aussie ass in 2014 would be nice too ;) It would be nice if my partner (who does USAR) would try his hand at dog handling too, Elsie has got a lot of potential for USAR work and it would be nice to see her doing that too. I'm too lazy to put all the effort into the training myself side of training for USAR at this point in time. Maybe one day! Do you have a goal? Do you have a philosophy that guides your efforts in dogs? A goal? All of the above, and I want to achieve that in a way that is kind to her and a lot of fun for the both of us. Edited August 14, 2012 by DiscoDobe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W Sibs Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 My goal with my dogs is to enjoy them. If that is to show with them, get them into sports or simply just going camping or chilling out at the couch. It's simply enjoying them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Panzer Attack! Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 My goals are pretty boring, titles in agility, obedience, tracking, confirmation (neuter now! Oh well), rally and endurance. At the rate I'm training we will be lucky to get one, LOL. (also thinking of dancing as we watched a trial on the weekend and it was so cute to see!) If something happened that meant we couldn't complete I wouldn't care at all. Scootie is a much loved pet first and foremost. He's already taught me a huge amount and made me realise I really REALLY want to be a professional dog trainer. :) I guess my main goal with him is to have a solid, loving relationship. And I think we are there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 My ultimate goal with my dogs is to enjoy them. Simple as that :) Other things like competing etc are just things that I do with them, and while I do have training goals etc that is all just one part of the big picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantis Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 My goal with my dogs is to enjoy them. If that is to show with them, get them into sports or simply just going camping or chilling out at the couch. It's simply enjoying them. Totally agree, will add to say make sure they are wonderful dogs, who don't cause problems in the community. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheridan Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Just having healthy, long-lived dogs is enough for me but what do I know? I'm not a breeder nor do I show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grizabella Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 My goal with Bella is to enjoy her, and have her enjoy me! I want her to live a very long, happy, healthy life full of lots of fun! I'd like her to get her Australian Championship title at some point, but no rush- we're in it for fun! I'm hoping that eventually we'll get to the point with her obedience training that we could give agility a go, I think she'd enjoy it. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsdog2 Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 (edited) I've entered Indi in CCD in a trial 4 weeks away, the first time back in a ring for about 4 years. We were entered in a trial a month ago but wasn't able to go as my OH was in hospital in critical care . Those who know me will know the drama's I've had in previous trials (with different dogs), so my goal is to just enter and complete this trial without any drama's and a healthy OH Edited August 14, 2012 by gsdog2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeebie Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Life for me is all about setting goals and working slowly toward achieving them. One of these was to get a furkid who would just want to enjoy being with me 24/7 and give me an interest and a focus away from my work and other tedious tasks we all have to endure - Goal achieved, and along the way we have met some fantastic doggy people, been travelling, found out that he enjoyed doing agility so made me get fitter :laugh: New doggy furkid joined us this year and we have new goals to complete in her training, so we are taking a different route and doing the show circuit to socialise her and explore a different aspect of the dog world, if per chance she happens to achieve great things along the way this will just be a bonus. Philosphy as such is this nice little saying - "We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made". -M. Acklam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esky the husky Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Original reason I wanted an active dog was for my personal fitness. My goal at the moment is currently to make Esky the best companion that I can through training, and enjoy spending time with her. Long term goal with dogs in general is to import and establish what I believe is the right breed for my lifestyle, and hopefully to have some racing and trialling success in the process. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebanne Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 My goal is to have healthy happy dogs who are a pleasure to be around. Titles etc all come after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tapua Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 (edited) My goals - in breeding are health, temperament, type/conformation. I aim for intelligent dogs hense the ENS & enriched environment. I prefer my dogs went to purposeful life ie service dogs, guide dogs, ada, aaad, sniffer, obedience and last is show. I am not suggesting anything wrong for showing I just feel it isnt enough - many show people live busy work & family lives and while they dearly love their dogs I find the washing, travel, crating as their 'quality time' with their owner is not IMO enough for the dogs needs. But please this is only my opinion. I do compete in speciality/Royal & Nationals and have placed in all. I dont plan to breed the next winner of the Lab National - but I dont plan to breed ugly dogs either! I will compaign a worthy dog for its championsip but I feel Grand and Supreme Grand championships largely pointless for my goals. I prefer not to title puppies young - I have seen too many in various breeds title at 12 months and younger only to either fall apart structuraly as an adult or become sour because they are campaigned to the point of distress. I love dogs I am intregued by canine behaviour, I like well conformed dogs in the same way I like well conformed horses, cattle and sheep but its physically healthy dogs & balanced temperament in canine behaviour I am most interested in. Not traits that can be reliably assessed in a show ring. Edited August 14, 2012 by Tapua Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty&biscuit Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 My goal is to have happy, healthy dogs ultimately...to have them super fit, and to make sure I will always have money in my bank to care for my babies, and spoil them from time to time ;) My goals competition-wise...I'd love to get further with Rusty in obedience, work on his concentration that bit extra. I'd like to get Biscuit to a high level in agility, and it would be great if I could get him obedience titled when he calms down! And my ultimate short-term goal is to get Cherry's ADM title...been in that class for 2-3 years (however haven't competed much since then, only really got back into it this year), and still haven't got it...simple things like jumping off contacts and knocking bars have stood in the way :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bjelkier Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 I have so many goals for my dogs :laugh: I want to breed beautiful, healthy dogs with sound, correct temperaments that make wonderful companions/show dogs/working dogs. I also want to have dogs that can title in the show ring and still perform the tasks they were originally bred for. When my current show team gets a bit older I would love to get them out herding, sledding and getting their ET title. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mollipop Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 I totally agree with your last sentence, Bjelkier. I would love to breed/own a beautiful Golden Retriever that can title in the show ring, retrieve out in the field, gain obedience titles, then curl up on the lounge with me at night. My pet hate are breeds that have different "types" for working and showing, as in many of the Gundog breeds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capanash Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 (edited) Health and good temperament are the most important things with any breed, closely followed by correct breed type. Our dogs are first and foremost family pets and companions, you may have the most perfect physical example of a breed, but to be a good member of the family they must be sound in temperament. We have been showing for 10 yrs. So far comformation titled all of the dogs we have shown (9 Stds & 1 Mini) and Grand Champion titled one of our own breeding, the only Standard Poodle in Victoria to do so while we have been showing. Two dogs have a couple of Obedience titles. Two are Certified Pets as Therapy dogs. Three (Grandma, son & Grandaughter) are demonstration dogs for the Responsible Pet Ownership Program visiting schools and teaching kids how to be safe around dogs. Our goal for our next litter is to produce healthy,typey good temperament dogs to be great companions for their new owners and one to be shown by us and hopefully go on to obedience trials. Edited August 15, 2012 by capanash Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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