Dog, Cat & Parrot Training Goals For Learning, Bonding & Fun | Positive Pet Training Blog Hop

1/5/2015

Leo has been practicing "take," "hold" and "give" cues.

Typist: Bethany
Honestly, I am not very good at making or keeping dog, cat and parrot training goals. While there are, of course, certain behaviors I want to proof or new ones I'd like the pets to learn, I tend to let the pets be the guides in how our training sessions go. If I am too rigid about a specific behavior being learned by a certain date, training becomes laborious. Since it is of the utmost importance that training time be fun for the pets and I, I tend to be too relaxed about creating training goals. My already loose training plans are even less rigid since the dogs and I have not competed formally for a couple of years. I doubt that we will return to competition but I know that it is still important to have training goals. What I want most out of pet training in 2015 is to return to a regular training routine. With proper, fun training goals, I think the pets and I can enjoy training time together as well as learn a lot from each other this coming year.

The general training goals I have for 2015 are:

Schedule regular obedience and trick training sessions with each pet. I do a good job of fitting mental stimulation for each into every day but I'd like to have a more formal training routine.
Attend at least one positive reinforcement training seminar. 2014 was just too busy for any seminars but I love all I learn and whichever dog I attend with always gets an excellent experience.
Keep an organized training journal. I know. I know. I can't believe I don't do this either. Every awesome positive reinforcement training teacher I have ever had has stressed the importance of keeping a good training journal. I have kept scattered notes here and there but I am finally going to have a thorough journal.
Enjoy a few agility fun runs with Wilhelm and Huxley. They just get such joy from this sport. Between our horrible 2014 and a lack of agility space that works for us, we haven't done nearly enough of the sport my dachshund and collie adore. I have promised them we will remedy our lack of agility fun.

Positive reinforcement training sucess with a cat

Amelia has an excellent "sit."

Miniature long haired dachshund Wilhelm enjoying agility

Wilhelm's face while doing agility just says it all.

The start of a specific training goals list (which will go in my new training journal!!):

Proof the dogs "bow" and "sit pretty" cues.
Attempt to improve Amelia's "sit" cue to become a "stay."
Expand on Leo's "take" and "hold" cues to teach him to drop a ball in a basket.

A very focused postively trained blue merle cardigan welsh corgi

As Brychwyn expands his position knowledge, we have more fun cues to practice.

Positive reinforcement trainign with a handsome rough collie

Huxley gets enthusiastically focused during training but I hope to improve his attention span.

I train to mentally stimulate my pets and to enjoy quality time with them so if training feels like a chore, neither trainer nor trainee benefit. And I expect to benefit from training time with my pets too. Learning and growing as a positive reinforcement trainer is always a very important goal included in every thing I do with my pets. No matter how much time we have for training or what tricks are practiced, learning together is an easily attained goal. It is also the only one that matters.

Do you have any suggestions that would help me and the pets stick to our training goals? What are your 2015 training goals?

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Welcome to First Mondays Positive Pet Training Blog Hop hosted by Cascadian Nomads, Tenacious Little Terrier and Rubicon Days. Please share your 2015 pet training goals by linking a blog post or leaving a comment below. Any positive reinforcement training posts or comments are also welcome. Our next hop will begin Monday, February 2nd which is the beginning of Responsible Pet Owner's Month. We will also have a positive reinforcement training prize pack giveaway so mark your calendars now!

8 Comments

Lauren Miller link

1/4/2015 04:50:25 pm

I am really bad at making training plans/goals, too! :D Good luck with your goals!!

Lara Elizabeth link

1/5/2015 01:29:16 am

I admit I was a bit embarrassed by the theme since I know I haven't stuck to most of my fall training goals...I hope the monthly hop will keep me on track. Working on Ruby's take, hold and drop are on my list, too, since those are the precursor to a lot of more complex tricks.

Jan K link

1/5/2015 07:14:16 am

I'm so glad for this hop, because otherwise I probably wouldn't even be setting any goals! I do better when I am organized and striving towards something. maybe I won't reach that something, or maybe I'll adjust things along the way, but at least striving towards something keeps me going. I might have had vague ideas of what I wanted to do in my mind, but I know sitting down and writing them into a post will help me focus better. My post should be going up tomorrow!

Emma link

1/5/2015 07:38:13 am

We don't have any real training goals as we don't do many tricks and just do regular obedience, Mom lacks interest in those kinds of things. We do have the goals of getting titles in nose work and tracking this year that we hope to fulfill. We "train" with our noses which Mom enjoys, not as much as we do, but it is a great way to bond and work together.

Tenacious Little Terrier link

1/5/2015 08:06:32 am

You could try getting their trick titles. I'm thinking of it for Mr. N. That way you'd have something concrete to work for.

KB link

1/5/2015 12:23:04 pm

It seems to be a common theme that we positive trainers aren't good at making goals and being really determined to achieve them. I'm the same way.

I think that part of the reason is that positive training needs to be fun. If it becomes a "job" that must be finished by a certain "deadline", then it's not fun anymore. Moreover, for me, a big part of positive training is reading my dogs and what they're up for doing. If a trick is just not working for them, I usually move onto something else so we don't both become frustrated.

I love the idea of a training journal. I keep one for my own exercise... but not for my dogs' training. Thanks for the idea!

One of my dogs adores agility. We don't compete but I built a little course on our land, and because it's right outside the door, we do about 10 minutes per day over the three seasons that it's not snowed in. If you have any space at all, you might consider this option.

Thanks for hosting this hop!

Kari link

1/6/2015 11:35:14 am

I'm the worst trainer. I blame the dogs. Maybe someday we'll have another dog that likes training. I've just decided to let Leo be Leo, and Mia be Mia. I like the idea of training agility, but the dogs seem to have less patience for it than I do!

Harvey, Miranda and Silver link

1/6/2015 04:28:18 pm

Bethany,

We read this with interest, training is not part of our cat world, but we understand what your aims are. We are not experts but what we and mum have learned is - you should not to aim too high, but have an honest commitment and simple goals that you feel you can achieve. Intention is as important as action.

In response to your post on our blog, We just HOPE the Lucy Pet Foundation ad is on You Tube!!

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Cascadian Nomads
Pet Adventurers

Cascadian Nomads adventurous dogs and parrot with pet and travel blogger, Bethany Clochard.

Cascadian Nomads canines and psittacine on a road trip with blogger Bethany Clochard.

Pet travel blogger Bethany Clochard shares a lifetime of budget travel experience, camping, and enjoying outdoors & Pacific NW adventures with pets. She currently hits the road with three dogs, a cockatoo & a cat.

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