Level 3Experienced
How to build your annual calendar
Intermediate level — “I'm starting to understand”
A good annual calendar helps you choose your outings, prepare for them and keep time free for your dog.
When the dates start to appear, it is very tempting to fill every available weekend. Yet your year will be easier to organise if each show finds its place within a specific plan.
Here are three tips for building a realistic programme.
1. Set your goal before choosing dates
Start with a simple sentence:
“This year, I want to improve our presentation, try a national breed show and collect several assessments of my dog.”
You can also work towards a title, but in that case check its rules from the outset. The international C.I.B. and C.I.E. routes include requirements for certificates, countries, judges and deadlines, among others. They can therefore extend beyond a calendar year. [1]
Then define your limits:
- The annual budget you want to devote to shows.
- The journeys you can organise comfortably.
- The weekends when you are unavailable.
- The pace your dog copes with well.
Count the full cost of an outing: entry, transport, accommodation if needed, meals and preparation.
The practical tip: first block out your personal constraints in the calendar. You'll then choose shows from the dates that are really available.
2. Select your dates and plan what surrounds them
Consult the official calendars, then keep the events that serve your goal. The Centrale Canine (the SCC, the French kennel club) says where to find the calendar of events and the open or upcoming entries on SCC Expo. [2]
Sort your choices simply:
- Priority: an important date for your plan.
- Optional: an interesting outing if the budget and preparation allow.
- To reassess: a possibility to confirm depending on how your dog develops.
Around each outing you keep, allow time for training, preparation, travel and recovery. An empty slot can stay empty!
Here is an example of a progression, to adapt to the two of you:
| Stage of the year | What you can plan |
|---|---|
| Start | Take stock of what you've learned and choose your goals |
| First outing | Assess your presentation in a real situation |
| Between two dates | Work on a point you've spotted and let your dog recover |
| Priority date | Put the progress made into practice |
| End of the year | Re-read the judgements and prepare what comes next |
The practical tip: don't set a number of outings just to fill the year. Keep the ones you can prepare properly.
3. Turn each date into a tracking sheet
A date on its own isn't enough. For each show you are considering, note:
- The name, venue and judging day for your breed.
- Your goal.
- The class envisaged and the dog's age that day.
- The closing date for entries.
- The estimated budget.
- The status: considered, entered or finished.
At FCI international shows, age is determined on the day the dog is shown. Late entries are forbidden and changes of class after closing are limited to administrative errors by the organiser. [3]
Add a personal reminder before the closing date, then check the organiser's latest information before leaving.
After the outing, complete the sheet with the result, the dog's behaviour and the next point to work on. You can then keep, move or drop an outing you were still considering.
The practical tip: do a short review after every show. Your calendar needs to be able to evolve with your dog.
The point to keep in mind
Planning the year doesn't oblige you to enter everything in advance. You can have a clear direction and adjust your outings as the months go by.
Your calendar is a success if it lets you arrive prepared, make progress and enjoy these days together.