Setting your goal in dog showing

Before aiming for the podium, choose your next step

"I'd like my dog to win." That's an understandable wish! But when it comes to preparing your next show, it doesn't yet tell you what to work on.

Setting a goal means answering a more precise question: "What would I like to achieve with my dog at this outing?"

Discovering the ring, improving the presentation, getting an assessment or moving towards a title: your answer will guide your preparation and your choice of shows.

Choosing a priority

You may have several motivations, but give each outing one priority.

Tip: if your list has five priorities, choose the one that would be most useful to you today. The others can wait for another outing.

Starting from your dog, today

Your goal must take into account its age, its preparation and how comfortable it is.

A dog discovering noisy venues does not have the same needs as a ring regular. Before planning a long trip, watch how it copes with training, meeting people and dogs, and waiting.

Your dog's comfort is part of success. At FCI international shows with CACIB, health and welfare must be the priority.

A goal can be ambitious and still be gradual. You can consider a route to championship and devote your next outing to a smoother presentation.

Turning a wish into a precise goal

A useful goal states what you want to achieve, how you will prepare and when you will review it.

For example:

"For my next show, I want to follow the judge's instructions better. I'll rehearse the movements in short sessions and, after the ring, note what went well and what gave me trouble."

Now you know what to prepare. And you will be able to recognise progress even if the placing doesn't change.

Setting two markers of success

Keep one marker tied to the result and another tied to your progress.

The result you hope for: getting a grade or a certificate.

The progress you are after: managing your pace better, setting your dog up without rushing or understanding a comment from the judge.

The result also depends on the judge's assessment and, for the placing, on the dogs present. Your preparation and the way you show are things you can act on.

If you are aiming for a title, check its exact regulations: the conditions for international championships differ depending on the title and on whether the breed is subject to a working test. A certificate is a step; on its own it is not a champion title.

Beginner: three tips for finding your direction

1. Choose a discovery goal. For a first outing, understanding how the ring works is already a good plan. There's no need to master everything from the start.
2. Prepare one difficulty at a time. If you lose your bearings during the movements, start by working on your path. Then add standing and the other moves.
3. Note one success after your outing. "I listened to the instructions to the end" or "my dog waited calmly": these observations will help you choose the next step.

Intermediate: three tips for moving forward methodically

1. Build on your last few outings. Re-read your notes and the judge's comments when they are available. Choose a point that keeps coming up rather than a new project at every show.
2. Give yourself a review date. "I'll work on this point until my next show, then reassess." This deadline is for watching progress, not for imposing success on the dog.
3. Plan a fallback if the day gets difficult. If your dog is overwhelmed by the atmosphere, your priority becomes helping it recover its calm. You can pick up your technical goal again in better conditions.

Advanced: three tips for building a coherent route

1. Name the title you are after precisely. Write down its name and check the applicable conditions before choosing shows. A selection of dates should serve an identified goal.
2. Define what you are trying to learn for breeding. An assessment of conformation to the standard provides information. Weigh it against health, ancestry and your breed's selection criteria. LOF Select (from the LOF, the French stud book) brings together, among other things, pedigree, health, show and offspring data.
3. Set a budget and a pace you can sustain. Include entries, travel, accommodation and recovery time. Revising your programme can be a considered decision, even when the results are good.

Your goal sheet

To complete before you enter:

• My priority: …
• The concrete progress I'm after: …
• What I will prepare: …
• The show or review date: …
• My maximum budget: …
• What would lead me to take a break: …

Then finish this sentence:

"Even without a prize, I'll be happy with this outing if…"

Your answer gives you a personal benchmark to take with you to the ringside.

Sources

• FCI: Dog Show Regulations (PDF)
• FCI: Regulations for the FCI International Championship (PDF)