Goals and Resolutions

With the new year fast approaching, I've decided to work up my list of canine goals for the coming year. I'm hoping writing these here will help me measure and ultimately meet these goals, the way a scale helps a dieter measure and meet theirs. Of course, in this case the scale is set up in the town square... with a town crier announcing the results every time you step on.

Hmmm...

While I'm not naive enough to think that just writing these goals is enough to make them happen, I do hope that by publicly stating what I hope to accomplish, the desire to keep from looking like an idiot here will overwhelm my desire to keep from looking like an idiot where ever the road takes us during the year.

So - here it goes:

Goals for 2010:

• Zachary: Zachary's goals are easy to define. He's a bright young dog with an easy temperament and a huge desire to please. At this point, I'm looking for ways to enrich his life and give me excuses to spend "quality time" with him:
• AKC's Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Certificate
• AKC Rally Novice (RN) - enter a match (if I can find one!) by the end of year
  
• Sue Ailsby's Training Levels. He's finished all but one small thing on Level 2, and has done at least half of Level 3. So... by Dec 31 of 2010:
• Finish Level 3 (which includes Level 1 On The Road)
• Finish Level 4 (which includes Level 2 On the Road)
• Finish Level 5, but probably NOT Level 3 On the Road

• Beau: Beau's goals are a little harder. Older and more mature, he is an easy going, patient, and loving member of the family. However, his problems with impulse control make him difficult to take places (picture 85lb of dog convinced that every stranger he meets is his Long Lost Best Friend) and his lack of interest in toys or food when out of the house makes working on it a challenge.
• Sue Ailsby's Training Levels. He's has finished Level 2 and has also done at least half of Level 3.  By end of 2010:
• Finish Level 3 (which includes Level 1 On The Road)
• Finish Level 4 (no promises for Level 2 On The Road)
• Finish Level 5 (no promises for Level 3 On The Road)
• Work on impulse control until we can take him on relaxing walks in local parks and scenic areas.

And what is a list of goals without some resolutions:

1. 10-15 minutes working toward their goals, per dog, five times a week.
2. Report back here once a week. A scale isn't any good if you don't step on it.
3. Video progress whenever possible. Like that afore mentioned scale, the camera doesn't lie.

Finally, my boys got together and came up with a few items of their own:

1. Go someplace "special" once a month.  (special to the dogs, that is)
2. Do something "extra fun" once a week.  (see above)
3. Learn a new trick every month.  (tricks = treats, need I say more?)
4. Play fetch EVERY day.  (Zachary insisted I add this one. He already gets it every day when the lawn isn't a mud pit and the weather doesn't have "watch" or "warning" attached to it, but he wanted it writing just to be sure.)
5. Go to the pet store once a week. (this one is from Beau, who has quite the fan club there)

They tried to slip "Skip the bi-weekly bath" in there, but I retain veto power and nixed it.