2012 Goals for Marley

January is the start of new goals and resolutions for the new year.  Our agility trainer suggested we write down our training goals for the year and then begin breaking them down to make them happen.  Basically decide on a long term goal, such as entering a trial.  Determine mid-term goals that will help in reaching the long term goal, such as practicing a variety of sequences.  This will help determine the short term goals, such as having a solid contacts.  Upon reviewing our last year I've come up with a few goals for Marley and unfortunately Marley has a few of her own goals.

• This is the year Marley will weave.  We are really close and I  think this will be accomplished by the end of January.
• Running dog walk.  We have spent a lot of time running on a plank and I expect we'll do a lot more running on a plank until Marley stops jumping off the dog walk.  I want Marley to have a solid running dog walk by June.
• Once she we are comfortable with all the equipment, I want to enter a fun trial.  I've found one in June and one in November; I'm thinking we'll be ready for June event.
• I've found some lure coursing events closer to home and we'll start attending those this year.
• At our agility Christmas Party, I received a lot of advice on tracking and everybody encouraged me to try Rally.  I want to start working on those in July (I don't want to slow down our agility progress by adding another activity).

Marley and Riley after a two mile walk.  

Marley's Goals:

• Marley wants more...long hikes, cookies, play time, etc.
• She wants a new kitten (ok, maybe its me that wants a new kitten)
• She wants to make friends with the neighborhood skunk.  I'm not happy with this at all, we have had two close calls and I do not want to experience a skunked dog.  At this time I'm stocking up on skunk spray remedies (if you have one please feel free to share).

I think 2012 will be a great year for Marley as long as she doesn't try to befriend the neighborhood skunk.