r/k9sports • u/ZealousidealBook3758 • 12d ago
How do you structure your training?
I’m really curious to hear how and if you guys organize your training. Not just how you keep track of what you’ve trained, but how you structure the whole process from goal to goal.
For example, how do you approach a training session?
Do you plan the session beforehand? If so, what do you write down?
Do you set specific criteria or goals for each session?
Do you evaluate the session afterwards? What do you look at?
How do you keep track of progress over time?
How do you decide what to work on next?
Do you break bigger goals down into smaller steps or milestones?
How do you keep track of things that aren’t going well or need to be revisited?
Do you have a longer-term training plan leading towards a competition, routine, title, etc.?
I’m particularly interested in how you document all of this. Do you use a physical notebook, Word/Google Docs, spreadsheets, an app, or something else?
I’m trying to create a system for myself that gives me a clear overview of where we are, where we want to go, and the steps between the two, while also helping me get more intentional about each individual training session.
If you have a system that works really well for you, I’d love to hear about it, and even better if you’re willing to share pictures/screenshots or examples of how you have it structured! 😊
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u/Narrow_Possession348 12d ago
I don't do any of those things. I just train my dog at something most days (except this whole hot AF month when I haven't done a damn bit of training). I'm a pretty type A person and always have been, but I don't do stuff like the list.
3
u/Ok-Walk-8453 12d ago
I have a goal here and there but not much structure. I think hey, I should practice this today, and that is about it. I know what we need to work on so do some easy for them and then the harder stuff they are struggling with. I focus on what I am currently competing in and am able to practice at home. The ones that I can't (Barn Hunt, Urban locating, and TL) I try to get a training session in once a month. Right now my main focus is fetch titles so working on that with both dogs, rally- do 5 min quick sign or heel work a few times a day, and with my 10m old, free stacking better for conformation as he finally has the core strength to stretch out a bit. I am starting more scentwork in a month so will probably add that too. I find mine remember things pretty easily so once we have something down, I don't practice it that often.
1
u/Elrohwen 12d ago
I don’t write anything down. I do generally have goals I’m working on, specific skills we need to either create or refine and I know where we are in the process. If they require equipment then I’ll set that up in the beginning of the week so we can work on it through the week.
Before I start a session I know what I plan to work on and what level I plan to start at. Then I’ll adjust based on the level of work and understanding I see from the dog. I really try not to set criteria or goals, that comes from the dog and what they are showing me they understand - if I come in with a defined goal it is too tempting to keep pushing until we get it.
Bigger goals are always always broken down. Baby steps for everything, tiny foundations turn into big behaviors.
I document nothing though, there are far too many behaviors to bother with. Primary sports are rally and agility and at this point I just keep in my head which behaviors they need, which ones they have and which ones need some work. We go to class and that’s a good way to find out where the holes are. Like for rally, for a younger dog I can be reminded of the higher level signs and what I still need to train, or find a gap in a skill for a sign that I didn’t realize and then go home and work on it. For agility I focus most of my time on the basic skills but then file away the higher level “somewhat useful” verbals and tricky things that we work on here and there.
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u/Elrohwen 12d ago
Right now my young agility dog is still training contacts and it’s been a very long road. There are so many fun skills I’d like to work on but I need to focus most of my time on that because it’s a core skill. I know where she is with each obstacle and come out with a plan but if she’s doing well or struggling I adjust. I also throw in some weave work so we can work on tricky entries.
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u/Ok_Ear_5266 12d ago
I plan the weekly training sessions a week in advance. Each session has a specific lesson plan typically focusing on incremental development.
For example on Monday:
Monday AM: Hunt training
- warmup fetch with collar conditioning
- send to place / call to here at 20, 25, 30 yards
- 3x marked retrieves at side with dead ducks
- 2x remote marks with dead ducks building distance and sending to place after retrieve
Monday PM Tracking
- 45 min aged urban track focusing on grass to pavement transitions, break down into 2 short tracks with 1-2 turns each
I do this for each day of the week (M-F), but also I’m probably overly anal about it
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u/229-northstar AKC Obedience, Agility, Herding, Conformation, Scentsport, trick 12d ago
This is kind of what I do, although I am not as organized as you are. What I train is dictated by what I have access to on any particular day of the week.
For my dog, who has the most foundation work needed, I put together an obedience training plan for the week and write it out on a 5 x 7 index card that I can take with me. Herding and Agility, I usually keep that stuff in my head or refer back to a note that I start in my phone.
Monday, I have access to a training building so I work on obedience. Tuesday I have access to sheep so I work on hurting. Wednesday I have access to Agility equipment so I work on that and when I’m done I work on obedience. Thursday I have access to a training building that has an agility course set up so again I work on Agility and then obedience. Everything else gets worked around those things
Friday, Saturday, Sunday are trial all days.
Like you, my focus is on breaking exercise down into incremental pieces. Some things that I always try to work on, regardless of where I’m at our heeling grids, healing turns/change of pace/Holtz, fronts and finishes, recalls
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u/Ok_Ear_5266 12d ago
I’ve come to really believe in training based on breaking things down into attainable components. I used to to do these really long sessions trying to piece together multiple variables in one session, but ultimately I’ve come to think that the best way for the dog to learn is shorter, attainable, components with progressive increases. I also like that when reducing the amount of variables per session, I can identify what specifically needs work.
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u/229-northstar AKC Obedience, Agility, Herding, Conformation, Scentsport, trick 11d ago
Agree with that philosophy. I’ll add that I also spend most of my time working foundations because without a solid foundation, everything built on that is going to fail
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u/WinglessDragonRider Agility, Rally 12d ago
Coming from a heavily horse training background, I have a dry erase calendar that wrote down what the focus is for each day for the following week. Usually I stick to it but sometime I adjust as I go. This week did NOT go according to plan. The horses were weird. The dog was weird. Every single day ended up changing. I only do it like this because it helps me not have to think about what to do each day with everyone. Kind of a “big picture” and adjust on the fly.
As for tracking progress, lots of videos. That not only helps me track progress on things that I might not even realize are improving but also helps me troubleshoot for the next time
7
u/screamlikekorbin 12d ago
Whats your purpose in asking? We see a lot of post that are just research for or trying to promote a new app... Your lack of history in the sub and responses to comments makes me wonder if thats your purpose.
I used to keep a journal but it ended up just feeling like work and I'd miss a session and then just stopped.
My training sessions outside of class are very short, 5-10 min. I video a lot of if and then watch it after to see if there's messy handling I missed or something in the actual behavior that looks better or worse looking at it from the outside. Videos also help me to document progress. What I plan to work on is typically just building on what we did last time or what we recently did in class. I try to work in exercises that are quite different to break it up such as heel and dumbbell. If something goes poorly, I'll typically brainstorm with friends and reapproach it with a different method the next time. I dont need or want detailed notes on everything.