Why Do You Compete?

[JulesP]

What is your motivation to compete? To win? to get titles? to have fun? to have something to measure your training against?

My main motivation usually is to get titles. I am not greatly into competing or winning. I am thinking about doing some non ANKC agility but of course their titles are different. So I am a but hohum about it.

[xena98]

Why I compete?

For something to do on weekends, the training and being with my girls all weekend and they love it! is even better when you get the quali card though.

[poodlefan]

To provide another source of mental stimulation for the dog.

For the challenge of training my dog towards a defined goal.

Because the dog enjoys it.

To spend time with like minded dog folk.

[The Spotted Devil]

Definitely for the challenge....I like to be able to refine my skills with a not-so-easy dog and have him working well but most importantly really happy to be there. At our last trial the judge was delighted to show me Zig's heeling score but my immediate response was "but did you notice his madly wagging tail???? By the way, where did he loose the points?"

I don't see myself as competing against others as much as it's an attempt to improve on our last performance - if I can improve accuracy and motivation then I'm happy I always remind myself that if the dog stuffs up, he's either confused or underpaid. It's not personal

[OSoSwift]

I am competitive, but more so with myself. I want to better what we did last time, not necessarily beat everyone else, although it is nice!

I like to compete to give myself an idea of where we are in our training and to have a goal to aim for.

I like doing something I love with like minded people

[Dova]

I like doing things with my dogs mostly, getting their titles will be good because it'll show if I've been putting the RIGHT work in or not. I gotta say when Pebbles passed her CCD & won at Gawler I felt pretty damn proud so for me it's probably a combination of things.

[Kavik]

To have something to measure my training against

To have something to aim for in my training

To get the best out of myself and my dog - to get myself and my dog working happily in the ring (conquer ring nerves and overcome distractions/stress)

Getting passes and titles is nice too

[Rivsky]

I mainly like having something to work towards in terms of training but most of all it's a great way to spend the day with my best mates and feels more productive than just having them run around the park or beach -although that is definitely good fun too!

[MolassesLass]

Titles and then for fun (a day out with like-minded people and my dogs) - I really dislike competitiveness and thus have frequent periods where I take time out from a sport to forget those types of people and their actions.

Edited July 28, 2009 by molasseslass

[Staranais]

For my last dog? Mostly to prove I could. Does that seem wrong? I just found it incredibly satisfying to be in the ring winning obedience ribbons with a dog I had been told to PTS by several trainers. Unfortunately, I could never trust him enough to trial higher than Special Beginners (the last obedience level in NZ that allows you to keep your eyes on your dog at all times, even in the stays) - it just wouldn't have been fair to anyone.

With my new dog, if I end up competing, it will be for several reasons. Because doing well in the ring and showing off my lovely dog off is fun, because it gives us something interesting to work on in training sessions between competitions, because it encourages me to train regularly and therefore builds my bond with my dog, because training different things regularly is good for my dog's mental development, and because I like to have external proof of my dog's training in the form of titles.

[whitka]

For me its to prove to myself that i've done a good job trainging them and all the hard work i've put in was worth it and to show it off. With Toby I made alot of mistakes and was never confident in myself as a handler dont know why I bothered sometimes My attiude and confidence is slowly coming back with CJ and hopefully i'll be able to show everyone what we can do.

[Seita]

Because I enjoy it, I enjoy the challenge, I like winning and I like doing well. I like the challenge of improving weaknesses and trying to outdo my previous attempts. I don't mind if I don't win on the day (although it is always super nice) what I do care about is that we (dog and I) did our best on that day.

I used to trial just for fun and wasn't too competitive about it or worried about doing well, but with each dog after that first dog I've aimed to do better, get further and achieve more!

Edit to add - I don't think my dogs would care what we did as long as I did something with them so I really trial for me and my satisfaction and enjoyment. I know that sounds selfish but it's a hobby for me and I know that my dogs would be just as happy about going for a bush walk or doing herding or playing fetch at the park as they are doing a trial. But that said if I clearly had a dog that didn't enjoy something I would not be selfish enough to force them to do that activity.

Edited July 28, 2009 by Seita

[Joan of Arc]

I have shown for years and wasnt very competitive about it - my attitude was always 'I've paid $10 fo rthe judge's opinion and if I dont like his/her opinion I wont pay for it again'. But I cant show anymore because of my knees.

SO I trial, to the best of our (the dog and I) ability. I like to try to do my best, I like the challenge etc

I could just say my reason is the as everyone else except I dont think I am competitive just strive to do better and improve on errors.

But we are a good team I think and I cant wait to prove to others that my dogs are all - rounders, good in the show ring, great in the trial ring and excellent gundogs.

The only thing I find strange is that we do obedience and we are the only Lab at the trials.

[Agility Dogs]

It's different for each sport we play really, or at least I turn up at each with a different mind set.

Flyball is just a hoot for the puppies and I love the team spirit and the overall spirit on the day. It is competitive, but more in a friendly way than in a serious manner. (In Qld at least, can't talk for other states here.)

Disc/Frisbee is because I like the people for the most part and the dogs have an absolute ball as well.

Agility is a little more serious. It's still fun for me and for the dogs, but I do judge our progress as a team by how we do in the agility ring - not so much in terms of titles or wins (although both are nice!), more in terms of how the dogs run and their understanding of my cues and how I manage the courses.

[Lablover]

My main motivation usually is to get TITLES. I am not greatly into COMPETING or winning.

Hey, I am normally the one who has confusing threads.

[Sayreovi]

Fun.

I love having a day out with the dogs and getting them to show off what great little dogs they are (most of the time )

It's one of the main reasons why I've stopped flyball again, I was hoping things had changed when I came back after a year off, but they haven't and I wasn't having fun so neither were the dogs so I stopped

We are currently training in tracking and obedience and I am enjoying it immensly, as are the boys which is what it's all about. ;)

[RubyStar]

I compete for a feeling of accomplishment, knowing I am capable of working towards something and achieving a goal. I don't compete to win against other people, though that is always nice!

My main goal for when I'm in the ring is to do better in one (or more) exercise than the last time we trialled. That is how I measure our success. Scores don't mean everything to me - that is the judges opinion of how they thought we did, and in my very limited experience in obedience trialling, each judge has their own take on how well you do and mark differently. I am the only one who can assess if we improved or went backwards since the last trial as I'm the only one who is there each time, and if I feel we improved somewhere, then I'm a happy camper!

[jinkispirit]

It's different for each sport we play really, or at least I turn up at each with a different mind set.

Flyball is just a hoot for the puppies and I love the team spirit and the overall spirit on the day. It is competitive, but more in a friendly way than in a serious manner. (In Qld at least, can't talk for other states here.)

Disc/Frisbee is because I like the people for the most part and the dogs have an absolute ball as well.

Agility is a little more serious. It's still fun for me and for the dogs, but I do judge our progress as a team by how we do in the agility ring - not so much in terms of titles or wins (although both are nice!), more in terms of how the dogs run and their understanding of my cues and how I manage the courses.

I have to agree with Agility Dogs here. It depends on the sport - and I've tried most. I am mostly motivated by what the dogs themselves love - it gets them out, active and mentally stimulated.

Tracking - because the dogs love it and because of the people. As you don't actually compete against anyone else, it is just whether your dog passes or not, it seems to be a lot friendlier than other sports. It's the only sport, that it is all up to the dog and you have NO 'control' over it, it's great to see a dog really working a track. But I do aim for Tracking Champions in this sport.

Disc frisbee - again, dogs just love it. People are friendly and it's a great day out.

Agility - dogs love it again. But I have higher goals on what I want to achieve but have so much to learn. At the moment, I am looking for real team work and working together. Although, I personally have to work on my fitness.

Herding - natural instinct of my dogs but too expensive to really get into it.

Obedience - vital but my dogs don't really enjoy it (like the more fast paced activities) so probably don't compete much

Luring - solely because the dogs love it. They go mad over it and it's great exercise. No training required, just an avenue for them to expel some energy.

Flyball - yet to try, but would like to some day.

Gees no wonder it seems all my time is taken up by dog sports. Last weekend Tracking, this weekend agility and showing. I'm mad though.

[Janba]

These days I only train and compete in herding and I do it because I love it and my dog lives to work.

I do collect titles along the way but somehow they aren't as important as being able to complete a course in good style at the level I am competing and training at.

My main aim is to work at a standard to eventually get the perfect 100

[JulesP]

Thanks guys.

Do you think that you can learn to find competing fun??

I have been enjoying my herding competing but I think that is because it is a chance to do the herding. It is harder to get to practice that so any opportunity to have a go is good.

I had a great obedience run though on Sunday. Both dogs were good at agility last night so I feel 'content' with my training at the moment. If I didn't get to go to agility training every week I would probably want to be out competing more so I could just have the opportunity to do it.