Are you still having fun?

June can be kind of intense, especially in the AKC agility community. 

(For those of you untouched by this madness, June 30th marks the last day to qualify for the Invitational in Orlando in December.)

And while many of you are "marked safe" from the craziness of qualifying, we could all use this reminder to check our calendars and ensure we are making time to have FUN.

When I created my dogged planner, having FUN was so important that I built it into every month - a constant reminder. And in moments of intensity, I wonder how many have put JOY off for later or let it slide off the radar?

If you've been hanging around my content for a while, you know that part of goal-setting is rest/recovery and JOY. I believe we should know what our dogs' favorite activities are. My dogs love the water, for example, and I am actively looking for new places to swim them this summer.

Our dogs get burned out - and bored - too; it's just harder to tell sometimes. Most of us have dogs who like to work or stay busy so sometimes it's hard to tell when they would like to switch things up. My dogs give me signs - I'm sure yours do too. Moxie gets bratty, for example, while Trip looks for more alone time.

Taking breaks doesn't mean parking our dogs on the couch for a month, but it does mean giving their bodies and minds several weeks away from the repetition of their chosen sport to allow their bodies to heal and their minds to shift gears.

Because my dogs tend to burst into flames in the summer (kidding, sort of), I target July for swimming, hiking, and other activities they enjoy. I have always found my dogs return to work happier and more enthusiastically after a meaningful break.

As you look at your trial schedule, have you included a break? Or do you just have weekends without anything listed - there is a difference! For those of you pushing hard these last few weeks of June, a rest may seem non-negotiable, but how long? And what will you DO during that time? I want us all to be more mindful about how we spend our downtime to maximize the benefits.

So if you've gotten out of the habit of scheduling JOY for your dogs, now is the time to dust off the practice. Write down at least three things for each of your dogs that they truly enjoy doing, and then commit to doing something from that list each week. Indie loves meeting new people, so a simple trip to a store will make her day - easy. What can you do?

Next, sit down with your schedule, look at where you can take an extended break (aka more than a weekend), and decide how to spend that time. How would your dog design their vacation? Those pushing hard might want to kick it off with a massage! Whatever you decide, treat the time off with the same importance as you do your trial schedule.