For those who do dog sports, why did you pick your sport(s)?
I chose Schutzhund/IPO because the person who bred my first GSD suggested that we check out her training group. She had an "Intro to Schutzhund" class and we've been hooked ever since.
What are the pros/cons for you?
-The time committment is both a pro and a con. Currently, I am training 5-7 days per week. Wednesday nights we start training at 9pm and dont get home until 1 or 2am, then we are back on the field Thursday afternoon at 3. Traveling for trials usually consists of a 3 day weekend, and the larger regional/national competitions can be 4-7 days off. I say its both a pro and a con because the pro is that I have the access to be able to train and practice what I love as much as I do, and my dogs achieve much more success because of the frequency in my training. The con is that it is completely and totally life consuming, and it can be conflicting with family/work time if I allow it.
Other pros:
-The amount of knowledge in relation to dog training and animal behavior that I have gained in the last 4 years is pretty unbelievable. I have been lucky enough to meet some really incredible people who have taught me some pretty amazing things that I know I would have never learned if I hadn't become involved in this sport.
-The bond with my dogs is very much different because we spend so much time working together. I feel a true partnership when working with them.
-The people that I have met while traveling around for training has been a huge bonus for me. I have made many new friends within my "dog family". I found my new young dog through training connections and even met my boyfriend through the sport.
Other cons:
-It's emotionally exhausting for me, as a woman. Pre trial nerves get to me pretty bad and my first failure was heartbreaking. I have since calmed myself during trial, but only very slightly. It's absolutely horrifying for me to go out and perform a routine out there alone in front of a ton of people.
I can't think of any other cons right now. I really just love my dogs so much more and love everything that I have learned from all the people that I have met so far.
Before I took the sport seriously, I was just going to the club once a week to train, so the level of the success that I achieved was to be expected. The first club that I belonged to was more of a social group, so I didn't expect too much from my own dogs, mostly because I didn't know any better. Once I realized that you get out what you put in, I changed clubs and started achieving success, my own expectations changed. I now view myself as a competitor, rather than someone who just dabbles in the sport.
What's the cost of participating like?
Not too bad. Club dues are usually between $250-$400/year. Trial entries are between $50-$75 typically. Most money is spent on gas. Initially, the cost of training equipment was brutal, but now that I have everything that I need, I hardly buy any more equipment at all and have had to buy hardly anything for the puppy.
How much time do you put in?
As I said above, I am currently training 5-7 days per week. Over the winter, training will slow down until we can get back outside again. At home, I practice multiple times daily, from 10-30 minutes with each dog.
How far do you travel for it?
I travel all over the place lol. All over the New England Region, and all over the country for the bigger championships. Right now, I have one weekend over the span of the last 6 weeks or so that we have been home. And even then, we still train all weekend long. We still have two more months until the hectic trial season even begins to come to its close.
Annnnd anything else you want to add. Just curious.
Becoming involved has been the best decision I've made in my life so far, and I know it has totally changed me forever.