Managing Expectations

We can never know about the days to come
But we think about them anyway, yay
And I wonder if I'm really with you now
Or just chasin' after some finer day

Anticipation, anticipation
Is makin' me late
Is keepin' me waitin'

(Carly Simon - Anticipation)

I'm a little worried about having unrealistic and, frankly, unfair expectations of Shasta.  Everything is going so well to this point.  I am very impressed with her work ethic and her understanding of the concepts I've taught.  I'm impressed with her attitude and her control.  She is happy in working and training without being gleeful. 

I can feel it, in my honest moments with myself, the expectations that are already building in my near-subconscious thoughts.   I'm not speaking about titles or tournaments or accomplishments.  But the building expectation that we won't have many struggles.  That we won't have the usual struggles that even a great agility team usually have when they are young.   I recognize and know that it's not fair to Shasta.  I recognize and know that it's not fair to me.  Yet it's not like it's something I can really control except to recognize it and hope that being honest with myself tempers it to some level.

I've always thought and often said, the key to an accomplished agility dog is to have a dog that keeps bars up, doesn't develop serious weave issues and doesn't have fear issues.  If you have those three things you are 90% of the way "there" in agility.  Yet, I haven't started jumping or weaving with Shasta yet.  How irrational is it, then, to have building expectations at this early stage when I haven't even started to train two of the three things most likely to derail a "career"? 

So, that's it.  I've made a decision.  I am not going to subconsciously have such high expectations.  Yep, that's what I have decided.  ;-)