What is the ONE thing that you wish you could change about your dog? What do you wish was different? What is your biggest frustration?
What is the ONE thing that is most important to you at this point in time?
Not the thing that's most important to your trainer or the trainer you follow on instagram. Not the thing that's most important to the friends who visit your home. Not the thing that's important to your extended family, but the thing that is most important to YOU?
What single change in your dog's behavior would give you a sense of relief and bring you joy?
If you can decide exactly what that ONE thing is for you (and your family) concerning your dog, you are that much closer to peaceful coexistence. If you can determine where to focus your efforts, you will get where you want to be much faster than if you try to do it all at once.
It's so easy to get caught in the trap of wanting the perfectly behaved dog. We are all (especially trainers) sensitive about how others might judge us based on how our dog acts.
(The same is true with children. Parents want their kids to behave so that no one is looking down on their "parenting skills")
But here's a really important truth: It's not our dog's (or kid's) job to make us look good.
Being able to zero in on one thing is often the key to a more peaceful coexistence with your dog. By getting clear and having a plan we can move in the right direction and get closer to where we want to be!
Here are three steps to help you focus on ONE thing.
Make a list (yes, actually write it down) of every single good thing about your dog. Put this list on your refrigerator or somewhere you will see it often. The reason to start with this list is to make sure you are coming from a place of joy and not frustration. Your dog knows the difference!
Decide on ONE skill to work on with your dog. The key here is that it's ONE thing. Keep it simple!
Practice the skill 5 times a day for ONE minute at a time over the course of a week. That's only 5 minutes a day! You can do this!
At the end of the week, add your dog's new skill to the list. Repeat steps 2 and 3. You can continue the previous week's skill and add 1 or more of the three D's (Distance, Duration, Distraction) or pick a new skill.
If you know what you want to work on, but aren't exactly sure how to go about it, let's talk! Schedule a call or book a consultation!
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