It’s A Process
As a dog trainer who travels the country training dogs and working with 20-30 families a week in their homes it is so important for folks to understand how a dog thinks. And when there is no authority figure present, the kind of chaos and bad behavior that can happen. Remember the bad behavior of your dog is not the problem it is just the outcome of a breakdown of leadership in your home.
My friend, co-host of the Train The Trainers Seminar Series, and LA dog training colleague Sean O’Shea from The Good Dog Training and Rehabilitation puts out such a great blog that I feature it here on my blog. Since the message is so powerful and important it needs to be shared by all. Enjoy the read and feel free to also join his Facebook Fan Page.
It’s A Process
By Sean O’Shea
When you start working on training or changing behavior issues with your dog, you gotta remember it’s a process…for both of you.
You’ve both got bad habits that are likely deeply ingrained – they need time to be addressed and replaced.
You’re both learning new skills/mechanics – they need time to develop and be mastered.
You both have emotional associations/triggers that cause you to feel a certain way in certain situations – these need time to be addressed and desensitized.
You’re both learning new ways of thinking and feeling about each other – you both need time for this process to crystallize.
You’re both unsure about the changes to your normal lifestyle/world – you both need time to adjust and become comfortable.
Change is hard for all of us. Attempting to reverse negative habits, learn new techniques/commands/behaviors, think differently, address and desensitize fear and anxiety (in both species!), and create new thoughts and feelings about each other takes much practice, care, and time.
It will likely be bumpy. It will likely be hard. You will likely go backwards. You will likely feel hopeless. You will likely feel silly. You will likely feel overwhelmed. You will likely lose your cool. You will have great victories and challenging defeats. But if you keep on trying, keep on pushing, you will get there!
So please remember to give you and your dog the time and space to develop, to learn, to become the new and better versions of yourselves. This especially applies in the beginning, when all of the habits, fear, worry, lack of coordination, and uncertainty are at their strongest.
You’re both learning and growing and becoming better – enjoy the process.
Sean’s website www.thegooddog.net
Sean’s Facebook Page
Sean’s groundbreaking do-it-yourself training video/PDF training booklet Learn to Train The Good Dog Way: The Foundation is now available for pre-order at a discounted price – click HERE to watch the new TEASER video, and find out how to to order your copy on Sean’s website!
The Good Dog Training and Rehabilitation
4867 Bellflower Ave.
North Hollywood, CA 91601
(818) 441-1837
Solid K9 Training Training Center- 25 Acorn Street, Providence, RI 02903
(401) 274 1078
Solid K9 Training Brooklyn NY Location- 210 24th Street Brooklyn NY 11232
www.solidk9training.com/brooklyn-dog-training-location
Providence Training Center Info
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