Attitudes for successful coaching and a birthday

So you're all set to work on a training session with your dog. You've got all the equipment that you need, a good supply of treats of appropriate reward value for what you're going to be working on, you have a safe environment in which to work, and you have your dog. You're good to go, right?

There's one more step that needs to happen before you start working with your dog.  We often tend to concentrate on the mental states of our dogs, making sure they don't get over-stimulated or become bored during training. It's easy to neglect our own thoughts and emotions, or underestimate the effects they might have on the training session and, over time, our bond with our dogs.

Ideally we want to begin our training sessions as a blank canvas. That way, we can truly ensure that we're aware of how the dog is responding to us and engaging with the training session. Just because one particular thing is what might have been the aim of a particular coaching session, that does not automatically mean that's what will get worked on. Sometimes the dog might not want to engage with that specific activity. And you know what? That's absolutely fine. There is absolutely nothing wrong with giving your dog a choice. Attempting to force them into practicing a behaviour they are not engaged with will only lead to a bored, frustrated dog and an annoyed and also frustrated handler. To avoid this, make sure to take time before starting coaching to deal with any emotions lingering from whatever you've been doing that day. Positive emotions are fine, but any negative emotions need to be left behind before beginning. Anything that can taint the session has to be dealt with before it starts or the session should be delayed until you're able to approach it in a positive or at least neutral state.

Make a habit of running a mental checklist before getting ready to start a session: dog, equipment, treat pouch, poo bags, plan of what you want to work on, other training options if the first is not going well, and a head clear of negative emotions. That few minutes ensuring that both you and your dog go into the session calm and receptive is the recipe for avoiding frustration and resentment.

Yes, there are times when we absolutely need our dogs to be obedient. That's why training is a progressive exercise, starting at home in low distraction, and gradually increasing the difficulties in concentration as your dog becomes more familiar with the exercise. I talk about the process of proofing behaviours, also known as generalisation, in this post HERE. In situations where the dog's level of training isn't at the point it needs to be (for instance, recall is not yet entirely solid) then management is the answer. In the recall example, use of a long line attached to the dog's harness means being able to begin let your dog have more room to roam while still being confident that you can keep control.

In the blue merle boys world, Finn is this week reaching the milestone of 2 years old. That means, as he started displaying reactive behaviour at 4 months old, that we have been on this journey for 22 months. I have learned so, so much about canine behaviour and fear in particular and through social media and the comments on these blogs, have 'met' a lot of people in the same situation.

It's still a hard journey, and I'm not sure it will ever be what could be called easy. Every word that I wrote in the article 'The Emotional Toll of Reactivity' still holds true. I still feel frustrated, upset and angry on some days. There are still days we hide in the house, cuddled up on the sofa and avoiding the outside world. There's a saying though, one that has resonated with me since starting on this road with Finn. You don't always get the dog that you want, you get the dog that you need. If I hadn't got Finn, I would never have seen the post about a reactive dog behaviour course. I would never have started studying. I wouldn't have 'met' the amazing Sally, who has inspired me to do things I would never have thought possible, or the rest of the CP team, who are all amazing, dedicated dog people and whom I have come to consider as some of my closest friends.

So happy birthday, boss dog 2. You have utterly changed my world, and I love every single hair of you. Except maybe the ones I keep finding in my food... 😂

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Available on Amazon in Kindle and paperback formats: Fight or Fright? A Reactive Dog Guardian's Handbook, from the writer behind the Blue Merle Minion blog. Links are to the UK site, but available worldwide.