Simple but vital
So the animals and I are safely moved in to Escondido! It was a very long drive and I was so incredibly proud (and remain to be) of my animals for doing so well and trusting me with this big change. Today on our walk, there were opportunities to practice what we do all the time, but I wanted to point out how useful some of them can be, and how grateful you'll be when you put them into practice. In my work, particularly my group class, I teach obedience techniques with w practical purposes. My first and foremost focus will always be on achieving the right frame of mind with dogs FIRST, obedience positions second. However, I teach obedience techniques that involve instinctual prevention of bad behavior, promote calm behavior, and really keep you connected as a team with your dog. They can be utilized every day in multiple situations. Situations on our walk: Car flying around the corner Dogs barking behind a short fence Running in to a store to hand someone a wallet that they dropped but having no place to tie my dog Walking down a crumbling cliff like terrain Now some might haul their dog back on the crosswalk, hold their dog back from the barking dogs or cross the street, stretch as far in to the store while holding their dog, and get pulled down the precarious terrain. But I not only can't stand any of that behavior, I know how important it is for us as leaders to be able to have control of every situation, and to have them trust us to have that control. It's part of the bonding, it's part of the teamwork, and it's part of learning. The first situation, I stepped off the the crosswalk and a car came flying around the corner. The "wait" command froze my dog in midstep. The dogs barking behind a very short fence prompted the "switch " command from me as we kept walking. When I noticed someone walking into a store after having dropped their wallet, I put my girl in a "down-stay" outside. When we had to climb down some rough footing, the "slow" command made sure she let me get down safely with my non dog feet. :) And then when I noticed some people making a conscious effort to avoid my dog, I felt the mischievous need to show off a little with some automatic sits and downs and some "watch me"s. There are many situations that could be made positive and kept drama free when you and your dog have practiced concepts like these. These particular commands are based off of communication and teamwork, concepts which are the backbone of my methods. It is a joy when I see them really pay off for my clients, and I use them myself with any dog I work. Walking your dog is a way to connect even more deeply with your dog(s) and the most important activity you can do with them. These "communication commands" as I like to call them, can help make walks and other daily activities with your dog some of the proudest moments of your life. The moments that we can have our dogs trust and listen to us, makes them give us that same result when it REALLY matters. Leadership is a lifestyle, and it can be accomplished in every moment of every day. My previously written Four Foundational Principles of Leadership give some very important examples. I look forward to making the videos soon to delineate how to achieve these important concepts.
