10/22/2025
It’s so easy to get caught up in what’s not working — the barking, the pulling, the reactivity, the perceived "stubbornness" or "resistance". When we live or work with animals, it’s natural to notice the things we’d like to change to make our lives easier.
When a student brings an animal to a training we invite them to introduce them to the group. Their name, age, breed, level of training a little background, why they came to the workshop - which invariably leads to discussing some challenges, physically, mentally or emotionally. It is totally understandable to highlight the things we want to change about an animal's behavior - those difficulties are usually what drives us to learn more and do better BUT we always remind guardians to pause and acknowledge what they love about their animals, too.
Sometimes, behavior can overshadow personality in our minds — yet behavior is simply a reflection of how an animal is feeling and responding to the world around them. It’s not who they are.
Taking a moment to remember the gifts, quirks, and qualities you appreciate helps you approach challenges with more calm and compassion. It builds self-control, helps you take things less personally, and reminds you to give your animal (and yourself!) the benefit of the doubt.
The next time you find yourself frustrated, try this: say out loud three things you love about your animal. Notice how your energy shifts — and you are better able to understand where the behavior is coming from and use your skills to give your animals better ways of coping. It all comes back to learning to act rather than react, the same way we hope to have our animals respond to new or stressful situations.
