11/11/2020
What’s the number one piece of advice that I give to all my clients? It’s really simple: SLOW DOWN. Now that can mean many things... sometimes it means to literally slow down; whether you’re rushing through the walk, or putting the leash on too fast, or not taking time to get their attention before giving commands etc. But other times it’s more metaphorical; meaning don’t expect so much of them so quickly, don’t push them so hard, don’t expect perfection in new situations, and don’t give so much trust so quickly. We do a minimum of three weeks board and train here, and one of the reasons is because I like to take my time with the dogs- especially younger dogs or more sensitive dogs. I may put a leash on a dog 10 to 20 times before we actually go to the next step of moving forward. Sometimes that’s because they get overwhelmed by the leash, or maybe it’s because they get too excited by it, but taking the time to move slowly and repeat things is a very important part of how we train here. If you find that all of the sudden your tools aren’t working or your dog is checking out or they’re fighting you more, I strongly suggest you try slowing down and taking a few steps back. Try this BEFORE you use more force or a stronger tool. Remember a lot of our dogs behavior has to do with our relationship with them, and you will have a lot more trust and respect if you do things at a pace that works for both of you!
