Do you make it harder, more complicated and then you become confused about what to do to help your dog?
Make it easier on you and your dog.
When you observe your dog having a hard time in a given situation(s), take a few steps back and reevaluate.
If the hard time is hearing outside noises, play some music inside.
Identify what noises that are troubling to your dog and pair them with something your dog loves when you’re able to.
When you can’t, play the music.
When your dog has a hard time seeing another dog on a walk and this creates tension and frustration within you, then go somewhere more secluded even if its your backyard to practice, play or run around with your dog off leash.
If you don’t have a backyard, you can do the same at a sniffspot location!
Then take the steps to practice pairing the experience at a low rate of exposure (really far away, limited time ect) and pair this experience with something your dog loves.
This will start changing your dog’s mind about the experience and it will help lay the groundwork for a new habit.
All behavior change is is your dog doing something differently.
You’re not erasing, stopping, fixing, breaking ect.
You’re just offering up an opportunity to a different solution.
It truly is that simple.
When you start unraveling the patterns of what gets in the way of making things easier on you and your dog, then you will uncover more about yourself and you’ll experience more joy in spending time with your dog in return.
Discover for yourself what’s possible.
Four Paws & You Dog Training 