Reading about how mistakes are ways the neuroplasticity in our brains can adapt to doing this differently which means growth and learning occurs.
When others make mistakes, like our dogs, how can you use the energy to create something new instead of dwelling on the failure of not getting the outcome perfectly?
What about the flip side of not trying at all? Avoidance of making a mistake by not trying is that really success?
Success isn’t about a lack of mistakes. Success can be seen as achieving a goal in spite of the mistakes that occurred along the way.
Are you wanting compliance and obedience or do you want behavior change?
Just to be clear, they aren’t one and the same.
You may also be thinking that I’m only talking about dogs, but I’m also talking to you too.
If you’re unsure of what you want, that’s an ok place to be.
That’s because you’re feeling the pull in both directions of what matters to you.
Sometimes what we value is in conflict with one another and discovering what is your motivation in changing something in your life, is your first step.
When you are looking to make a change that is also includes the life of another being, you are no longer looking to make a choice based on what you desire, but also considering the other person or in this case, your dog too.
Uncovering what matters to you and your dog is no longer what you only want, but what you and your dog want together.
Connection, freedom, companionship and a loving bond.
Now, when you look back at the question of what do you want, compliance/obedience or behavior change, do you feel a shift of what matters to you?
Does the scale tip in one direction or another?
You may be feeling how out of balance the value of obedience and compliance is and how something greater is possible for you both.
If obedience and compliance is feeling less enticing, you are feeling into how the values of connection, freedom, companionship and a loving bond first and foremost and how these values aren’t born out of telling the other person or other being what to do and when to do it, so they perform.
You are opening yourself up to the possibility that your dog wants the same things as you do, but in a more dog friendly way.
You start making choices that consider how your dog feels alongside what you want your life to look like too.
Now, you want to know how to translate the value of companionship, connection, freedom and loving bond into motivation for you and your dog.
This is where the adventure begins!
You can set up a Discovery Call and explore how you want your life with your dog to feel like in 2024!
You’ve had dogs your whole life and now, your current dog is giving you a run for your money.
You feel helpless, so you believe that scouring the internet to find the answer will solve all your problems.
You then feel overwhelmed about all the possible solutions.
You begin joining different online academies and talk with multiple trainers to find the “fix” to your dog’s barking, growling and even aggression.
You believe there has to be an easy answer to solve this problem.
Buy the right tool, say something your dog understands at the right time, anything to get your dog to stop being “bad” because you can’t handle how it makes you feel.
Helpless.
We are taught that we have to have the right answer and do everything ourselves because that is what independent and self sufficient means.
Pull ourselves up by our bootstraps in every way possible.
What you start to recognize is that fact finding your way to a solution isn’t relieving your feeling of helplessness, but only exacerbating the intensity of your worry.
When helplessness leads you into a mental spiral of swirling thoughts of what if, seek out connection for support.
Connection with a knowledgeable and trusted guide who can walk with you on your journey in healing what troubles you and your dog.
Learn how your and your dog’s emotional pain and discomfort can also be the messengers that connection with your dog can be transformational for you both.
Feelings of helplessness and worry can be the signal to you that connection is what your intuition is needing.
Four Paws & You Dog Training 