Training a dog is not easy!!
April 27, 2012
Harley hits the spa!
Suffering in the name of beauty!
Wasn't that worth the effort!
At the Thursday class we got talking about how as people we either like to do things that come easily to us or conversely the hard stuff! I found it interesting that the group thought that I would have found dog training easy from the start, which is why I do it for a job! The reality is that it was the opposite for me, I found training my first dog and second, really challenging! That is what hooked me, as soon as I got good at competing with my dog my interest in competition waned! Teaching on the other hand is always challenging, whether is is getting inside the head of the dog or the handler, to find our way through to sucess! Next time you are feeling frustrated that your dog is not progressing as fast as you hoped or expected, just remember that is why I have a job still, lead training particularly takes real dedication and hard work, if it were easy everyone would be able to teach a dog or a person how in 5 minutes!
I believe the reason I am like this is that I am fascinated by learning, I ask myself what can I learn from this, how can I change this behaviour to what I want? If you can develop a sense of curiosity about why your dog is or isn’t doing what it does, you will start to open your minds to the information you need to succeed! So next time you feel like giving up, stop and consider how interesting this could be for you? ! 🙂
Avril Munson's Blog 
April 27, 2012 at 2:34 pm
Great post Avril and how true x
April 27, 2012 at 5:08 pm
I found that conversation interesting as well Avril. I remember saying that if i couldn’t do something straight away i gave up hence my inability to swim or ride a bike. Fortunately this has not been the case in recent years since i worked with children with very challenging behaviour and like you asked the questions what can i learn from this and how can i change this behaviour. Sid’s challenging behaviour reminds me very much of the behaviour of one or two of those children,( apart from the sharp teeth) but he can’t tell me how he feels which of course has made it a steep learning curve.
Eighteen months on from our first visit to you, several hundred pounds lighter and an unbelievable amount of very hard work my dog is still alive and his behaviour has improved so much he’s almost like a different dog. I’ve learned masses from you but Sid has also taught me so much as well not least of all patience. If i’d given up on his training we all know what the outcome would probably have been.
So… training is continuing and if i wasn’t doing that what else would i be doing with my time on a Thursday morning in the rain, wind, frost and even snow!!!!
April 27, 2012 at 5:56 pm
Power to you Marion, you have persisted where so many would have fallen!! Amazing how much these animals can teach us!