One day

Every day life can be so challenging. It’s easy to put off working with the dogs, especially when there are no pressing problems, and day to day living is generally without incident. Yes, occasionally Duncan will decide he’s too comfortable on the bed to get up and come when he’s called, knowing full well I’m calling him to get off of my bed and lounge on his own. Yes, Mag will certainly be hesitant to come when she knows it’s raining and I want her to go outside, as she hates to get her feet wet. And yes Bella is limited in her self control behaviors, but over all it’s doable and livable when life’s other demands get in my face and insist on taking priority. I understand all too well how life happens. Still, my patience wears thin today, with those who hire me to help them and help their dogs, yet do nothing between sessions.

Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for those small percentages of people who offer one excuse after the other for not doing their assignments; the ones who concentrate on what’s wrong. They make the other clients who do some work, even if limited, seem even better! When I listen to them complain yet again about some infraction from the dog or some "issue that the dog has", I go to my happy place and imagine the small successes of those who take baby steps along the path to accomplishment. So I concentrate on the clients who try, however little, those who ask questions, fumble with concepts and trip over leashes, but laugh as we play a less challenging training game until their skills and confidence grow. I hold that laughter and those memories of success dear, as the Excusers recount another justification for believing their dog is stupid, or wrong or bad, tiresome, wicked, possessed or hopeless.

It does matter what you dwell on and it does make a difference to your animal that you believe in them! One day I’ll be able to help those Excusers change their minds, take action and see results. One day I’ll learn enough about how to motivate and communicate and that day I won’t have any percentage of clients offering excuses for why they aren’t ready to move forward. Until that day, I’ll focus on that equally small percentage of people who soak it up like a sponge and take to like a drowning man to a life raft. Those rare people are inspirational and so are their results. I don’t find them often, but regularly, and those people are amazing! They take the information and run with it. If one method doesn’t work for them, they’re ready, willing and able to give the next thing their all. Their enthusiasm is contagious. Their mind set is motivating. And their devotion to their animal is boundless! They make me want to be better. They make me want to be like them. So I’ll concentrate on them, remember them and look forward to meeting them, so that their energy can rub off on me and on the Excusers, who need it most.