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“I know you hate it when I use kitchen analogies. . .” my husband said to me earlier this week.
Again. For the countless time. He really is trying to be helpful, I just don’t have a lot of patience with the comparison. It’s well known in our house that my husband loves watching a certain TV show that stars an infamous chef. Show after show, the chef goes to struggling restaurants and helps to transform them into successful businesses. (It’s a great premise, just not my favorite show.) The point is, in every episode I can recall, the restaurant kitchen is riddled with problems. Often, the kitchen is a mess, in need of deep cleaning. The kitchen staff argue and fight. The food is terrible. Nothing goes as planned. The owners are frustrated, anxious, and angry. The clients are irritated and disappointed. Often, it looks as if the restaurant won’t make it. Then the chef arrives. He analyzes the situation and implements a plan to rehabilitate the restaurant. With many dog families, things aren’t much different than the chef’s TV show: The kitchen is a mess because the dog won’t stay out when you’re cooking and he gets into the trash whenever he thinks he can get away with it. Counters are littered with crumbs left from your sandwich that your dog stole when you had left him unattended for a brief second. You are frustrated and irritated and, possibly, anxious. Your dog has learned that the reward of stealing food is better than any scolding you might give. The tension in the kitchen is growing. Now you need an expert to help you get your dog, and kitchen, under control. We can help. The first step is to schedule your free, no obligation evaluation. Click here to schedule your evaluation online now. You pick a day and time that works best for you. A trainer will meet with you and your dog (and anyone else that you would like involved in training) and go over some history, find out your training goals, and discuss training options. We can usually provide you with some free tips to help you start seeing immediate results. You can find out more about all our training options and get any questions you have answered. There is no pressure or obligation to buy anything. Here is the link to schedule your free evaluation: https://www.cleverk9mi.com/schedule-evaluation-session.html Happy Training!
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I have a habit of skipping meals.
I forget to eat and then go until I get so hungry I’m ready to eat anything in front of me. Don’t get me wrong: I love food. I just don’t take a lot of time out to eat. Plus, I have a lot of food allergies and that makes it hard for me to find food that won’t make me sick. But let me tell you, I love a good meal. Heavenly aromas wafting from the kitchen get my attention every time. Maybe that’s why the quiz I took to tell me what breed of dog I’d be if I were a canine identified me as a Golden Retriever. It’s true. My Goldens and I agree that food is where it’s at. That’s why I’m always a little confused by the dogs that come in that won’t work for treats. Some dogs barely touch their food. I just don’t identify with that. You bring me a juicy steak, a baked potato with sour cream, or a waffle cone, chances are I’ll do whatever you ask. A lot of dogs are the same way. Training is easy when the dog is motivated by food. Food’s an easy payment plan. But what do we do if a dog won’t work for food or treats? Actually, there are several things we do. We show the dog what we want from him. We remain consistent with our requests and expectations. And we see if we can find something the dog will work for- a toy, praise, affection, playtime. In all these cases, we can work to build motivation in the dog. We just need to find out what the dog sees as valuable. And for the food loving dog, will he ever do what is asked WITHOUT a treat? Absolutely. The same rules apply whether our dogs are food motivated or not. Gradually, we ask for better and better results before we pay the dog. As his obedience foundation grows, we expect more from him. All dogs are trainable. It just takes finding what is valuable. We’d love to help you find what is valuable to your dog. Let us show you how. The first step is to schedule your free, no obligation evaluation. Click here to schedule your evaluation online now. You pick a day and time that works best for you. A trainer will meet with you and your dog (and anyone else that you would like involved in training) and go over some history, find out your training goals, and discuss training options. We can usually provide you with some free tips to help you start seeing immediate results. You can find out more about all our training options and get any questions you have answered. There is no pressure or obligation to buy anything. Here is the link to schedule your free evaluation: https://www.cleverk9mi.com/schedule-evaluation-session.html Happy Training! Have you ever made a careless decision that ended up making your life difficult?
Well, I’ve made a lot of them. Let me tell you about my favorite one from this week. Here’s the story: We currently have a big dog staying with us in our Board and Train program that needs time to get used to the other dogs. As is sometimes the case, I have the privilege of sharing my office with our new guest for part of the day while he is getting used to the environment. (I love having the big guy hanging out with me. He is such an awesome dog.) O.K. Back to the story- My office can be a busy place, and being somewhat ADHD, I get distracted easily. At some point, for some unforgotten reason, I stepped out of my office for a few minutes, leaving my new friend behind. When I returned, there was an unpleasant odor in the air. My new friend didn’t give me any clues as to what it was or where it came from. So, I investigated while the big guy rested peacefully nearby. Once I narrowed down the location of where the odor seemed to be coming from, I started an intensive search. Slowly, apprehensively, I turned my attention to my open tote bag that I had carelessly left on the floor. The unpleasant smell seemed to be coming from my bag. I cringed when I thought of the important paperwork that was kept inside. I looked inside and delicately began taking out each form. All of my important paperwork- RUINED! Tax forms, insurance forms, medical forms, reimbursement forms, school records, prescriptions. Every one of them was soaked in dog urine. My heart sank as I looked up at my new friend. He smiled back at me with his big, soft eyes. My heart melted. Love ya, Big Guy! So here’s the thing, dogs live in the moment. I can only correct a dog if I catch him in the act of mischief. Once the mischief is over and the dog has walked away, it’s too late. If the dog gets into trouble when I’m not looking, it’s my fault. I need to make sure I don’t set my dog up for failure by leaving him with the opportunity to find trouble, especially before I’ve spent the time training him to do otherwise. The better you build a foundation of obedience and expectations, the more you will be able to trust your dog in tempting situations. But these expectations need to be set in way to help your dog succeed. We all make mistakes. As a trainer, sometimes I forget to follow my own advice. The important thing is to reflect on the mistake and learn how to avoid it next time. As for me, I am going to try to be less careless and I plan on training a stronger foundation for my new, big friend. We’d love to help you build a strong foundation for your dog too. Let us show you how. Schedule your free, no obligation discovery session. Click here. You pick a day and time that works best for you. A trainer will meet with you and your dog (and anyone else that you would like involved in training) and go over some history, find out your training goals, and discuss training options. We can usually provide you with some free tips to help you start seeing immediate results. You can find out more about all our training options and get any questions you have answered. There is no pressure or obligation to buy anything. Here is the link to schedule your free discovery session: https://CleverCanineDogTraining.as.me/?appointmentType=5634497 Happy Training, The other day, I was able to enjoy a rare, quiet moment.
I had escaped to my front porch where I sat in peace watching the rain fall softly on my thirsty lawn. It was a beautiful moment. Then, my phone rang. It was my son’s school. The moment was gone. I am the proud mother of several mischievous boys. Don’t get me wrong. My boys are adorable. They have big eyes that always seem to twinkle and huge grins that just melt your heart. But behind those darling features is trouble with a capital T. Once again, one of my sons had found his way into mischief, and the school was calling to let me know. And once again, I heard myself saying, “It’s a good thing he’s cute!” I smile as I’m reminded of all the times I’ve heard my clients say the very same thing about their dogs. I love to listen to them tell about the mischief their dogs have gotten into. How often I’ve heard them end their stories with, “It’s a good thing he’s cute!” Then I think of all the times I’ve seen those very same clients watch in astonishment at the transformation in their dog as they go through training. Most can’t believe what they and their dogs are capable of. It’s a joy to watch and a privilege to be a part of. So, how about you? Do you hear yourself saying things like, “It’s a good thing he’s cute,” as you find your dog in trouble, again? Is it possible that the results of training could surprise you too? Give it a try. Schedule your free, no obligation discovery session. Click here. Happy Training! |
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