After a year in the making and much procrastinating the online course for the Positive Pet Project is finally ready. There is still the butterflies in the tummy and moments of imposter syndrome but it’s finally time to put all of those lessons learned out to the general public and specifically those in need
During the past ten years of working in shelters and helping mainly rescue dogs and their guardians to assimilate to “normal” life I found there were patterns and I was repeating a lot of the principles. By offering a selection of tools and techniques to the new families I found we were getting some good results and reviews. So much happens at this end of the leash and I love looking for that “lightbulb” moment where the client suddenly “gets” what I’m talking about and the picture of what the dog is trying to say becomes clearer. These moments are very special to me and can become quite addictive!
I started to look for a way I could condense these ideas into a course and the Positive Fundamentals course began to take shape.
So much of the relationship with our companions is dependent on our mindset and attitude and, in my opinion, these aspects are often overlooked as we focus on what the dog may be doing that we don’t like. We focus on trying to fix a problem or discipline a dog as a way of hiding our own inadequacies as guardians and trainers. Often all the dog needs is to be shown what to do!
We live In a very reactive world of disposable opinions and comments that are dealt with impunity and often cause immense damage. Things that we never dream of saying in public we say online without thinking and this has become the norm.
The first thing I wanted to focus on in the course was getting clarity in the mind of the guardian. What is desired or expected and how can we get there. If the world is viewed through that lens we stop being so reactive in the moment and think about the big picture. This makes getting to where we need to so much easier and it means we’re always working towards a goal.
The second thing I wanted to talk about was the idea of getting our own houses in order! Managing the way we behave and react. Setting an example to our dogs. Staying calm, breathing deeply, taking our time, being clear in our goals.
Not enough has been talked about in our relationship with ourselves when we look at training. Are we being the best version of ourselves when working with our dog or are we being a petulant, reactive child because things aren’t working out how we expected them to?
What working in shelters and with shelter dogs has taught me is that these animals need a strong, patient guide with clear ideas to help make a happier dog. The Positive Fundamentals course is about taking a look in the mirror from time to time and turning up as best we can for our dogs and being the best versions of ourselves for the good of the relationship.
Take a look at the course and sign up now for a happier relationship between you and your pet.
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