Do We Celebrate Our Dogs Enough?
Hello and welcome back to our month of celebrations!
Do you celebrate your dog’s birthday? (I hope so!) Birthdays offer an opportunity for us to focus on an individual and just how important they are in the world - our world! For the birthday celebrator, it’s hopefully a time for good food, fun, and spending time with loved ones. But do you agree that celebrations like birthdays, weddings, anniversaries… all pass too quickly?
For our dogs, who don’t understand the concept of birthdays, every day is a celebration! And maybe they’re onto a good thing there.
Did you know that our brains are hard-wired to respond to rewards? If we celebrate small successes - we are more likely to stay on track and thus complete larger life-goals. When working with our dogs to overcome even the smallest of behavioural or training challenges, I would encourage you to embrace more regular celebrations.
Perhaps your dog recalls back from saying hello to another dog or a really exciting scent. Maybe your more anxious dog has a wonderful walk where they’re more relaxed than usual. Or your dog just drops something when you ask them to. Celebrate these moments!
When these positive things happen, don’t ignore them or just make a mental note. Write them down or share with a friend or family member. Then you’ll have an extra reference point for the days when you need reminding just how incredible your dog is.
So, rather than waiting for birthdays… what can you celebrate about your dog - or your life with them - today?
Life is for living. So let’s all “be more dog” and celebrate all the small things.
Until next time, keep the good times rolling!
Caroline