Small Steps, Big Goals

Hello, welcome, and a very happy New Year to you all.

Last week, Linda spoke of creating resolutions and how you can make them stick. How have you been getting on so far - being a week in, have your new year plans and goals already gone astray?

After spending some bonus time with your dogs over the festive season, perhaps alongside multiple family members, have you become aware of any challenges your dog might be having that you hand’t focussed on before? Perhaps, when you had the time for longer walks, you’ve realised their recall is pretty ropey, they pull constantly on the lead, or maybe it’s that they seem more anxious when you have visitors to your home?

In my work - and my life - alongside dogs, I love to use the word ‘goal’ instead of ‘resolution’ - or use ‘challenge’ instead of ‘problem’. When we flip our thinking from what we DON’T want our dogs to be doing/feeling to what we DO want our dogs to be doing/feeling, we start our focus in a much more positive headspace. And that way of thinking is much more likely to end in success!

So what challenges would you like to provide your dog with some support for this year? Is it that you can enjoy your on-lead walks together more comfortably? Is it that they can have off-lead freedom more safely? Is it that you’d love them to feel as relaxed at home alone as they do with you, their companion, beside them?

Start today by writing down just one goal you’d love to explore with your dogs in 2022. Now break it down into tiny steps. We are much more likely to move forward if we can do so in small, achievable stages. Just like when we break down helping our dog to feel more comfortable alone we start with just a few seconds of absence before building up to an hour, the same approach works for lead walking.

Start by working on getting your dog’s focus before you’ve opened the front door. Play some games in your hallway, make putting on their harness or choosing a favourite toy to take with you a game. Toss them an occasional treat for a lovely “wait” while you’re packing up your treat pouch with delicious goodies.

Over time, that focus indoors pre-walk can be expanded to just outside your home. Play games on your driveway, ask for a hand “touch” before you pop them in the car, or scatter some treats for them to sniff out in the grass before you head off down your road.

Setting out to achieve perfect heelwork in one go is setting you both up for miserable walks. But focusing on achieving a few moments of focus through fun interactions is a great way to get started on your overall goal.

So, what challenge would you like to take on alongside your dog? Share your goals with us!

Until next time, enjoy that time connecting.

Caroline