10/19/2022
Consistency is what it’s all about.
The same way you do. 🙂
When mom said you were grounded for a month, but paroled you after three days. When your mate found a questionable text, and let it go. When you realized you could “clock out” from work even while still clocked in.
We all notice when rules have gaps. And seeing as we’re all susceptible to being opportunistic, when those gaps are either not enforced, or you realize they go unnoticed, things can get interesting...fast.
Same with your dog. Initially the walk was a strict heel, but then it got a little looser. A sit, down, or place command was absolutely non-negotiable—until it wasn’t. That impeccable recall was on a dime, until your dog realized you were happy to call him 7 times, and none of those 7 had a correction attached to it.
And that’s how simple “unlearning” is. Tiny little moments that don’t seem all that important, start to create a little crack. And then the crack get bigger, and bigger, and...
And eventually, all that stuff your dog “knew” is gone. Well, it’s not actually gone. It’s still in there, but without the pattern of consistency of demands, and consequences for lack of complying with those demands, all that learning can get “misplaced.”
And next thing you know, you’re asking yourself all kinds of questions. Questions like: how did things get so messy? How did my dog “forget” so much? Why is my well-trained dog, so poorly trained?
But if you’re honest, you know. Because it’s the same with you.
Rules without consequences are merely suggestions. And suggestions, in the face of more desirable pursuits, are often ignored.
But you knew that. :)
