04/11/2024
This is the hardest for many of my clients.
-Have you honestly examined what your dog truly represents to you (infant, child, friends, family, mate) and what emotional gaps (connection, loneliness, despair) they’re filling to degrees that they’re not meant to?
-Have you decided to truly prioritize what improves your dog’s mindset and behavior OVER what provides you with instant gratification and selfish joy?
-Have you deeply examined your personal foibles—meaning, do you struggle with: frustration/anger/patience issues; discipline/consistency issues; erratic/volatile mood issues; personal accountability issues; delusion and denial over reality issues?
-Have you truly explored all the training and tool options available or does your list of “I’ve tried everything” consist only of that which is in your superficial (and likely ignorance-based) comfort/knowldge/experience zone—and none of the stuff which would require you to open-mindedly and emotionally robustly explore the options that are actually available?
-Have you dedicated and sacrificed the necessary time and effort to mastering the training skills, tools, and lifestyle shifts required to create the reality you claim to so deeply desire?
Once you’ve answered these dog training problem solving questions you should have far more clarity about what’s wrong with your dog’s behavior and their lack of training progress. (If clarity isn’t achieved, please consult the graphic below.)
PS, for anyone offended, or anyone who feels they’re being unfairly attacked or unfairly characterized—this is MY personal list of MY personal issues which I had to overcome to help MY own dogs… and MY own self.
PPS, for anyone who breathed a sigh of relief after reading my “PS”, just know that every owner I’ve ever seen consistently and continuously struggle with their dog had some of, or all of my list. The details change, but the foundational issues never do.
