What if my dog training is not working?

aggression dog behavior food help pulling on the lead puppy rescue separation anxiety Dec 16, 2021

I spend a lot of time sharing the 4 Care Connections of Dog Listening to help dog owners with their dog's behaviour. 

Generally it goes likes this:

  • The dog does something enough times that the owner gets to the point they need some help and are ready to hear something new. Many of us (myself included) need to do the same thing many many times before we realise it's not working!
  • At this point the owner might come across Dog Listening this is the approach I share in all my work. It's a process of listening and understanding why your dog behaves the way they do and then suggests 4 Care Connections that the owner can implement through out the dogs every day. 
  • Results happen, changes occur, the dog relaxes, becomes more responsive and life for every one is way more relaxed with joy and play returning  to the family. 
  • Sometimes there is 1 area that the dog's behaviour is just not changing in or everything has been resolved but gradually the dog is reverting back to their old ways. 

If you find yourself thinking it's not working, I have a tried and tested process that I would love to share with you today to help you and your dog back on track. 

  1. Recognise that nothing on the outside of you can cause you to feel anything and that includes your dog.  It's always an inside job. 
  2. With this understanding you have full control of the situation immediately. 
  3. You now have "free will" to choose what to do next, because the solution is always coming from you.
  4. Remember you always always have your "instinct" to guide you, so whatever is going on with your dog. Stop, stop doing whatever you are doing and give yourself the gift of space. Depending on the situation that could be 10 seconds or 10 days. Trust yourself you will know what's right for you and your dog.

Finally some practical suggestions that might help: 

1. Go back to the 4 Care Connections

2. Get really honest, what are you practising consistently and what are you not. 

3. Get creative, how can you make changes in your environment, in your mindset and in your behaviour so that your dog receives the right signals on a daily basis to allow them to remain the way nature intended, calm, relaxed and responsive. 

Every dog on this planet is natural calm, relaxed and responsive until we get involved. 

Don't believe me, try it for yourself... For the next few days allow your dog to remain in his safe place, access to short toilet trips, food (in the correct way, obviously! check out my Free Dog workbook here if you don't how to feed your dog in a way that will help them relax) and water. Just be around no need to look at them, play with them, cuddle them just leave them be for a few days and watch what happens. 

Always less to do than you think!

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This is where I hang out and share lots of tips, answer questions and offer support around all things dog behaviour. 

Peaceful paws always 

Julie