Intentions

What are your Intentions?

We have all been in a situation where we feel pressure, a sense of stress or maybe a level of happiness. Whether it be with our dogs, a spouse, friend, co-worker; we have felt varying emotions. We also reflect on these emotions as we move through our days. Each moment of our day directs us into the next moment. Our morning coffee spill seeps into our afternoon meeting with our boss that then flows into our evening commute that feeds our family dinner as we rush out the door to our training class or potentially our evening walk, play session, trip to the local pet store, ect. Each and every moment filled with an emotion brings something to the table when we work with our dog – now add the actual dog!

When we go to do something with them we should be asking ourselves four essential questions and that

will determine where, how, why, and what we do next.

Ask yourself these FOUR Questions:

Am I doing this for me?

Am I doing this for someone else?

Is my dog doing this for them?

Are we doing this together?

Let’s break them down a little further:

Am I doing this for me?

Essentially we do many things just for us with our dogs without thinking it through. Does your dog really want to go to the local pet store, do they really want to be pet and greeted by every neighbor and dog on your walk because YOU think they need friends? Clarifying if your dog HAS to do what you believe

them to be because of a picture YOU have created for them rather than being a better team player in the situation. If my overly excited dog that is stressed (though excited it is still stressful) “needs” to go to the dog park to “burn off” energy so I can relax tonight – am I doing this for ME or for them? Think about that for a moment….Or you are carrying all that energy from your day and you “just have to walk the dog” well let me tell you that each time your dog does something you “think” is wrong (which probably really isn’t that big of a deal) you’ll believe it was the end of the world. We are in a selfish state of mind when we train is this question.

Am I doing this for someone else?

This is a hard one for many of us to realize or admit to, but to each level with a dog at some point in our life, we did many things for others around us. My dog has to have friends – so he isn’t seen as “mean”. My dog has to go to pet stores – so she isn’t seen as “unruly”. My dog shouldn’t jump – so he isn’t seen as disobedient. My dog shouldn’t bark at anyone EVER – so she isn’t “disruptive. Did you know that these are all NORMAL dog behaviors and behaviors – yes to some extreme we want to be mindful of, but no one else should be telling YOU what is right or wrong. We often times center much of what or how our dogs act based on a unrealistic “standard” that was created and when we put forth ourselves with our dogs we do things with them to appease others – some higher standard and not each other or ourselves. That isn’t very fair for you, your dog, or the present moment of each other’s feelings/energy. At the end of the day, you invested in your companion for who they are to be the best they can be today, tomorrow, and the next because of the standards you believe in for them; not society or others that surround you. Every time you enter a training or moment in this state of mind you will always feel a bit of stress or failure – societal pressure will never be 100% fulfilled.

Is my dog doing this for them?

This is tricky one, because let’s be honest, we love our fluffy wuffy little wiggly tailed pups! Though, in what situations is your dog only looking out for themselves? Yep, you read that right, you may not be the center of your dog’s world sometimes; GASP! It’s true in many scenarios, its like going shopping: you are the clerk and your dog the shopper - they are in it to buy, purchase and get out. That’s pretty terrible too and we may not even notice it. They come over and shove a ball or toy in our face, they rip us down the street without even a head turn back to see if we are standing or dragging on the ground behind them. They bark at us, as if to demand; like a kid with their hand out for money or again, a clerk

in a store as you are buying that favorite shirt. It’s time to change that a bit!

Are we doing this together?

When you have worked through to this question – you are now thinking the right way. You have cleared your head of what others are thinking or wanting, you have diminished unrealistic expectations for your companion of all those what ifs and I wants. YOU ARE PRESENT! You look down and your dog is present

with you, you both can do this together. Each moment is all that matters. Each moment is what is taken as you move forward and your expectations are easy, simple, clear, and direct.

If you are going into a situation and questioning your goals, intentions, or what is right – walk yourself through these four questions. If could help make those situations for you and your dog more enjoyable, more fulfilling, less stressful, but most of all create a stronger relationship. This isn’t just for training or

walks – this can be applied to your play, when visitors come over or your taking your pup on a trip. Take the entire situation into consideration, and most importantly take them and your relationship into consideration.

-Happy tails!

Written by Lora Bacharach