Dog Training
The Fido Factor
Dog Training as a Model for Success in Relationships, Business, and Self-improvement
Fido Factor # 1:
Live In the Moment
Dogs live in the present and don�t waste energy feeling guilty or thinking about past transgressions and failures. They are wonderfully economical in their use of energy and, as a result, they pointedly focus on the job at hand. See the ball, chase the ball, return the ball. Translation for humans: see the lawn, mow the lawn, grab a lemonade and enjoy the beauty of your yard. Or in my case: think about writing an article, writing the article, submitting the article for publication. The direct, focused approach is an effective way to be successful.
Fido Factor # 2:
Be Specific
�My dog knows how to sit, she�s just being stubborn.� I hear this everyday in my classes. But maybe it�s not the dog who has the problem. In most cases, the dog simply was never taught to sit in different situations or contexts. Dogs are contextual learners. If you teach a dog to sit on carpet, it doesn�t mean she�ll sit on the tile floor in the kitchen when you ask. Different flooring means it�s a different context and your dog needs to be taught that �sit� means sit on the tile floor as well as the carpet. It�s like meeting someone at a party and then, when you see her two weeks later at the supermarket, not remembering her right away because she is casually dressed and has two children in tow. After meeting this person a few times in different situations or contexts, you can recognize her no matter how she is dressed or who accompanies her. Success, whether in dog training or in business or relationships, starts with visualizing and feeling contextual goals. Detailed visualization unleashes an emotional connection with your goal. Want ice cream? Well, yes, but that�s not very specific. What ice cream brings you the most joy? How about two scoops of cherries jubilee ice cream in a chocolate-dipped waffle cone? Want a relationship? Better be specific as to your partner�s ethics, wealth, health, spiritual affiliation and sense of humor. Remember the Fido Factor aphorism: �You get what you ask for, or forget to ask for.�
Fido Factor # 3:
Develop a Step-By-Step Plan with Realistic Goals
After visualizing your goal, now it�s simply a matter of formulating and implementing a step-by-step strategy to reach that goal. While it�s important to reach for the stars, the steps to the stars have to be realistic. It isn�t realistic to expect a rambunctious adolescent Jack Russell terrier to stay put while a squirrel is running by. That would be akin to behavioral reliability at a college level. It�s well beyond his abilities. Instead, you have to teach the puppy step-by-step and grade-by-grade to achieve the reliability you are looking for. Every successful plan builds upon a vision, which is reached by small, incremental successes. Short, focused and frequent sessions are better than spending long hours spinning your wheels. Successful plans call for consistency and persistence, while at the same time allowing for creative flexibility and an occasional tweaking of the process.
Fido Factor # 4:
Learn to Relax and Go with the Flow
If you expect your dog to exhibit controlled behavior, it helps to be in control of yourself first. People are surprised that I teach them breathing techniques in my dog training classes and on my DVD, The Dog Whisperer. But once they practice a few relaxation breaths, the results speak for themselves. They are calmer, more focused and training becomes easier for them and their dog. A person�s breathing patterns can actually become signals to a dog, whose senses are much more acute than ours. The short staccato breaths of an angry person can trigger the dog�s fight-freeze-or-flight syndrome. The slow rhythmic breathing of a relaxed person can help soothe and quiet an anxious dog. We humans have the same reactions. Ever notice how we give a wide birth to humans or dogs whose body language suggests aggression? Or how comfortable we feel around people who radiate a relaxed, peaceful demeanor? Moods are reflected by one�s breath and subconsciously understood by others. People tend to breathe differently depending on their moods and emotions. For example, we often hold our breath while waiting for something to happen, we have shallow breathing when we are stressed, and we tend to take longer, slower breaths when we are relaxed. As powerful as proper breathing is, it is the last thing most people think about when they come into a dog training class or try to solve one of life�s many challenges. A full breath oxygenates blood and energizes every cell in your body, which also enhances your awareness of what�s going on around you. Conscious controlled breathing can also be a powerful tool to help you relax, lower stress and improve concentration. With practice, a minute or two of a breathing exercise is all that it takes to relax you, and even the people around you. If you relax and focus your energy through breathing exercises, people and animals around you will tend to mirror your attitude. You are in control. Your confidence projects a sense of leadership. Coupled with a vision, a step-by-step plan and steadfast resolve, success is assured.
Fido Factor # 5:
Choose Supportive Environments and Attitudes
The environment we choose to place ourselves in directly impacts our success. A dog won�t learn how to fetch and retrieve a ball if the park is filled with dozens of other dogs and people running around. There are too many distractions. The best place to begin to teach a dog to fetch is alone in your back yard or another less distracting environment. Better still, join a class where interruptions are controlled and everyone is focused on fetching. All the better if the instructor has brought along his own dog who demonstrates an expertise in fetching. Just as it is easier to teach a dog to fetch in a fetch-conducive environment, so too it is easier to lose weight with other motivated dieters, stop smoking by keeping company with non-smokers and become rich by rubbing elbows with financially successful people. Attitude is also a key Fido Factor. Dogs respond to leadership, playfulness and affection. Dogs follow someone who displays an air of absolute control. When working with aggressive dogs, a professional trainer must exhibit an attitude of confidence that is absolute, even if they are only acting. Leaders in all walks of life act confident to keep morale high, instill motivation and model a sense of purpose. Success is attained when confidence permeates every atom of one�s being. Put yourself in an environment where success is likely and mingle with those who have already succeeded and you will resonate with success. So remember Fido�s game plan: live in the moment, be specific about what you want, develop a step-by-step plan, learn to relax and choose a supportive environment and attitude. These are the tools that positive dog trainers use to set up their clients, both human and canine, for success. And when problems arise, addressing them with unquenchable optimism allows them to simply become opportunities for success. Positive dog trainers have a saying, �Correct the problem, not the dog.� With that attitude, everything becomes a tail-wagging game and that�s the greatest Fido Factor of them all!
Paul Owens, author of �The Dog Whisperer,� is a nationally recognized leader in taking a positive approach to training dogs. Paul is most noted for his humane, groundbreaking and common sense way of raising and training dogs. He began in 1972, earning awards in competitive obedience. Over the years Paul has taught and been an advisor for thousands of families and individuals working to develop a dog-human relationship by positive means. He uses his expertise to talk with you about the challenges of dogs in the workplace and ways to create behaviors that are acceptable. Paul is a certified evaluator for the Delta Society�s Animal Assisted Therapy Program, and a member of The National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors and the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. He is the director of the nonprofit, educational organization, Raise with Praise, Inc., that offers after-school violence prevention programs linking shelter dogs with elementary school children.
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Links to Dog Training Websites
- Martin Deeley - http://www.martindeeley.com
- Wendy and Jack Volhard - http://www.volhard.com/
- Off Lead Magazine - http://www.off-lead.com