It's World Mental Health Day and the sun is shining!
The sky looks as though it has been washed and everything is bright and clean.
So, a great day for walking the dog, right?
Well maybe, but not if your dog is just a menace! Causes problems. Wont stop pulling on its lead or come back when called if let off to “play”
I had an appointment yesterday with someone who had met a lady with a dog that she had just rescued, and it had pulled her flat on her face. She was covered in mud and was regretting going out but had been told that dog needed exercise. It was a big dog and yes it will need exercise, but no one had shown her the way to do it! Or maybe she just hadn’t heard what she was being told?
My client was able to help and reassure but it got us both thinking that sometimes, the message that owners are given, isn’t the one that is heard. If you are having problems with your dog, you need a trainer who will help you and your dog and give you some practical clear advice.
At the Walkabout Dog Training Academy, people join me to train to become dog trainers. Quite often they have had challenges themselves and through working with me, they have overcome these with their dog. They know what is working and want to share this with others. It is quite often true that unless you have walked that journey, you don’t know what it is like to suffer the embarrassment of your dog “letting you down”.
My message to my students is to keep things simple, in bite size practical pieces and show some empathy towards the dog owner. We don’t know what is going on in that person’s life. It may seem as though everything is perfect, but we don’t know (and I am not saying we should know). When our mind is full of everyday worries or we are feeling helpless or just a bit “down” – it is difficult to process instructions. Keep it simple and straightforward. Build up the owner’s confidence and they will see a difference in their dog.
Within our group, our field trips have proved popular with clients, as it is a chance to get out and about with someone to support them on their walk, vet visit or training session. It is our way of helping get the message out there and supporting dog owners and their dogs in real life situations.
Our Dog Training Academy is inviting new students to learn how to become dog trainers with a difference – why not find out more @ https://www.thewalkaboutway.co.uk/
