Training Isn’t a Linear Process

Training your dog isn’t a linear process. 

There are lots of plateaus, where you feel like you are making no progress at all, but you are really just building valuable skills and habits for the dog.  

There are days where everything is clicking, where the dog is making you so proud, where everything is coming together perfectly…

...and some days where nothing seems to go right.

It can be hard to see how far you have come or to know what to do next when things are going south. Sometimes we just get overwhelmed by the moment we are in, the success or failure, and fail to see clearly. 

I like to keep track of my progress with my dogs through notes and videos so I can get a better picture of the journey we are on. It has allowed me to see mistakes as data instead of setbacks. More information so I can make a more informed decision next time. 

I personally have a lot of anxiety around the training process. I can fall into “paralysis analysis” where I don’t know what to do so I do nothing. Keeping track of everything motivates me to keep going and gives me some security in my decision making. I can clearly see what is not going to work and what has been successful with all of the proof recorded and easily accessible. 

In being more mindful of the journey I am on rather than fixated on the moment I am in, I have learned that the most powerful training results are the ones that you build carefully over time. Not the ones that bring you instant satisfaction in the moment. 

The best thing you can do for your dog is to accept the ups and downs in the training process. To be patient, to see the big picture, and to have a plan that can be modified to meet the needs of the dog. 

“It is intelligent to have a plan, but foolish to fall in love with it.” -Monty Roberts