Posts Tagged ‘clear expectations’
Clear communication becomes dog’s play
It’s really fun to watch two animals play together. They seem to have a rhythm, knowing what to do and when to do it. If one does something the other doesn’t like, it’s communicated clearly, in a way that expresses their desire, without judgment. No grudges held or lingering resentment, no baggage left to deal…
Read MoreEstablishing rules of conduct is a good idea when you have someone new on your team
Our household was turned upside down last weekend. And it had nothing to do with the 31.5” of snow that was dumped on us. The freak snow storm, dubbed Snowtober here in New Hampshire, did not have nearly the punch as our four-legged visitor, Raegan. She’s an energetic, one-year-old silver lab who we were watching…
Read MoreTwo steps forward, one step backward
This past weekend, I continued my experiment with Grace in the car. You may recall in a recent postI talked about my success in getting her to decide to lay quietly in her bed—a decision she made on her own versus me luring or commanding her to do so. The next time we did this…
Read MoreEstablishing rules works in tandem with freedom of choice
sudburywine.com/app/ We all need rules. This doesn’t hinder our ability to be creative or have decision-making abilities. I think these are often confused. In the last post, I described how Suzanne Clothiercreates interactions between a dog and a human where dogs have a level of decision-making. When a dog can figure out a situation on…
Read MoreNailed!
At a cookout this past weekend, a friend was telling me about an experience at her workplace. Her manager had brought her in to discuss some issues with the details of her work and she said it was hard to listen to it. It wasn’t because she didn’t want to know the information; she just…
Read MoreSometimes you really need to state the obvious—sometimes the obvious just isn’t that obvious Part 2
At last weekend’s “Show and Go” agility event, there were lots of obvious things going on as I described in Part 1. There were also things that weren’t so obvious to me. The whole point of this particular event is to expose the team (handler and dog) to a new environment. We were in a…
Read MoreSometimes you really need to state the obvious—sometimes the obvious just isn’t that obvious Part 1
This weekend, I took Grace to an agility event called “Show and Go.” It’s a mock competition – designed as a way to introduce handlers and dogs to a competitive experience without being judged. We were in a new, outdoor area, with different equipment, surrounded by more people, lots of dogs. My goal was to…
Read MoreEven walking requires leadership
Grace is very vocal when she wants something. It’s obvious when it’s mealtime or when she wants to sun herself on the deck. She is very explicit in her requests, using her voice (persistent whining) and body (sits in front of me, scratches her paw on me, jumps around if the first two don’t work)…
Read MoreSaying the right thing at the right time in the right way
Ever tried to reprimand a headstrong cat? It’s actually quite comical. Depending on the cat’s interest to comply (usually low) and the actual distance you happen to be from the offender at the time of the infraction (if you’re close, better; if you’re far away, forget it), it’s an entertaining, but usually futile exercise. Grace…
Read MoreHow much focus do you need to get what you want?
Focus. No distractions. Having all your attention on something—it’s a good thing. Until you lose your focus. That’s what happened to me at agility last week. And I didn’t even realize it until a fellow classmate, Patricia, recognized it had happened to both of us. I loved our class last week. It turned out that…
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