Meet Clinton- New Dog Trainer at Perna’s Pet Care
Clinton has been a pet sitter at Perna’s Pet Care for over a year and is beginning his journey of becoming a certified dog trainer. Read on to learn about how he got interested in this aspect of pet services and to get updates on his progress with tips for helping to train your own dog. ~Perna.
Clinton: When I took home my now 2.5-year-old mix, 5 months at the time, I felt entirely in over my head. We dealt with human, dog, and prey animal reactivity as well as leash pulling and inappropriate play biting. I felt in over my head and lost in terms of what information was effective and accurate. We must have tried a million different strategies!
The inconsistency wasn’t doing her any favors, and my lack of direction was a poor foundation. I came to realize through experience, as well as what I was able to piece together from what I learned on the internet and had critically evaluated:
that dog guardianship is a relationship of parallel exchange.
It was then that we began to practice more autonomy in the form of choice, instead of centering obedience.
We also started to engage in parallel meditation or what some call The Art of Doing Nothing. Both strategies saw positive change in my dog’s development and our relationship.
That is not to say that it was always an easy ride, though!
We moved at a slow pace and took many breaks. Around the same time, I had been fortunate enough to receive some powerful wisdom from a friendly stranger who asked a question I have since spent hours ruminating on: are you walking for you, or for your dog?
Looking for someone to walk your dog while you’re away or at work? Schedule a trusted dog walker with Perna’s Pet Care now: Click here!
Those words echoed in my head whenever I would find myself growing frustrated with my dog’s behavior (something that is ENTIRELY normal and does not make you a bad owner whatsoever!), and our outdoor excursions completely changed appearances.
I began to realize that
- the more I allowed my dog to make her own choices (such as directing our walks and positively engaging with her environment through sniffing)
- the more enthusiastic she became about listening to me when I asked
and that
- If I eased off the pressure to always perform
- and started asking less of her
it helped to reestablish meaning with some of the commands she had become desensitized to through constant repetition.
In tandem with this, we would frequently practice coping skills through parallel meditation, something I found to be an incredibly powerful tool in
terms of changing my dog’s psychology so that she not just behaved calmly, but that she also feels calm in a variety of challenging environments.
Similar to exposure therapy for humans,
the objective shifted to gradually introducing unfamiliar stimuli while practicing breathing techniques and neutral observation all by leading through example.
We achieved this by traveling to a multitude of dog-friendly environments, picking secluded areas within them to “set up base,” and would simply watch the world happen.
She was allowed to behave however she chose (though, if your dog is ever to the point of being inconsolable while attempting this, I recommend leaving the situation and taking a step or two back in the process before trying again another day), but often she would pick up on my own meditative energy and would begin to mirror it.
This was the start of a total shift in my dog’s personality!
The longer we used these strategies, the more she became able to pass by people and animals on the street without lunging and barking, the less she pulled on the leash, and the less inappropriate play behavior she began to display. And, the better our connection became!
I am looking forward to sharing what I learn through my dog training certification program. Check back for updates on tips and tricks for helping you and your dog build a relationship like I have with Friday.