The environment we live in makes a huge difference in how we face and handle the world. The same is true for our dogs. People are increasingly interested in concepts like minimalism and hygge for a reason. Lots of us have realized that the world can be an overwhelming place, full of demands and distractions and shoulds and wants that keep us away from the path that we’d like to be on.
Why can’t I just throw it all away?
I frequently have this overwhelming urge to throw everything we own in the dumpster and start over from scratch with nothing to hold me down. Luckily my husband is a rational person and reminds me of the reasons that might not be the best choice.
Humans aren’t the only ones overwhelmed and distracted by the things around them and the demands on them. Think about it. Have you ever tried to work with your dog on a new skill in a crazy place? How’d he feel about doing that fancy new trick when there were cats running by, skateboards zooming around, or delicously stinky smells every so many inches? Not so awesome? Well, there you go… The training environment was not setting him up for success.
Environment matters.
Recently, I had the opportunity to work with a cute little dog at the local shelter who was acting like a holy terror. He was quite unpleasant when people tried to walk away from him. He was also doing some impressive-looking barking. Training wasn’t really interesting; treats weren’t even particularly interesting. Holy terrors are not generally well-received by potential adopters, strangely enough.
Luckily, the wonderful staff at the shelter moved him to a quiet, comfortable location away from the other barking dogs and constant commotion. He turned into a new dog. He became friendly and loving and quite interested in training. I suspect he was, like me, so fed up by all the stuff around him that he wanted to throw it all in the dumpster. Minimizing his surroundings, reducing distractions, hygging (not sure if that’s actually a word) his space, and slowing everything down set him up for success.
He is now up for adoption and looking for a forever home to keep him busy – adoptable because of a new, calmer environment.
Start simple. Keep calm.
Next time that you are working with your dog and things aren’t going well, look at the training environment. Is it simple and calm, allowing your dog to work at her best? When you are teaching a new skill, this is especially important. Just like you wouldn’t want to take your first drum lesson in front of a giant crowd, your dog doesn’t want to learn how to walk calmly on a leash in a dog park. Eventually, sure, but not until it’s an ingrained behavior.
Set your dog up for success by starting in a quiet, low distraction place to train. And go back to that if he seems overwhelmed or uninterested in training. Maybe take a lesson for yourself, too, and realize how overwhelmed you might be by your environment. Simplify your life, reduce your burdens, and walk away from the distractions that are keeping you from the path you are meant to be on. No distraction is worth sacrificing your best self.
Your Turn: What distractions are holding you back? How can you simplify the environment to set yourself (and/or your dog) up for success?