Success - the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or
endeavors; the accomplishment of one's goals.
Success is something that is tough to measure. It can mean many different things to many different people. For me, success is an achievement; no matter how small or large. If it was a goal, even the smallest of goals and it was achieved, success!
Success is something I discuss a lot in dog training. Because with the idea of goals and success also comes frustration and the concept of failure. Frustration is also very prominent in dog training and something that I help guardians overcome themselves and learn to see it when it is happening with their dog. Frustration isn’t good for anything so we try to minimize it. More on FRUSTRATION in another blog.
When we teach our dogs, I often talk about baby steps. These baby steps truly help a guardian to see just how successful both their dog and they are doing. As a dog trainer, teaching people to train their dogs, it is my job to see that each part of the team (human and canine) achieve success, no matter how small.
In life, we often have a difficult time seeing success; both with ourselves and our dogs. So let’s break it down. Success means that a goal has been accomplished. Have you ever felt like a failure because your goal was too big, too unobtainable and felt too monumental? Well, that is often where the sense of failure comes into play. “This is too hard, I can’t do it.” or “I can’t, he isn’t getting it;” is what I hear often. “Oh yes you can,” is my default response because yes you can and so can your dog.
If your goal is too big and too unobtainable, break it down and make it into smaller steps for doable success.
If you are having trouble with something that you are trying to teach your dog and just can’t seem to get your head around it, ask me. I will help you to break it down into doable steps. If you have a goal that is leaving you paralyzed simply by the monumental task before you, break it down. Don’t look at the whole picture, break it into little bits that create lots of little success. It is much better for you and your dog.
Have a wonderful weekend.