Engage - to occupy the attention or efforts of your dog.
Life is busy for all of us; we aren’t present in our own day to day and it can be even worse where our dogs are involved. I watched a guy walking down the street yesterday who was absent from the moment with his dog. He was walking down the sidewalk, head down, giving his phone all of his attention. His dog stopped to poop but he didn’t realize this of course; so he gave the leash a pop to keep moving and the dog finished pooping while walking.
A very popular phrase these days is “be in the moment.” What does that actually mean and how do you accomplish it? It is not always easy because we have so much coming at us all the time. I struggle with being in the moment myself; I tend to be a multi-tasker to the extreme. Staying “in the moment” can be a challenge. So how do we be in the moment with our dogs and stay engaged?
#1 Put your phone down. Cell phones are probably the biggest obstacle when trying to be “in the moment.
Pay attention to the one that you are with. This is not always easy whether it is a human or your dog. Try to clear your mind of anything other than the being in front of you.
Watch and listen. This may sound easy but for many k9 guardians, just sitting back and watching is tough.
Often a leash can be a tool that leads to ignoring. Hook up the leash and zone out, right? A leash is a safety tool, not an excuse to leave the moment. Pay attention to the other end of the leash.
Take pictures, this can really help with engagement. Its hard not to pay attention when you are trying to get a cute shot of your dog/dogs.
Be quiet and just be. Just being in the moment can be a lot of work. We need to quiet our minds and our mouths often to be in the moment.
Being in the moment is more than just a trendy phrase; it should be a goal for all of us who want a better lives with our dogs. These days it can seem nearly impossible to put away the phone, stop the thoughts racing around in our heads and just be still, in the moment. A moment once passed is gone, be in the moment you are in. You can be in the next moment when it arrives.