Go Slow to Go Fast

And we get it! We have been there! I remember so clearly how frustrating it was not to have the answers and to just want my dog to get along with other dogs, stop jumping on people, and come back to me every time I called him.

But here’s the thing, if I’m not honest with you, I’m not doing you any favors. So the truth is: real change doesn’t happen quickly. And, not only that, but if you’re going to only reinforce the new training rules we give you occasionally or even most of the time, you will not see any lasting changes whatsoever, and might end up fueling the naughty behaviors even more. 

Think about gambling:

But back to my main point: truly changing behavior takes several weeks to solidify, and I would even argue a few months to become habit for the both of you. There are no quick fixes. A professional can help shorten the time it would normally take for you to reach your goals, but it’s important to manage expectations. Overnight success just doesn’t happen. And the quicker you realize that your own personal growth will propel your dog’s growth, now you’re understanding the bigger picture. 

The other analogy I like to offer for this: picture a car speeding down the highway. Let’s say the driver realizes he’s heading south, and he needs to head north. Can that car, in any way, shape, or form, turn around in an instant and suddenly be heading North? Or does the driver need to slow the car down, find a pull-off or a place to turn around, and then start heading in the correct direction, slowly at first, and then building momentum when he can? Real change is slow. We can help slow you down, turn you around, and guide you toward the right direction, but it will be up to you to keep that momentum going and stay the course. Just make sure you enjoy the view and look back every now and then to see how far you’ve come!