Dogs and the importance of “space”
If we want a dog who has the *ability* to navigate and comfortably share the various levels of space alongside us, a dog who feels safe, secure, and comfortable doing so- it's up to us to guide the way.
Start small to go big.
Dog training and behavior modification is a big job with a ton of smaller moving parts, and often comes with a big expectations. There's usually a deep sense of urgency in play (due to the fact most wait until behaviors get so bad, so risky, and so intolerable before they invest in help), as well as a mindset that throwing money at a problem will make it go away and dog trainers are "fairy dog-mothers" (or fathers) with magic wands. There's an expectation for big results...without taking the smaller, necessary steps to reach them or any level of involvement.
If change is what we want to see, change is what we need to make.
Change. Change is uncomfortable and can be painful. It can also be quite exciting. Change often means stepping into the uncertain and the unknown. Letting go. Releasing the practices, things, circumstances, people and relationships that no longer lift, support, inspire, and positively challenge us. Who and what weighs us down. Change involves taking full ownership and responsibility of ourselves, our choices, our lives~ as well as those who depend on us.