The Win Board.

Behavior conditioning, modification, and rehabilitation can feel like a never-ending effort. It requires learning (for both ends of the leash), patience, consistency, and also modification of our own behavior (more often than not, it's our behavior- what we're doing and/or not doing- that's conditioning their behavior).

Any setback can feel like a full-throttle throwback, and send us spiraling down the rabbit hole of hopelessness and despair.

This is why we started suggesting, what we call, a "Win Board" to clients. A daily log of every single "win" or success to help us stay focused on all the progressions we tend to forget when a setback occurs.

Did your dog, who's terrified of the stairwell, step up on that first step? It may not seem like a huge feat for you, but in the mind of a fearful dog ~ that's a huge win. Write it down!

Were you able to leave the apartment for 10 sec's without a peep from your pup? Win!

Were you able to walk by another dog with a much milder reaction and not a full blown production? Win!

Was your wife or husband able to leash the dog up after weeks or months of not being able to? Win!

Did your dog look to you for how to respond to something before reacting on his own? Win!

Place the Win Board in a spot you see every day, and use it to keep a tally of every improvement (no matter how big or small). Doing this will keep these successes fresh on your mind and prevent you from getting sucked into the Great Doubt Vortex (which can be so easy to get sucked into).