3 reasons to address issues and make changes for the better when you START to see a problem and not when then the problem has already driven you to breaking point:
1️⃣ The longer you wait to address an issue, the harder it will be to solve. The more a dog has practised a behaviour, the more engrained it becomes as habit. Breaking an old habit is much more difficult than preventing it from becoming a habit in the first place. The longer you wait, the more work you make for yourself.
2️⃣ Training is hard. If you wait until they’re at the end of your rope, you’ve given up all hope, you’re exhausted and strung out and beyond frustrated, then you are not in the best headspace to embark on a new training journey and you are likely to lose motivation and sacrifice on consistency. You are also likely feeling resentful towards your dog, which will damage your relationship with them the longer that goes on. This will all make it harder to achieve positive change.
3️⃣ Dogs are not computers. It takes time to change their behaviour. This is both a blessing and a curse because it means that while solving a behavioural issue is going to take longer the more you’ve let it become engrained (point 1), you also have the power to intervene before you get to breaking point and prevent the behaviour from becoming any worse.
So if you see an undesired or concerning behaviour in your dog, even if it seems minor or insignificant for now, this is your sign to do something about it while it’s easy to manage and before it gets any worse.
Not sure where to get started? Get in touch for to discuss a plan for in-person or virtual training sessions.
