Anything is Pawsible!

If there is one thing that being a dog trainer has taught me, it's that dogs and all living beings will surprise you. Quieting your expectations and keeping an open mind can give your dog the space to make a new choice or have a new response. We all get into ruts of behavior; what is your rut with your dog?

We were 4 weeks in to separation training and with very diligent work, my clients were doing an impeccable job at following instructions every day. I was disappointed that the results weren't clear, but that is how it is sometimes. You just have to stay with the dog and let them go at their own pace. Wouldn't you know in that final assessment, the dog went from tolerating 5 minutes to an hour and a half! Positive reinforcement for all of us. There is no "typical" timeline for success with separation related issues; every dog is very different. Some dogs will never jump in duration like this and instead progress slowly and incrementally. It is special though, when we get these big wins!