Thankful for Barkiing

We all have our breaking points. We all have triggers that make us tense.  So, how do we extend our snapping point so that we don't crack?

Deep breathing, patience, gratitude.

Barking drives me crazy. Ironic, since I am a dog trainer and you would think I would become immune to the bark. Nope.

When I was a cop, I could not stand the siren.

Loud noises make me tense. So how do I survive in a world of loud?

I take note of the loud noises, and realize that I am alive. I use gratitude to say, "Thank you God for allowing me to be among the chaos, to be able to experience today.

Today is Thanksgiving. In my background noise, I hear a shrill whine of my dog in training, a neighbor dog barking like it does everyday, and I am so thankful for the dog I am able to train, and for the neighborhood I live in.

Today, I hope to hold my crying grandson, because that noise is the most beautiful noise that I could be surrounded by.

Enjoy your day, live with patience, and harvest the gratitude we are able to have.

I Train Dogs with a Chocolate Treat!

I saw a neighbor put their Christmas lights up yesterday and the panic of shopping, cleaning, decorating, eating, and entertaining entered my mind in a scrambled mess. Next, flashing forward to New Year’s Eve, I reminisced of last year’s resolution; to become healthier and to lose 20 pounds (not to look better for any tiny dress but to live better in 20 years).

My holiday hustling mind was instantly eased into celebration.  I had not only made my resolution, I had conquered it! January 1, 2014 was not a crash diet/work-out regime….I did not get myself in motion until July, and even then I was slow to act. Procrastination and lack of motivation were my only excuse.

I was perfectly capable of eating right. I had done it many times. I just chose not to. Never really having a gigantic weight problem, I figured I would “catch up later”. My Mom (at 72, who is always skinny, can walk faster than us all, and treats a carbohydrate like the plaque) would always subtly hint, “they say obese people got that way by gaining only 7 pounds a year…..” I would joke about the M&M’s, brownies, and cookie dough… a true chocoholic to the core of my soul!

When my Yoga twisted sister offered me my first ‘diet’ chocolate shake in March, I shrugged her off as health crazed and ate Toll House cookie dough instead. By July, I noticed my sister was not only very flexible but also looking fantastic! Since we look somewhat like twins…this was not a competition I wanted to lose. I drank the chocolate shake, and ate the ‘diet’ cookies too. Then, I drank more, and secretly started eating more cookies. They were a chocolate dream to me!

By the end of the month, my pants starting loosening up and my sister proudly pointed out our success. I reluctantly and big sisterly admitted that she was on to a good thing. Those chocolate shakes and cookies had whittled me into my proper weight zone and balanced my blood sugar in the process. I had a zip in my step, and strength from my success as I continued to indulge myself in my chocolate laced world. No longer did I crave a cheap imitation sugar fix, but started making healthy choices and even started doing push ups again to balance and tone the body I had newly created.

As a dog trainer by profession, I visit many homes and see the inner workings of private lives.  I have always noticed the effect of imbalance in people’s lives and how it affects their dog. I have been blessed enough over the years to be able to know who I can successfully help and who is going to have trouble. Unfortunately, success has very little to do with the dog and everything to do with balance of the human.

Not a psychologist by trade, and with no desire to be one, I ended up having to guide people in finding patience, breathing more, finding humor in chaos, and seeking strength in working out with their dog. All this reasoning was with one intention…to balance the dog.

However, as we strive to balance the dog, we began to balance the home. I started noticing arguing spouses beginning to show endearing behavior, and parents beginning to give boundaries to unruly children.

I began to realize that balancing the dog required a lot more than just teaching obedience and manners to my K-9 client. Dog training became a complete life system that stretched way beyond the dog. I have seen a dog rip a household apart, and stitch a family together, all due to lack of balance. We are able to rehabilitate the dog with their family by re-building the infrastructure. The chocolate shake helped re-build MY infrastructure; a balance of my mind and body.

Hiring a dog trainer is often a hint of seeking balance, or order, or peace. A dog is a mirror and will reflect what our system sends out. When I meet a dog and their person, a whole story unfolds in front of me, and yes, it is true that a dog’s tail does not lie.

So, how the heck did a chocolate shake change my way to train dogs? The chocolate shake  "RESET" program helped balance my sugar, my energy, my core, and built my strength. Through feeling better, my attitude was improved, my patience was enhanced and my daily life was more enjoyable.

As I constantly learn to improve myself, I can now help others improve the relationship with their dogs in new ways as a Usana Independent Consultant. I will always continue to train dogs and I still have a fond memory of my love for M&M’s and Toll House, but my life is more than ‘just’ a box of unhealthy chocolate!

The fastest way to train my dog!

 

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  Training dogs is more than just sit, down, and stay. It's about teaching manners and earning respect in a calm way to have your dog follow you as a confident and balanced leader. In my webinar training, private lessons, or enrolled in our boot camp, you will quickly see an improvement. I will coach you in understanding your dog and help you to create a better relationship together.

   Sharing a home with a dog can be challenging. The key is to build a solid foundation of training based on respect and to reinforce this relationship on a constant and calm basis. My training will help you not only strengthen the relationship with your dog, but the relationship with yourself.

   Dog training extends far beyond training just your dog. It's about you, and your foundation also.

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Why do I keep training but can't get it right?

    
How does your life effect your dog training?

   If you have trained with me before then you know I say a dog won't listen to yelling or anxiety, and won't listen to weak or wobbly. A dog follows calm and balanced leadership. The best leaders strive forward because of their calm balance that they display or a regular or continued basis. 
   People are attracted to strength and leadership, but dogs won't follow anything else.
    If you are having trouble getting your dog to come when called, to stay when told, or to greet you calmly....then dare to venture that you may not be performing in your best leadership role! Perhaps you are lacking balance. Even the most balanced folk will crack in certain situations. The key is to get back up, and regain your pose.
   In order to succeed in our lives, we must breathe, eat, drink, play, pray, and plan....or something of that order but if and when it is all out of whack, off kilter, or in dismay....we notice upset, imbalance, anxiety, weight or health issues, and mood swings.
   Not only are these events or actions not beneficial to us physically, mentally, or professionally...they are detrimental in the relationship with your dog.