Puppy (and Mind) Training

Click for Audio

What looks like resistance is often a lack of clarity.

~ Chip Heath

Remember the joys of having a new puppy in the house? I was scrolling thru my pictures the other day and came across this one of Caylee, the Zen puppy, when she was just a few months old. It always makes me smile as I remember her feistiness and tenacity! She was determined to ‘be one with her food’ on this particular day. And even now, she continues to be a messy eater. I am constantly finding, and stepping on, kibble pieces throughout the house!

Besides this ‘messy eater’ issue, her training went exceptionally well. Caylee is the 8th fur baby I have had since childhood, so maybe I’m gaining more knowledge and experience in my training skills. One thing I have learned is that they all want to please. They want to do whatever it is to make their humans happy... they only need a little help in discovering the clarity of what that is! And never-ending persistence in gently guiding them toward it.

This puppy training is lifelong—training for good and bad behavior. If we are sloppy about catching and being clear about those pesky bad habits at any time in their life, we risk creating a perpetual cycle of them continuing, which becomes ingrained over time. Our pups can’t read our minds. It’s up to us to provide ongoing clarity and guidance.

As I think about puppy training, it is akin to training our own minds. If we are not actively working on and training our minds for positive habits, we default to potentially lazy, negative, or bad ones. Bad habits we can’t seem to shake. We may not even be clear on these bad habits. They come up automatically. Just like puppies, we need discipline and routine to instill good habits. We don’t allow our puppies to chew on anything but their cherished toys... maybe we need to be more selective about what we chew on too. More good food to better nourish our bodies. More good thoughts to strengthen our minds and souls. We must find the clarity to see and understand how our best habits serve us so much better than the bad ones in our daily lives.

Our puppies need to know what acceptable behavior is and what it is not. Like puppies, we need to be firm in our own behavior to not jump on others and not bark unless there is a distinct threat. We must learn and value snuggle time with our loved ones and do it like we mean it, just like our puppies.

Remember how good it makes you feel when your puppy goes crazy when you come home? It doesn’t matter if you only went to the garage for a few minutes or on a two-week vacation. They can’t help but be overjoyed every time we walk thru the door! How nice to feel so loved! We can learn from them and also get super excited when we come across our friends, loved ones, and even someone new, spreading that joy around.

Just like puppies, we need to know what our boundaries are. When we don’t have solid boundaries, we eventually train our puppies and others to treat us a certain way. They may ignore us, expect us to act a certain way, do specific things for them, take care of them, or let them walk all over us and do their own thing regardless of how it may affect us. Respecting your puppy's boundaries encourages their self-confidence. Let them cuddle when they want. Allow them to choose the direction on a walk. Let them nap in a safe corner of the house and chew their bone in peace. We need to train our minds to be clear on our own boundaries – and those of others. As you train your mind to respect your boundaries, self-confidence also grows for you and your loved ones!

We need to have a strong voice when our puppies need further guidance. They need clarity of direction. They need to understand what we want from them... does this sound familiar? We all need a strong, brave voice to communicate with everyone, not just the pups. Not the yelling and screaming type of voice, but the one that gets our point across in a positive yet kind and compassionate way.

Praising our puppies is also key. They love to be loved! They need positive, loving reinforcement to repeat the good behavior of what we are asking of them. The same is true for others in our lives. When you are treated well by others, make sure to praise them. A little pat on the head can go a long way! So does a special treat now and again.

How does this relate to your history of puppy training? How can you take these training ideas and apply them to your own mind and environment?

P.S. If you haven't already signed up for my mailing list, please do so below! Then you will receive my new blog postings directly in your inbox. I am so grateful and love it when you share any of my info with your friends; thank you in advance 💜. And don't forget to order your next quarter Zen Journey Roadmap here!