Trust The Climb
It can be easy to look at everything you still want your dog to learn and forget to look back at how far the two of you have already come.
Dog training isn't linear. Our own learning isn't either. There will be weeks when everything seems to be clicking, and others when something you thought your dog understood suddenly feels harder again. That doesn't mean you've gone back to the beginning. You and your dog are still climbing.
Build the Foundation First
When someone finishes six weeks of Beginner Obedience with us, one of the things I hope they walk away with is a glimpse of just how much potential their dog has. I want them to see how much their dog wants to work with them, learn with them, and be the best dog they can be.
Those first skills aren't boxes to check off and leave behind. They're the foundation for everything you'll build together from there.
It's the same in dog sports. We may be excited to run the course, find the hides, or play the game, but there's something pretty amazing happening during those first weeks. Your dog is learning how to play the game with you. They're figuring things out, gaining confidence, and beginning to understand what you're asking.
Then you start seeing those moments when it clicks. Something that was a little messy last week suddenly comes together. Your dog understands something they didn't understand before. You realize the two of you are communicating a little better.
That's the fun of foundation work.
Don't rush past those moments trying to get to what's next. They're not what you have to get through before the “real” training begins. They're the beginning of everything you're going to be able to do together.
Don't Be Afraid of the Valleys
There will be times when you feel like you and your dog are making great progress, and then suddenly you find yourselves struggling with something you thought you had already figured out.
That's part of the journey. Think about climbing a mountain. We travel through a valley, climb a hill, and sometimes find another valley waiting for us on the other side. But each valley isn't quite as deep because every time we climb, we're a little higher up the mountain.
The same is true with our dogs. You know more than you did before. Your dog knows more. You've learned more about each other. You have more skills to lean on and more experiences to draw from.
And sometimes, that valley may not be about the training at all.
Our dogs' bodies are part of this journey too. They may be tired after a busy weekend, a little sore, growing, recovering, getting older, or simply having an off day. When something that is normally easy suddenly isn't, I think it's worth asking why before deciding our dog just isn't listening.
Maybe today we need to change what we're asking. Maybe we need to make something a little easier. Maybe our dog needs a break.
That isn't giving up on the goal. It's paying attention to the dog standing beside us and giving them what they need to keep moving forward.
Look Back Before You Look Ahead
We're really good at looking toward the next thing we want our dogs to learn. Sometimes we're so busy looking up the mountain that we forget to turn around.
Every once in a while, look back.
Where were you six weeks ago? Where were you last week? What feels a little easier today? What does your dog understand now that they didn't understand then? What can the two of you do together today that once felt really hard?
Those things matter. Celebrate them.
There will always be something else to learn, something to practice, or another goal waiting for you. That's one of the things I love about training our dogs. There really isn't a finish line.
So keep believing in your dog. Keep building the foundation. Pay attention when they show you they need something different. Trust the process, even when you find yourself in a valley.
And every once in a while, turn around and take a good look at just how far you and your dog have climbed together.