It’s been a strange month here at The Mindful K9. I spent 8 days in North Hollywood, California during some of the coldest weather we had here back home. I could not wait to get out of my winter hiking boots and winter clothing. I looked somewhat out of sorts among the palm trees, blue skies and 80-ish temps.
People keep asking me about the experience, the only word I can come up with was “amazing” but that really doesn’t say a whole bunch, now does it? So what is a typical day like at The Good Dog?
The morning starts with dogs let out to potty and then dogs are walked (the walk is key to training, btw). A threshold here, a gate there. Cross a street – can a dog sit while you take a couple steps forward to check for cars? Very important stuff. All that little stuff is more important than most might think. Training is not complicated at The Good Dog which is why I loved soaking up the simplicity of watching Sean/Laura/Tony and Brit work their magic.
Don’t get me wrong in thinking that these dogs were easy. Some made very bad decisions, some were rude, some didn’t know any better and one… I actually had the opportunity to see learning disabilities in a dog – very sad. The other part of that magic is The Good Dog‘s people skills…. A bunch of compassionate folks who truly care about people and it shows by their awesome clients. I love to see people empowered!
I was thankful to be a part of clients dropping off of their dogs for training (intake) and other clients taking their dogs home (discharge). One of many lessons I soaked up was the importance and empowerment for dog owners when you use e-collar. This tool has become a favorite of mine. The ability to influence from afar and without a leash doesn’t get any better than that. For those who don’t know what it is, think of a defuse electrical muscle toner/stimulation unit at a chiropractors office – the same thing. Learning how to use it more effectively was a huge difference for me. I was always kind of shy about using it, but when I actually wrapped my head around how it really worked – then got plenty of hands-on experience – My confidence level increased tremendously. Thanks Sean and Laura.
I miss walking to Sean’s house from my hotel room every morning and I miss the vibe of NoHo. I really miss being wrapped up in all that positive good stuff that The Good Dog crew shared every day. What to do now that I’m back home? I get to share all this good stuff with my clients. Thank you Sean, Laura, Britt and Tony for the hospitality, for sharing the knowledge, the encouragement and opportunity to learn even more and move forward. You guys are awesome and we love you.
You can read more about The Good Dog Training and Rehabilitation right here!
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