Your Type A, Your Dog's Type Z
I coach and train a lot of high achievers. Organized people. Type A people. People who are used to figuring things out and knowing what to do when problems or unknowns arise.
Until they get a dog.
Whether you just got a puppy or adopted an older dog, a certain level of uncertainty comes with it. You've just brought another living thing into your home who has a lot of needs and who can't communicate those needs in a language you understand.
And it's amazing to see what many of these people, who never owned a dog, are able to achieve on their own. Their organization, problem solving, tenacity and consistency are all assets that help them navigate the challenges dogs naturally present as they grow up and figure out what to do and not to do.
It's the uncertainty that kills these people. And while they fill out my questionnaire and tell me their dog is pulling on leash, when I get to the lesson, they have a notepad full of questions waiting for me:
When will my dog stop pulling on leash?
What breed do you think my dog is?
Do you think I was right to get this dog?
Am I feeding the right food?
Am I doing the right things?
What haven't I done that I should be doing?
They want me to provide certainty in a situation that can’t be clarified yet.
Mind you, I'm petting their dog, who is thriving — both physically and mentally — while getting peppered with these questions.
So while you should be enjoying the wonderful dog you've put so much time, thought and dedication into, instead you're worrying about what you might have screwed up, or what might happen.
Believe it or not, the uncertainty will go away.
Uncertainty comes from being unfamiliar with something, and until you've had your dog for a certain amount of time, there are going to be a lot of unfamiliar moments. Look at these moments as gifts, because one day someone is going to come over, see your dog doing something weird, point it out to you with a worried look on their face, and you'll calmly look at them and say, "Oh that, it's just something Bella does."
You've done the hard part. You've put in the work. There's nothing left to manufacture. Put the notepad down and go enjoy your dog.
