Many pet parents keep pushing the same training routine, spending hours practicing commands and trying the same techniques over and over again. They hope to change the behavior and responses of their animal companions, but fail to address a key component: the energy dynamics that motivate behavior. In this article, I’ll explore how to train your pet smarter, not harder.
Sometimes the bark is more than just bark. Accidents at home may be a sign of bigger things to come in your life. Separation anxiety often means more widespread feelings of guilt.
Dog training isn’t just about dogs, it’s also about pet parents. That’s why when you understand how your pet’s behavior affects you, you can train smarter, not harder.
After a decade of working with hundreds of clients, I have developed a deep understanding of the many ways our behaviors, beliefs, and patterns impact our pets and developed a roadmap to help pet parents create lasting change and powerful transformation, Not only in their pet’s behavior, but also in their own lives.
When training our dogs, it’s crucial to combine traditional training with understanding how our energy drives our pet’s behavior. Pets respond to our words, physical cues and body language, as well as our energy and state of mind. When we effectively transform our pet’s behavior and combine traditional training with a mind-shift in the process, we open the lines of communication that create meaningful change for ourselves and our pets.
We can incorporate the following mindset shifts to train our pets smarter, not harder:
1. Transition from pet owner to pet guardian
An outdated term like “pet owner” does not respect the partnership and role our animal companions play in our lives. Terms like “pet guardian” or “pet parent” are more consistent with how we think about pets and animal companions. Using more careful wording is just one small but important way to reinforce a collaborative mindset.
2. Move from “My pet needs to change, not me” to “We are in this together.”
One of the biggest shifts in mindset in order to learn to transform our pets’ behavior and train smarter, not harder, is to stop viewing the dynamic between us and our pets in terms of separation, hierarchy, or dominance. Instead, approach it from a perspective of connection, collaboration, and shared responsibility. If we ask our pets to change their behavior, we must change too, and this always comes from the realization that we are in this together.
3. Replace “I’ve tried everything and nothing works” with “I have a new tool at my disposal.”
As a responsible pet parent, you’ve probably researched countless resources and techniques for fostering your furry friend’s health. Despite your efforts, you experience a frustrating sense of stagnation. But mindfulness training for pets through an integrated lens of mind, body, and energy can help you use new technology to change your pet’s behavior and, in turn, your own life. By adopting this new perspective, you are equipping yourself with new tools to drive significant change in you and your partner.
4. Change the focus from “I want my pet to stop barking” to “I want an environment where we all feel heard.”
Focus on the outcome you want to replace the behavior, not just on the absence of the behavior. For example, when faced with a barking dog, it’s common to think or say, “I don’t want my dog to bark anymore.” Instead of just instructing him or her to stop, redirect him or her toward your furry dog. friends show you what is the better choice at the moment and reward this behavior. By avoiding illogical behaviors, having a clear vision of how our pets should behave, and providing them with effective guidance on how to achieve this goal, we can be more intentional and careful about our pets’ behavior transformation.
5. Adjust the mindset from “My pet is being stubborn or acting malicious” to “My pet is trying to show me something bigger.”
Our pets tell us a lot about ourselves. By exploring our relationships with our pets, we can learn more about our own motivations, beliefs, and attitudes. When our pets do things like have an accident in front of us, or look directly at us while grabbing something they shouldn’t, we sense they are being aggressive. But there is always a deeper underlying motivation for such behavior, one that often transcends the immediate circumstances and reverberations at every level of our lives.
Mindful introspection allows us to break free of ingrained limiting beliefs and instead paves the way for personal growth. This mindful approach to pet monitoring allows you to develop a deeper connection with your pet while also gaining insight into your life.
By taking the time to understand the energetic and emotional motivations that drive our pet’s behavior, we can identify how the same energetic patterns manifest themselves more broadly in our friendships, romantic relationships, family lives, and careers. Once we understand motivation, we can change our mindset to create new outcomes for ourselves and our furry companions.
Training smarter, not harder, is more than just repeating commands and hoping for the best. It requires a careful approach that includes traditional training techniques, understanding the energetic and emotional dynamics of play, and adopting new ways of thinking that promote deeper connection and mutual growth. Shifting our perspective and addressing the underlying motivations behind our pets’ behaviors will promote more harmonious and fulfilling relationships with our animal companions.
About the Author
Denise Mange is a certified dog trainer, animal communicator, pet numerologist, and founder of Pet Prana®. Her careful approach to pet training combines traditional training with active consideration for pet guardianship. She has been featured in publications and media around the world, cementing her reputation as a pioneer in the field of mindful pet training. Her new book, Transform your pet’s behavior: Understand the impact their behavior has on you so you can train smarter, not harder, It is the #1 bestseller in its category on Amazon. For more information, please visit www.petprana.com.
