Less is more

We all get caught up in making our point. When we are training sometimes it seems we really need to get that one thing, now.. today. When we start thinking in a narrow mind we make mistakes.

Often times mistakes are not what we calculate as mistakes but perhaps what the dog is actually calculating or thinking. We may have gotten decent work, the work we set out for,  but we always tend to think further.. “this one thing I don’t like.” Well this one thing probably didn’t pop up just today; this one thing has been shitty all week. For instance brass can have a shitty comebye inside drive flank, it’s his one thing. But should I set out for that days lesson and practice that one thing? The answer is probably no.. Why?

The why is because becoming obsessed with the one thing causes more resentment on the dogs part. The dog simply says “oh not this again” right there is the trigger. What I like to do is mix things, with the one thing still being on the forefront. I’ll go out do some outrun work, fetch drive, then add the one thing.. get a few good pieces of that one thing, and move on. Likely I’ll cool out the dog chain it, work another and revisit, the whole lesson, and knock on the door of the one thing.

No one like and obsessive dog; and the dog doesn’t like an obsessive owner. Always pick your battles and realize sometimes, less is really more!