Clean Run - December 2017 - 57

It meant going out of my way to say
thank you, and not only in rote social
situations, but in situations where a little observation told me that the person
had gone out of their way to do something kind or helpful. It meant seeing
common ground with difficult people.
It meant sticking up for someone I
disagreed with if they were arguing politely and fairly. It meant complimenting perfect strangers if I liked how they
were interacting with their kids, their
parents, or their animals.

Finally, it made me examine my values carefully. What is "good," to me anyway?
If I'm going to encourage people in certain behaviors, I'd better have thought
things through!

Lesson #3: Have patience with behavior change.
I can remember the days when I thought I should be able to change my dog's behavior instantly, if only I knew the right trick or could buy the right gizmo. Abracadabra, and the dog no longer jumps over the fence into the garden. There is some
kind of disconnect in our culture about that. Because even if we haven't heard of
things like learning theory, positive reinforcement, or extinction, we are probably
familiar with habits.
We know habits are hard to change. And I'm not even talking about addictions. Just
everyday habits. How long does it take you to consistently remember to take the new
route to work because of the long-term construction happening on your usual route?
What about that time four weeks into the new route when you were daydreaming and
went the old way again? How many times do you try to flip on the light switch when
you enter a room when your power is out? How long does it take to change your
posture because of your physical therapist's instructions? To breathe differently?
Most adults have been bopped on the head by reality many times when we've tried
to change habits. Yet we still can buy the idea that we should be able to change a
dog's behavior instantly when said behavior is currently working great for the dog.
And even if we are taking our time to train the dog well and the dog is a happy participant-we are still working against habits.

What I have learned from dog training and learning theory and by paying attention is
that changing an ingrained behavior can be slow. When I see how difficult it can be
for me, it gives me more patience with my dogs (and with people, too!)
The author's dog Summer practices
filing her own nails

These three lessons enhance each other. Not being hampered by preconceptions
helps me see the good in a situation, and patience helps me shape the good that is
already there into something better. This is true for dog training, people training,
and my own personal growth. D

Eileen Anderson writes about learning theory, her life with three dogs, and training with positive reinforcement. Her book, Remember Me? Loving and Caring for
a Dog with Canine Cognitive Dysfunction won a Dog Writers Association of America Maxwell Award for 2016. She holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in music
performance and a Master's degree in Engineering Science. She can be contacted through her website: Eileenanddogs.com.

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December 17 | Clean Run

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Clean Run - December 2017