Remember to stop and breathe.

In our busy daily lives with work, children, errands and also dogs, everything can easily become a bit rushed. Also in our interactions  with our dogs.
So, this is your reminder to stop and breathe. 
If you are rushed and stressed in your training, your dog will feel it and your training will be less successful.
Stop and breathe.
If you are not present in your interaction with your dog, your dog will know, and you will not get a dog that is focused on  you.
Stop and breathe.
If you are in a new setting working with your dog, and you find yourself a bit nervous or overwhelmed. Your dog will feel it. And he/she might be a bit overwhelmed too and therefore unable to focus. 
Stop and breathe. 
If your dog is pulling hard on your walk, or maybe being super distracted by a scent or other stimuli in the environment. 
Stop and breathe. 
Does your dog keep "messing" up in a specific exercise or sequence, no matter whether it is Obedience, Rally, Agility, Creative Movement or just your daily tricks at home? 
Stop and breathe.

When things are not going as well as we want them to, we often push harder to get it right. And in this quest to "get it right", we sometimes push too hard and instead add too much pressure on our dogs. This can often cause frustration in both handler and dog. And with frustration,  we often get a dog that "checks out".
So, when things are not going according to plan, Stop and breathe. Let yourself and  your dog take a break, calm down and, if needed, acclimate to the environment. Not until you are calm and present, and not until your dog is able to handle the environment, will you be able to get the focus from your dog, which is needed for a successful training session. Your relationship with your dog is more important than anything else. Therefore, stop and breathe before you get frustrated, because a frustrated handler is never a good teacher. 

So, do me, yourself and your dog a favor, and stuff this mantra Stop and breathe in your treat pouch, so you have it with you for your next training session and for your walk. 
( and here is a little secret : You will often see progress a lot faster )

Kindly 
Camilla

(Picture of Murphy hanging out, needing to acclimate to the distractions outside the door,  before he could focus and we could do a bit of work together)