Here's how to train a dog with Mom's Goldilocks Rule.
Just like Goldilocks, my Mom was a fan of moderation.
“Don't overdo it.” I heard that a lot as a kid.
Ah, yes…Moderation…
But now I think Mom would be amused to know that I'm passing her Goldilocks Rule along to you and calling it the best advice you'll ever get for how to train a dog.
You see when Mom told me not to “overdo it”, how to train a dog wasn't what she had in mind. But the more I learned about dogs, the more I appreciated my Mom's Goldilocks Rule.
Not too hot.
Not too cold.
Just right.
Mom's Goldilocks Rule
As a quick reminder, the other day I sent you 3 “crazy simple tips” for setting up your dog to stay engaged with you. For instance, listening to you because you're more interesting than, say…the pee smell on that tree!
So, you might want to use those 3 tips to start teaching your dog valuable life skills. Specifically, to always come when you call, to never pull on the leash, and generally to pay attention to you.
But what's Goldilocks got to do with anything? I promise I'm getting to that…so stay with me.
Specifically, one of those 3 tips was to talk to your dog.
TALK
Learning is an emotional conversation between you and your dog. Be as clear as you would be with a friend. Look for good things to praise and skip giving orders that your dog doesn't understand.
Above all, we're dog parents! In short, we talk to our dogs shamelessly about whatever happens to be on our minds at the moment! And we couldn't care less about being judged by anyone!
However, when you step into your teacher role, you need your dog to listen and pay attention,…
So, it's time to talk like Goldilocks.
Train a Dog with Just Enough Talking
Too much talking confuses your dog. Consequently, chattering away at your dog just puts her into info overload.
Too little talking bores your dog. In other words, being silent when your dog needs encouragement doesn't make her excited to be with you.
Just enough talking is a conversation. Be Goldilocks. Above all, find just the right balance of talking and silence. And that's what I'm calling some of the best dog training advice you'll ever get.
To sum up, connecting to your dog's mind is how you become more interesting than the smell of pee on a tree!
How to connect:
Speak…Listen…Respond…Wait…Acknowledge.
After that, do the same thing again – in the same order. Aim for “just right”. It'll take some practice.
Radar Talks…Just Enough
Meanwhile, just for fun, Radar has something he wants to say. Obviously, he's quite proud of his conversational expertise!! Watch his 18-second video to hear his message! 😉
How to train a dog with Mom's Goldilocks Rule
Remember to be patient and consistent when you talk to your dog.
As Mom would say, “Don't overdo it.”
Be Goldilocks.
You might not get results at first. Bringing about changes in your dog's behavior will take time, so don't give up!
