I do a lot of writing. I write these regular emails, I write emails in response to queries, I write our Down Dog Digests, I write training sheets, helps sheets and other free stuff, and I write books.
Overall I enjoy writing.
Sometimes it’s easy – the ideas flow and the words spew themselves onto the screen faster than my fingers can keep up. Those are the good days.
More often it’s much harder. Some days, more often than not, it’s like prying the words one at a time from the depths of my brain with a pair of rusty pliers.
At the moment my big writing project is my fourth book. Sitting down once a week trying to write a chapter doesn’t work. Writing a book takes a long time, but like most things that are worth achieving, the best way to succeed is to commit to doing a little something every day. You have to practice regularly to be any good – in my case, writing something 6 days out of 7. I’m amazed at just how much writing I can do over a week by writing just half an hour each day, even when the rusty pliers are needed.
Training dogs is very similar. Attending a training class once a week will teach you what you need to work on, but if you’re going to succeed you need to practice nearly every day.
Then life tries to sabotage all your good intentions. For instance, just now Himself came in to share a funny story from the newspaper he’s reading, and it’s taken me a minute or so to get back into the swing of writing this email. Interruptions, planned events, regular commitments – all these get in the way of your best intentions to train your dog.
Planning is the key. I started keeping a bullet journal last July and each evening I plan out what I’m going to do the next day. I love it and it helps keep me on track. I put everything into it, big plans and also little things – reminders to ring to book appointments, notes to remind me to ring a friend, or chase a delivery. I record my thoughts and ideas and use it to keep a check on my habits too. (Ask me more if you want to know more.)
So try planning just a five minute training session with your dog each day. You’ll be amazed just how much training you accumulate over a week and a month – and both you and your dog will benefit. Hopefully without the need for rusty pliers.
Keep training
Carol
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