Mind Set is Everything

This is often a question students ask about how to respond to unwanted behaviour, especially in the ring when we are not equipped with all the training tools. “But what is the consequence?” If: my dogs breaks the start line, knocks a bar, misses a contact, ignores my cues…and on and on and on.  Something really important to understand in dog training is that when our dogs make mistakes or struggle it is because they are lacking skills, it could be a specific skill like a weave entry or it could be a more complex skill like being able to stay regulated and in a good state of arousal, it might be the skill of working through failures without becoming frustrated or shutting down, or maybe the skill of not going over threshold and being completely unaware of their bodies. 
When dogs struggle its because they lack SKILLS, these skills are our responsibility to educate our dogs and set them up for success in an environment that is positive and enjoyable. 

The most important thing to remember is this:  Consequences DO NOT build skills. 

So many people in dogsports struggle with mindset, the mindset I strive for is “how can I help my dog better understand its job” and “what skills does my dog still need to be successful at said task”. This mindset helps you look for the good and helps you to better educate your dog and help them to be able to successfully complete tasks and challenges both on and off the agility field. 
On the contrary, a mindset of “what is the consequence” makes its very easy to make your dog the enemy rather than your team mate or partner and makes it very easy to look for the bad, to look for the consequence or punishment when things go wrong.  The thing about looking for the consequence is that it easily just becomes a way for you to take out your own frustration and feelings rather than helping the dog to be more educated and a stronger part of the team.  It takes you further from connection and teamwork and it honestly will only slow your progress. 
Agility dogs need sooo many skills and we are fully responsible for their education and for setting them up to succeed.  We pick these dogs, we train them, we love them, it is our responsibility to build these skills both in life and in dog sports. 
Mindset changes everything, it can turn you into the trainer your dog needs you to be or it can send you down a dark path where you only look to escape your own feelings of frustration and failure.  So next time you find yourself frustrated, instead of jumping to “consequence”, be curious about what skills your dog is missing and work to devise a plan to help your dog be the best they can be.  A good mindset will bring you and your dog closer to connection, it will strengthen your teamwork and it will help your relationship be stronger than ever.