“Fake it ‘til you make it!” Your attitude is everything.
You’re not imagining it – it’s science
Science has proven it works – faking a smile will actually lighten your mood. (Citation: Association for Psychological Science). Even if you’re not in the mood to play games with your dog – do it anyway. You’ll feel better and have fun.
But not when you’re in a really bad mood
But be careful – if you’re in a really foul mood, your dog will pick up on it. Your dog knows you and knows all the tones of your voice, the nuances in your movements, and the emotions behind your attitude. Don’t suck the joy out of training for your dog – fake a happy tone, a smile, and a positive attitude.
Your voice is the most important factor in judging mood. Fake it if you have to – “baby talk” works just fine. Chances are if you start acting ridiculous, you’ll both get the humor of the situation and your mood will lift. Your dog will never tell anyone that you acted silly. Our best friends are reliable that way.
Have fun with old favorites for a change
If your patience is particularly short one day, it’s okay to go back to old favorites and just have fun with some favorite behaviors. It’s not a good idea to try to teach your dog something new when your mood isn’t optimistic. There’s no point in fostering frustration for both you and your dog.
Or let your dog take the lead. Grab some item they’ve never seen before and let them figure out “stuff” to do with it. Be sure it’s something unbreakable that won’t be ruined with tooth marks.
Fun with a foam roller
The other day Hope was feeling a bit out of sorts. Nothing really wrong, just not inspired. For their morning session, she let Torque take the lead. She got a big foam roller (Fran’s physical therapy nemesis from an old injury) and just put it in the middle of our little training area. And told Torque to “freestyle” and just have a good time.
Torque’s never been a particularly creative dog in training, but he went for it. He rolled it with his front feet, pushed it with his nose. And, in no time, Hope was having fun with her dog. Her mood lightened, she felt happier, she was smiling.
Your dog knows
And when she started smiling, Torque knew it and got up on it with those front feet. When it rolled to the other side of the space, he tried putting his back feet up on it. (Fran helped out and held it steady so he could). In just a couple of minutes, everybody was having fun.
Your dog is all kinds of therapy. She can be a reflection of your mood. A nursemaid when needed. An amazing companion. A playmate. Try not let your bad day become one for your best friend.
