The way that you train your dog is simply a component of a well-balanced life. It's a subject that I've touched on occasionally here on the Naturaldogblog, although I've been pretty focused on giving you some practical techniques to use with your dog. Ultimately, however, your success with your dog is bound inextricably with your "self-success" - how well you are able to get into the moment with your dog, and be present for whatever is happening then and there.
I recently wrote an article about this topic entitled What Your Dog Can Teach You About Mindfulness, and it was published by The Messenger (follow the link to check it out). When I talk about "success" with your dog I do mean, of course, having a dog that responds to you when it counts. But I'm also talking about an inner success, which I measure by the degree of happiness and flow that you experience in your daily life. That deep kind of fulfillment comes from getting closer and closer to experiences of flow and being in the moment. Your process of getting centered, as a human, will build your relationship with your dog. And your work with your dog will also help you achieve that presence in other areas of your life.
So what do you think? As you work with your dog, influenced by Natural Dog Training, have you found "flow" experiences to be more common, either with your dog or in other areas of your life? Is pushing, or box-work, or a game of tug a way for you to get centered and present?
