A Spoonful of Sugar!

I met with a new client this week who told me that I was "magical."  Because I could tell that she had a sense of humor (and she had kids!), I said why, yes. I'm a regular Mary Poppins for dogs!  We both laughed, but it got me to thinking about Mary Poppins...and dogs...and learning.

"In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun and SNAP. The job's a game." Mary Poppins

I couldn't agree more.  The reason the client felt today's session was so magical is because I try to make learning fun. Fun for the humans and for their pets, whenever possible. I still have a job to do, and I want my clients and their pets to be successful, but that doesn't mean they can't enjoy doing it.

"And every task you undertake, becomes a piece of cake. A lark. A spree. It's very clear to see."
Mary Poppins

The more we played games that helped solidify the basic commands we were working on with her puppy, the more fun the puppy had showing what he'd learned. I worked with him for a full hour, which is a long time to hold the attention span of a 13 week old puppy, and he did it.  For him, it wasn't work, it was fun. Learning can be fun.

"A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down." Mary Poppins

Work can be fun.  That's true for humans and for their pets.  Turning the mastering of basic commands like sit, down, stand, stay, come, etc. into a game makes it fun for everyone.  An upbeat tone of voice, clear hand signals, and yummy rewards make those rote behaviors easy to learn. Happy puppies make for happy owners.  And happy owners and well-behaved pets make for happy animal behaviorists.

So, what do you think?  Should my next box of business cards say "canine life coach" on them?  Or how about "Mary Poppins for dogs?"  Those are some mighty pointy shoes to fill.  But, I am up to the challenge. And I do speak dog too.