Frustration

Frustration

1. the feeling of being upset or annoyed as a result of being unable to change or achieve something.

2. the prevention of the progress, success, or fulfilment of something.

Frustration is at the root of children’s tantrums, but continues to surface well beyond childhood years. Aggressive outbursts are signs of ‘active’ frustration – leading to behaviour which vents outwards. 

Self medication, mental illness, self harm and feelings of helplessness come from ‘passive’ frustration which is vented inwards.

It’s entirely possible to experience both as the result of the same incident. It’s also possible to live with chronic frustration, sometimes managing your emotions and behaviour, and at other times lurching between the extremes.

Why do I mention this?

Because frustration is rife in dog training.

Interestingly often the dog is blamed for defiance ( knowing what to do but wilfully refusing to do it), stubbornness (refusal to change its attitude or behaviour despite being given good reasons to do so), or being hard to train (it’s dumb).

There are TWO training partners, so next time you find yourself getting angry with your dog, flip it around and ask yourself…

‘Why isn’t my dog learning what I want to teach?’

‘How can I do a better job of getting my message across?’

‘What am I missing?’

Sometimes:

*the dog has hard wiring that you will have to work with, not against.

*you are trying to train two or more things at once, so it’s very hard for your dog to succeed.

*your dog has had a lot of practice at the unwanted behaviour and just isn’t going to change their behaviour quickly.

*your dog isn’t able to do what you want right now – too young, too old, unsound, sick, unfit, untrusting, nervous.

*your training is unclear and inconsistent.

*your dog needs a whole lot more practice in a whole lot more situations.

*etc

Effective dog training starts with training the TRAINER.

That’s you.