I’ve seen a couple posts lately about how your dog is not perfect, so don’t get stressed out about the mistakes they make. I agree! If we got stressed about mistakes the people around us made, we’d be a steaming mess! So take that zen to your dog too. They are honestly trying to be all that you want them to be. They thrive with your positive attention and praise. But, they are also dogs. And dogs love to do things we don’t always… condone. Chewing, barking, pulling, digging, whining, scratching, jumping, breaking out of their crate, etc.
It’s normal. There is no dog on Earth that does not make these mistakes. And trying to create a dog that doesn’t is not humane. We all need to have space to be fallible creatures without punishment. That’s important.
It’s also important to guide that creature to want to try as much as possible to be well behaved, sensible, responsible, logical, and compassionate.
The other part that’s important is to keep trying. Even the small things you work with on your dog are making a difference. Even if you only get in ONE sit or just FIVE seconds of a stay a day, you are helping. You are giving structure and rules. If you don’t see amazing results, don’t be discouraged, you are still making progress. Just keep practicing, however small, each day. And know that you have put in effort that day, which is more than a lot of people!
All dogs make little dog-like mistakes, and all your small, even tiny, efforts at training and structure, are beneficial!