A woman holding a finger to her lips as if gently saying “Shhhh.”
Raise your hand if you’ve ever:
wrapped your leash around your hand when you’ve seen a dog up ahead
tensed up (brought your shoulders to your ears and held your breath) when you’ve seen a dog/squirrel/person/bike/car etc
felt really nervous or embarrassed when you’ve been walking your dog
had the thought “Here we go again” before walking your dog or when you saw a trigger coming at you
Here’s the thing no one else will tell you: how you’re feeling matters and so do your thoughts.
A hand holding a lightbulb up to a beautiful blue and pink sky
It can feel very overwhelming to control our thoughts and process our feelings in today’s fast-paced society. The good news is, you can start to reframe your thoughts today using this step-by-step process.
It’s called a mind, body, heart scan. Here’s how it works:
Before you go get your leash today, go to a quiet room in your house. You can stand, sit, or even lay down for a minute if you like. Whatever position will help you feel the most relaxed.
Close your eyes.
Breathe in slowly through your nose. Breathe out a sigh through your mouth.
Do that three times.
Relax your shoulders. Let that tension fall away.
Scan the rest of your body. Breathe in and out as you allow the tension to melt away from any place you’re holding it. Let it go. Take your time to scan your whole body.
Woman meditating on the edge of a cliff overlooking many red peaks
Next, we’re going to weed the garden (your mind) of any negative thoughts you have about previous walks with your dog. Pull those weeds out and throw them away. Make room for the intentions were going to set for this walk.
Let go of any judgements.
You are a great dog owner. You can do this.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Now, we’re going to set your intention for this walk or training session.
This walk (or training exercise) that you’re going to do with your dog is going to go really well because you’re going to envision everything you’re going to do right now and you’re going to imagine it going well.
A person’s hands making the shape of a heart in front of a sunset with trees in the background
Imagine yourself calmly picking up your leash. You’re going to take your time to do the leash up routine properly to build trust with your dog. You’re going to wait at the threshold until you get relevant eye contact. Envision all of the things you’re going to work on in this upcoming session and picture it working out.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
You can do this.
At any time during this scan your mind begins to drift to negative thoughts or your to do list, gently guide it back. Breathe in. Breathe out.
Use the body, mind, heart scan anytime you need to reset your day. It will help you disagree with any negative thoughts you’re thinking. It will help you set a clear intention for your walks and training sessions. It will help you reach your goals and also bring you wellness you didn’t realize was missing in your life.
Try it out and let us know how it goes in the comments below. We would love to hear from you!
Pine trees in the morning mist
If this blog post resonates with you, then you’ll love The Calmness Club™. The Calmness Club is a special place to practice calmness with your dog around other like-minded owners.
One of the reasons reactive dogs remain reactive is because owners come across dogs on their walks who are also reacting and everyone rushes away out of embarrassment. Your dog practices barking and lunging and making dogs/people go away multiple times per day every day — and as we know, we get really good at the things we practice.
The Calmness Club provides owners with the opportunity to finally get the chance to work through the reactivity properly. Your dog will begin to learn that blowing up doesn’t make the other dogs go away. That strategy doesn’t work for them anymore. We create the chance for them to learn how to be calm and neutral in the presence of other dogs.
This program will get you results that will instantly ripple into your life with your dog.
Check out the results that Calmness Club member Katherine has been enjoying since her first week:
“When Lenny and I walked back to our building there was a dog outside and Lenny didn’t explode like he normally does!! I never expected results like this so quickly!”
Join us for four weeks of calmness. You’ll enjoy 4 one-hour sessions deepening your connection with your dog.
Our location is tucked away on a quiet street where participants can enjoy hearing songbirds as they practice calm car exits. There’s a lovely outdoor green space to enjoy and when we’re inside you’ll still feel connected to nature with the roll door letting in the fresh air and sunshine.
Address: Grand Bark in Fergus (465 St Patrick St W Rear Unit, Fergus, ON N1M 1L7)
Dates and times for Adult Dogs:
Tuesday evenings at 6:30 PM — July 2, 9, 23, 30 Sign me up!
Sunday mornings at 10:00 AM — July 28; August 11, 18, 25 I'm ready for calmness!
Puppies aged 8 weeks - 16 weeks:
Sunday mornings at 11:30 AM — July 28; August 11, 18, 25 Less puppy biting and more calmness!
Register now and you’ll receive a 10% early bird discount!
Early Bird Price: $250 + HST
It’s time to leap on that summer sale! (Photo: a dog leaping through the air)
HURRY! Sale ends May 31
〰️
HURRY! Sale ends May 31 〰️
This club is going to bring much needed calmness and positivity into your life and your dog’s life.
Imagine the possibilities life holds once you practice calmness in this setting.
Envision yourself being able to walk past another dog without blow-ups.
Picture yourself smiling and enjoying your backyard without fence fighting, digging, barking, etc.
Visualize sipping your favourite beverage out on the patio this season with your dog relaxing at your feet.
Dream big and bring those dreams to The Calmness Club.
I can’t wait to watch your calmness skills flourish.
Yours in calmness,
Alyssa
Photos: A woman holding a finger to her lips as if gently saying “Shhhh.” (Upsplash Images); A hand holding a lightbulb up to a beautiful blue and pink sky (Diego PH); woman meditating on the edge of a cliff overlooking many red peaks (Matteo Di Iorio); a person’s hands making the shape of a heart in front of a sunset with trees in the background (Oleg Illarionov); pine trees in the morning mist (clement proust); a dog leaping through the air (Ron Fung)