Regression

I think that it's normal to circle back once in a while. To return to the comfort of our old ways. Old habits. Old friends. I think its normal to take a break in learning. To relax the expectations. To regress.

Toad went to a kennel for night last weekend. Now this particular kennel is great for dogs like Buffer and Toad. Buffer I wanted zero handling, he would bite, I was 100% sure. Toad is less of an issue, but not a dog I am ready to ask friends/family to watch. So off to the kennel he went.

I'm told he was great. Minimal barking/marking/crazy. Not a surprise for me. He's really come a long way. This was a test for him, and me, and the training. It was a test to show I'd come back. A test of his new habits. A test of his tolerances.

He came back exhausted, as I expected. He tried to crawl inside my body once we were tucked back in the car. He settled for half of his body on my lap as I drove. He's not left my side.



We have a regression of some habits, like marking. It's as if he needs to re-assert that this is his home.

We had gotten to a place with his nail dremelling that I could just do it without any luring. He's now back to sound sensitive. We are back to peanut butter in a kong. It took me a bit to figure out why I was getting resistance and stink eye... back feet are fine, front feet not fine. I forgot how far we had come. How far away simply filing his nails seemed.

So, for now we back up, we keep the expectations set, and reward the behaviors we want repeated. He will bounce back once he's caught up on rest. It's tiring mentally and physically for them to go to the kennel. So many sounds and smells and restless moments.