I can totally relate to my clients or potential clients who even when they know the need help with their pup, they do not make the call a.
s.
a.
p.
Furthermore, it is rare to have a person call me because they just adopted a dog from a shelter or they are thinking of getting a new dog and they want to make sure they do things right from the get-go.
Funny because just yesterday I did get "that call" from a client who wants to work with me in getting ready for their new puppy.
Wow! How exciting - breaking the human rule of procrastination.
And even more exciting is that they want to get a Springer Spaniel, a breed that I have tons of experience with after having had three terrific Spaniels as my companions.
BTW, my business is named after one of my Spaniels: CHACO.
I have been thinking a bunch about why it is that we procrastinate.
I really try to remain understanding of my clients because in truth, I fall victim to the same sort of behavior when I need to call someone, or engage in a daily exercises routine.
I struggle constantly with finding balance in my life.
Owning a business takes a lot of dedication with always something needing attention.
No complaints here, I LOVE what I do and I am very thankful that I get to work with dogs and their people for a living.
Having said that, I often feel pressed for time and wondering when can I get some much needed Almudena time.
As I was practicing some yoga in the AM after the pups where fed and some mental stimulation for them out of the way, I had the awareness that at times what is keeping me from hitting the yoga mat in the morning is the fact that I tell myself that the mornings are busy times and that I need to do "x", "y" or "z" for my dogs so I postpone stretching and starting my day centered and calm.
This morning, like many others, both dogs where in the room with me - Rioja attempting some yoga poses of her own when I realized that as I became more relaxed and my breathing deepened.
Deuce had let go of his ball and was now laying on his bed, taking a deep breath too.
How many times have my dogs been "frantic" as a response to my own frantic behavior? I am not referring here to Cesar Milan's concept of "calm & assertive energy" since frankly I have never heard him being able to define what he means by that.
What I am trying to focus on are my own human limitations and how those affect not only myself, but also my relationship with my dogs.
Lately actually, I have been super "obsessed" with my body language and how I move and work with my dogs, and the repercussions that follow as a result of moving haphazardly.
If you think of it, since our dogs are sentient beings, there is an ongoing loop of communication and reciprocity between them and us.
As I have written before, my dogs have served me more than once as a mirror into how I communicate and respond to my environment.
Because my dogs matter to me, I have made it one of my personal and professional goals to pay attention to my responses and even my moods and disposition towards them.
While at times the "reflection" offered by my dogs (not that they "know" they are doing that) might be frustrating or even a bit embarrassing for me to experience, it is always a learning experience and one that keeps me looking deeper and wanting more connection.