Change

Just the word “change” brings up feelings of fear and uncertainty in many people.

But maybe we should take a closer look at change and how it can benefit us in our daily lives.

Many many moons ago (2004 in fact) I had to write my Bachelors dissertation on the theme of Change Management. At the time I remember just treating this topic as yet another long rambling essay which I needed to complete to get my degree.

I was working as an intern in the Marketing Department of a surf and ski company in Bordeaux, France. The company in question was very much in the process of changing it’s marketing strategy to reflect changing attitudes and the arrival of new technologies. These are pre-Facebook days!

To consider change is essentially to hold up a mirror to your attitudes regarding the thing which is changing.

If you are excited by the changes and see them as positive and necessary, then you will need absolutely no motivation to get going at full speed.

If on the flip-side you are wary and negative towards the process, well it is going to be a painful and long drawn-out affair.

Humans like routine, stability and security. Dogs can be the same. They have their routines, their timings and their best friends. But sometimes to grow and experience better we need to push ourselves outside of our comfort zones. Adventure is the opposite of the fear of change. And adventure is at the heart of what we deliver.

Change or variety in regards to walk location, walkers and dogs allows your dogs to grow and develop. By occasionally mixing things up your dogs become more well-rounded, adaptable and at ease in all and every situation.

With your dogs now more comfortable in in variable conditions and groups, this in turn allows us to be more reliable if and when things crop up or people need time away suddenly.

In summary: managed correctly change can inspire and develop us in a positive way to attain higher levels and a better understanding of ourselves. Your dogs are no exception to this rule.

Doggies: Trassel, Haraka and Lucy