Walking To The Beat of New Paws
Six weeks ago, a new wonderful companion and guide came into my life after many months of being without a guide dog.
As a life coach, I am reflecting upon the qualities required of me, and of my dog and I as a team, to achieve a strong relationship that in turn means an excellent working team.
Coaching is part of my life, as I use these qualities not only with my clients and my professional life but also in the development of a wonderful relationship with my dog.
How do you encompass them in your own life?
* Patience:
I found it hard to be without a guide dog and to have to rely on a cane to get about.
One of my strongest values of Freedom was restricted.
The wait for my golden Labrador Elton was worth it.
Patience is an ongoing thing as I must be patient with him as he tries his best, at just 22 months, to learn the ways I want him to go and behave.
* Flexibility
During the intense 7 days a week for a month, I needed to be flexible to fit in with the guide dog trainers schedules and to do as I was instructed.
Elton had to be even more flexible, having come from living in a kennel in a guide dog centre, flying across Australia to meet me and adapt to a new home and a much more demanding day.
He has adapted to longer hours of concentration and obedience, guideing me on busy trains, buses, my favourite beach cafe, to shopping centres and patiently waiting whilst I am at work.
My body has also had to adapt to a strong young dog, striding out. Every dog feels different to walk beside, like dancing with a new partner.
* Reliability
Whilst my new guide dog builds his skills to become a wonderful guide dog whom I can rely upon, I to must be reliable to care for him from the best consistent feeding,
to regular preventative health visits to the vet, grooming and plenty of walks to hoan his training to higher levels.
*focus
Distraction and lack of focus from either member of our team will mean my dog does not work well in guiding me safely and accurately.
It is up to me to focus on the important factors in his training and to maintain that training consistently, as well as keeping his mind on his job.
* Responsibility
All of these qualities culminate in being responsible.
When we take responsibility in our daily activities and for our lives, progress can occur.
Blaming is not productive and often in coaching. where the coach can help a client to identify blaming, change can happen from feeling stuck to a more empowering perspective of seeing a way forward to new possibilities.
* Celebration and Gratitude
The joy of walking safely and freely with my new guide dog is something to be grateful for and to celebrate every day.
In the future, we will widen our travels to include air travel and possibly other countries as I have done with my previous dogs.