We sometimes measure success by how independently a dog can do something. But needing a little less distance, slightly fewer prompts, recovering a little faster or seeking support before becoming overwhelmed? That’s progress too. Support isn’t something dogs have to graduate from to prove they’ve learned. 🩵 #gentlereminderaboutprogress #dogs #dogbehaviour #themischiefmethod #cookiepushersunited

Your dog absolutely smashed it. And it’s incredibly tempting to think: “Right! Let’s make it harder!” But you don’t have to. You can repeat the easy version. You can keep the same distance. You can finish while everyone is still having fun. You can let success simply… be successful. Learning doesn’t require us to continually test whether our dogs can cope with something more difficult. Repeated experiences of feeling safe and successful are valuable in their own right. There’