This dog training gig of mine keeps showing me things about myself. Amazing how that works when we stretch ourselves and do things outside our comfort zone.
I have been steadily gaining experience helping people step into their own calm, confident leader energy and enjoy more calm, balanced behavior from their dogs. Typical issues like pulling on walks, territorial behavior, nipping at other dogs, barking, fearful insecure dogs, etc. No problem. I was well trained to handle all of this. These are some of the main reasons why people call a dog trainer.
Then I got assigned my first… PUPPIES. Awww, sweet little 4 month old blonde Golden Retriever (pictured here, don’t mind that ill-placed stick, she is a GIRL! 
) and a 3 month old Lagotto Romagnolo, an adorable Italian Truffle Dog breed. I had initial assessments and the first lesson with these two beauties in the same week.
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I did NOT receive puppy specific training from my company owner or the trainer sent in from Chicago to train me. We had lots of puppies growing up. The spay & neuter movement was not as strong back in the 80s. Our dogs would meet a neighbor dog for a night of passion and… we would have a batch of cute little chubby-bellied puppies to find new homes for 
.
I definitely never raised a puppy on my own from 8 weeks old with proper guidance and obedience training techniques. So, no life and experience and no training. I went into these sessions just applying our Basic Obedience training for dogs to little puppies who are growing and still trying to explore their new world with humans. I realized right away that this wouldn’t work as they flopped around, teethed on me and everyone in their pack, jumped all over, and couldn’t focus on a walk for more than 2 steps. Asking them to master loose leash walking and pay attention to an hour of training… not going to happen!
The precious little Lagotto Romagnolo puppy who was only 3 months old had even less attention span. She has a beautiful, wonderful, loving doggy Dad who is studying everything possible on raising her. Information from the breeder and his experience of perfectly training other puppies in his life. The family with the Golden Retriever puppy was also researching, studying, and had an entire breed-specific book on how to raise a Golden. Sort of like What to Expect When You’re Expecting for a puppy.
They called me in for even more expertise. Tall order. I was floundering, just like those puppies. Cue the Imposter Syndrome that I will be talking about in Mindset this week. Our Week 1 lesson is all about Loose Leash Walking and I just went into it like they were regular dogs. They did OK. I had handouts. I shared what I knew. The puppies made some progress. Going from wild, out-front, pulling and zig-zagging all over walks, to slightly more controlled, somewhat following the pack leader walking.
I made it through, but realized after the fact that I needed more training in puppy training. In hindsight, I could see I was much too harsh and had adult dog expectations for these sweet puppies who were still learning how to BE with humans and exploring their world. Like asking a toddler to read and write. Not going to happen.
This felt just like the time I felt imposter-y and ill prepared with the big 105 lb Dogo Argentino who jumped all over me, bruised me, and made me second guess this dog training gig all around. I handled the puppy training experience in the same way. Went home. Reset. Reflected on what lessons they were trying to teach me. Dogs are great at giving us humans lessons if we can slow down and see them. 
As Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer, says, “You don’t get the dog you want. You get the dog you need.”
I studied every single handout and company training forum post on working with puppies. I learned what is appropriate at each level of puppy development. It changes rapidly from birth to 6 months, different needs and capabilities practically every week. I watched YouTube videos from Cesar specifically about working with puppies use calm, confident leadership energy = our company’s ethos. I took pages of notes and put together a kinder, gentler plan to slow things down and only ask for what these beautiful little light-filled beings 
were capable of giving at their age.
I am happy to report that Lesson 2 was a success. I was more prepared, didn’t feel like a dog training imposter boob, and gave the families and the puppies exactly what they needed. I share this story with two intentions for helping my readers:
- I think we all have a bit of Imposter Syndrome or sometimes lack confidence, especially in new situations that we have never faced before. You are not alone.
- You can receive the lessons from uncomfortable situations, do a little research on ways to improve, and go back in with more confidence the next time.
This Week’s Shot of MINDSET
Imposter Syndrome and lack of confidence have been coming up regularly with my PSYCH-K® clients. We work to identify the limiting subconscious beliefs related to this. We then replace them with positive, supportive beliefs such as self-compassion, Progress Not Perfection, and learning, listed in this infographic on overcoming Imposter Syndrome.
The related article is very good if you want to dig further into what Imposter Syndrome is, what causes it, what types of people are susceptible, and how to overcome it. There are also some good questions to ask yourself to see if this may be an issue in your life.
This Week’s Shot of HEALTH
Mental health IS health, so we have covered a health topic already. Health for Body, Mind, and Spirit is always a focus for my own life. I love sharing helpful Body-Mind-Spirit wellness information with clients and subscribers. From my own life experience of finding health & wellness and from teachers I know and love.
Dr. Greger at NutritionFacts.org always shares the latest in nutrition science. He provides all of the scientific data on how changes in our diet, especially incorporating more whole plant foods, can have a positive impact on a whole host of health issues. 
His latest video is all about how a pinch of saffron daily can help those suffering from early Age Related Macular Degeneration actually improve vision vs. a continual decline. Very interesting data. Blueberries and foods rich in red, blue & purple anthocyanins also have a positive impact on improving vision. 
We have family members near and dear to our hearts who have or are going through issues with eye diseases like macular degeneration, so this topic was very timely and interesting for me. It may be for you or someone you love. CLICK HERE to learn more.
 Enjoy your week!  Jennifer Parsley |
If you are interested in using the power of the mind to uplevel your life, I share mindset expertise every week, along with fun & insightful stories from my own life path from 
80s hair band superfan to chemical engineer to health & mindset coach (what a journey!). 
You will also see plenty of health promoting tips and recipes because I am blown away by the power of intermittent fasting + a healthy diet to prevent & reverse just about any health concern 
Mindset plays a big part in health and healing too, the power of the Mind Body connection is pretty mind blowing.
You can learn more about the Mindset and Health Transformation work I do here:
I love hearing from you, so don’t be shy about replying commenting, especially if you have any questions.