Seen in Gwinnett Emil’s Photo of the Month

interrupting the neural pathway (i.e., habit) that has been established. One technique to begin the interruption is to practice “start and replace.”

Start with a different “day” word: Monday, Tuesday, today, etc., and replace Someday with that word. For example, I will schedule time on Thursday to organize my family pictures. That simple replacement begins to interrupt the default of Someday and replace it with placing the thought, idea, or dream on the calendar, so it becomes a reality while beginning to create a new habit. Is it really that simple? Yes. However, for it to become embedded as the new neural pathway, it takes time.

In his book Atomic Habits, James Clear defines habits as the “small decisions you make and actions you perform every day.” He went on to share about research from Duke University where they found that habits make up about 40% of our daily behavior, adding that many of these “happen in our unconscious brain because we repeated them enough to happen without conscious thought.” Practicing start and replace for thirty days will interrupt the current habit of Someday. However, it must be practiced for a minimum of ninety days for the new habit to become part of your unconscious thoughts.

Harvard-trained scientist Dr. David Bach supports this. In his research on rewiring the brain, he found that a process had to be repeated at least two hundred times to interrupt the pattern and direct it to a new pathway.

As you practice start and repeat consistently and develop a new habit, enjoy the significant lessons and simple pleasures you will experience.

More information at www.janebishoplive.com

Your dog views you as the leader, which can significantly reduce and/ or eliminate anxiety, stress, fear, and other negative states of mind and behaviors. All of which, in the long run, equal a well-trained dog! Moreover, if you’re going to spend time with your dog, what is the difference if you spend fifteen to twenty minutes throwing a ball versus fifteen to twenty minutes training? Time is time, right? Simply doing sit drills burns both mental energy (because your dog needs to focus) and physical energy (because your dog is doing squats) and will tire your dog out. Down drills are push-ups for your dog. Recalls (coming when called) has your dog running back and forth, but in a controlled manner. Kennel drills also include push-ups because you will teach your dog to enter their kennel and lie down. Even duration commands such as Down and Place burn a tremendous amount of mental energy as your dog practices impulse control while holding those commands. All drills are done with a leash until your dog consistently follow commands without engaging the leash. You can even use their food (not treats) as a reward. Doing these simple drills will burn tons of energy and sharpen your dog’s obedience skills. In a couple of weeks, you will be rewarded with a much calmer, better behaved dog.

I am not saying don’t play with your dog. I am saying, even if you did 50-50, or better yet, one out of every four interactions with your dog, you played and the other three you trained. The outcome would be a tremendous difference in your dog’s overall behavior, equaling an amazing difference in your relationship with your dog.

Terie Hansen is the Owner of Good Dog! Coaching & Pet Care. More information at www.gooddogcoaching.com