How I set (actually impactful) goals with my dog

When I first adopted my blue heeler, Scout, I largely based my goals for her behavior on what I saw other people doing around me. I used to have a lot of arbitrary ideas of what made a “good” dog. Good dogs can walk in a nice heel. Good dogs love everyone. Good dogs settle calmly in public places. Good dogs this, that, and the other thing.

Today? I’ve come to think more critically about everything we do. External opinions alone aren’t enough to influence my priorities—I no longer have any goals that aren’t driven by a clearly defined “why”.

At the end of the day, I am the one who lives with my dog day in and day out. I am the one who ultimately gets to decide what does and doesn’t work for our individual lifestyle, in our surrounding environment, and with our personal preferences!

This article dives into my own process figuring out what I should prioritize with my dog. You can take a look at some goal-setting questions I’ve created for fellow dog owners at this link!