I’m often asked why someone would send their dog to stay with me for a couple of weeks to do a Maui Dog Training Retreat? Don’t they miss their dog? Should training come only from the owner?  Will your dog remember you or think you gave him or her away?

Ms. Darla Binks Explains Why She is at a Maui Dog Training Retreat

Binkerdoodle, Ms Binks, Darla, Darla Binks, she has many names, came to her Maui Dog Training Retreat because she’s a super duper fearful dog. She’s the kind of dog that has the best home life, dog parents give her the best of everything, spend time with her, give her a big yard, good food, and plenty of attention and yet she freaks out at every day regular things.

Bicycles, skateboards, the sound of an ocean wave, the water rolling up the shore as the tide comes in, cars, another dog, people with hats, glasses, old people, little kids all can be sources of fright for the dog who holds a place of fear within them.

Usually these dogs had something happen when they were very young during an important imprinting stage that caused them to fear all sorts of little things.  Something before we got them, something that happened before they left their own mother, or something we don’t even realize is a big deal for dogs is the source of their fear.  *No it isn’t always an abused dog that ends up fearful.

Why A Maui Dog Training Retreat When It Comes to Fear

Dogs learn and think in pictures and we humans coddle and try to make things okay. So, whenever our dogs freak out we immediately pet our dogs, tell them it’s okay, in essence reinforcing their reaction was exactly as it needed to be.

This is why sending your dog to a Maui Dog Training Retreat does benefit your dog.

• Yes, you will probably miss your dog.
• No, you don’t need to do all the training yourself.  A professional could be the answer to sharing the greatest times ever with your dog.
• No, your dog will not forget you or think you gave him or her away.

Those dogs who come to my Maui Dog Training Retreats and work one on one with me get a different kind of picture. They get to go do all kinds of things and with the right kind of exposure and reinforcement they figure out the picture really isn’t scary and their new reaction is more in alignment with tail wagging beach walks!

Old (Dog) Habits Are Hard to Break

Yep, you’ve been wanting to change some habit of yours for a long time. Whether it’s food, exercise or how messy you are, old habits are hard to break. Same is true when it comes to your dog.

The habits we establish with our dogs reinforce habits and behavior we don’t necessarily like, but yeah, old habits are hard to break and most the time when it comes to our dogs, we don’t even know which habit is creating the monster.

Ms. Darla Binks

She’s the sweetest. But certainly freaked out at the smallest of regular ol’ things. She’s been at her Maui Dog Training Retreat for a little over a week. Her habits have changed in a dramatic and really great way!

She walks the streets of Paia daily and deals with cars, buses, bicycles, skateboards and other dogs. She goes to the beach and hears and sees the waves rolling in. She rides around in the car. She lets people pet her. She’s opened up to a whole new life.

Her tail is wagging more and her little smile is coming out. It is what brings me great joy in what I do. Speaking dog isn’t hard, its about creating a new picture. And I really love at first showing dogs things and then passing the newly learned habits on to their family.

Everybody seems happier that way.  At least when there is a major issue out shadowing joy and peace and harmony when it comes to the dogs in our lives.

Binkerdoodle has a ways to go in order to let go of the fear completely she adopted as a puppy before she even came to live with her loving family. It was nothing they did. These are all the things we get hung up on. Guilt. Did I do something wrong? Why is she not responding to all the love we shower on her?

These concepts are all what I love to teach. Bringing out the best in a fearful dog does indeed always rub off on all the people around them.

Mahalo Ms. Darla Binks for bringing much joy to me while you are on the road to a really great life with your own family.

A Note From Darla’s Mom

*Darla’s mom got to see her yesterday and commented on how great she looks. Both her smile and her coat. The smile, due to training, the coat, she gets coconut oil every day right along with my dogs! Big smiles all the way around.

Subscribe for more Darla stories and please leave a comment if this story touched your heart. If you have a dog that shows fear in any way and want to know more on how dogs think and learn please feel free to contact me.

Jt Clough lives in Maui, Hawaii and practices health, happiness, natural remedies and training for dogs and their people.  Her way of communication with both dogs and people is healing and her training is effective physically and emotionally. Her work at ReVIBE | Dogs + Joy + Vibrance is for people looking to live healthier and happier lives through their dogs and her passion for it has helped so many to find more peace and joy in every day life with dogs. She is a dog whisperer for our best friends, specializing in private training and dog retreats. Her latest publications are Pumpkin Dog Food + Treats Recipes and 5K Training Guide | Running with Dogs.