Human training: What and why I practice without my dog

My end of the leash matters too.

There’s a difference between knowing what you should do and actually doing it.

Sometimes it’s because of a lack of dedication — but sometimes it’s simply because theory is different than practice. Your brain can understand the “why” behind a behavior before your body is able to reliably perform it.

I consider Scout’s foundation a lot… but how is my own?

In order to be a better dog owner, I need to train myself just as much as I train her.

Why does practicing on your own matter?

We’ve all heard that practice makes perfect. While I don’t think “perfection” really exists, the cliché is rooted in undeniable truth.

Practice does make progress.

Examples of muscle memory are endless. Tasks that once required my complete concentration (like tying my shoe as a kindergartener) now happen without second thought!

According to one widely cited study, it takes an average of 66 days for a behavior to become a habit — that is, for it to be so automatic we don’t think about it. The researchers estimated a ful…