Patience is a virtue

Patience is a virtue; true. Just about everything works out better if you have patience. Over my years of training I have incorporated patience into working with dogs. Unless you are using the harsh choke'm method of training patience will do well for you. Many behavior modification solutions need to be well thought out; usually a quick fix is not in your best interest.

Watching requires patience; watching and taking in tells you alot about whatever you happen to be watching. Keeping calm requires patience; and sometimes dealing with dogs, keeping calm can require a whole lot of patience. Take for instance a common issue at my house. I am on my computer and the dogs are outside; Luke decides he would like to come in; so tries a couple of barks.

My computer is at the back patio door so I simply tell him to "stop." He thinks about it but decides he would rather come in. I am remaining completely calm as I tell him to stop. One more bark; just a trial small bark to see if I really mean for him to stop. I calmly walk downstairs and look at him out the livingroom patio doors; there are no words, we have a visual understanding and he goes and lays down.



Patience in my photography not only helps the dogs but it helps me as well. There are many instances that one could lose their patience; afterall dogs are unpredictable and react in many ways to many different things. So if I did not have patience I could loose my cool very quickly. I often have to explain to the guardians that I am perfectly fine waiting for the dog to calm or relax.  Watching the owners become flustered as their dogs do not cooperate requires patience as well.  I let them know many times that I am very patient and not to worry about their dog; we'll get the shot.  But it is my own outward appearance that matters them most; I have to look calm for them to really believe that I'm not bothered by the unwanted behavior or length of time to get the perfect shot.

Losing your patience almost always results in doing something you will regret later or doing something you will have to undo later. So yes, patience is a virtue.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Love to hear from you.