Originally shared in the Cosmic Dogcast Newsletter · July 2025
The Confident Canine
What Your Dog Practices, They Become
You’ve probably heard me say it before: “What your dog practices, they become.” It’s one of the most important truths in dog training.
It’s Not Just Behavior, It’s Rehearsal
Imagine this: your dog spends 30 minutes or more each day staring out the window, barking at people, other dogs, bikes, rabbits, or squirrels.
It seems harmless. They’re “just being a dog,” right?
But here’s the thing.
Every time your dog barks, paces, or lunges, they’re rehearsing reactivity. Their brain is getting better at being over-aroused, overstimulated, and frustrated.
They’re practicing stress, not calm.
They’re reinforcing chaos, not focus.
They’re building habits that become harder to change over time.
The Power of Games-Based, Concept Training
This is where our approach makes a difference.
At Cosmic Dog Training, we use fun, purposeful games to help dogs practice better ways of being, so they are reinforcing the behaviors you want to see more of in everyday life.
We focus on concepts like:
- Calmness around distractions
- Focus in busy environments
- Confidence in new situations
- Impulse control when it truly matters
These skills aren’t built by repeating “sit” or “stay.” They’re developed through thoughtfully designed, brain-shaping games that both you and your dog can enjoy.
If you’d like a deeper look at how this works, we explore it more fully in our post on games-based, concept training.
Swap Barking for Better Behaviors
When dogs practice the right skills, they’re better able to:
- Relax at home
- Ignore things that aren’t their business
- Make good choices, especially in challenging moments
- Choose calm over chaos, even when life gets loud
And remember: your dog isn’t being “bad.” They’re missing skills in the situations they’ve been placed in.
Instead of letting them rehearse behaviors that don’t serve them, we can teach the skills they need and help them build a calmer, more confident way of life.
Ready to change your dog’s behavior by changing what they practice?
Final Thoughts
Your dog is learning all the time. Whether they’re barking out the window or playing a calmness game with you, their brain is wiring habits with every repetition.
Let’s make sure they’re practicing the right things.
Because what they practice, they become.
With heart and paws,
Kathleen Valentine, PDT
