The Art of Being Awkward

Meet Scooby, one of my current boarding clients. He's goofy, energetic, and wildly social—the kind of dog that makes you work for a calm leash walk. Our goal? Help him slow down and check in with his handler before bolting out the door.

And the secret sauce? Patience. So. Much. Patience.

🚪 The Setup: Inside at the Door

We’re inside, leash in hand, and Scooby is already amped. He knows the door means adventure. But we don’t open it yet. I wait for stillness. A sit. A pause in the chaos. This is where the work really begins.

🛑 The Pause Outside

Now we’re outside, and I’m just… standing there. Yep, just waiting. Watching Scooby sit and stare off into the great suburban wild. I’m not rushing him. I’m not prompting. I’m just waiting silently.

Neighbors probably think I’ve glitched. Or lost my keys.

But what I’m actually doing is teaching Scooby that checking in with me—not the environment—is what opens the next door (literally and metaphorically).

😅 The Derp Dash

He finally notices me. YES! And then… launches himself in my direction like a happy kangaroo. Not quite the calm moment we wanted, but hey, he’s thinking about me now. That's a win in disguise.

🧠 The Moment It Clicks

And here’s the moment we were working for. Scooby sits. Looks at me. Calm, connected, present. It took a few awkward minutes of standing like a statue, but this is the kind of check-in that sets the tone for a walk. Its not perfect as you can see, I’m trying to lure him at my side but its a still a win.

We didn’t make it very far only just past my driveway then I turned back. It was about 15 minutes total, more than half at the doorway. We keep it short to reduce the frustration for both the dog and the human. We will try again later, maybe we will reach the neighbors driveway.

🌟 The Takeaway

The magic doesn’t happen when you’re walking. It happens in the awkward in-between moments. The pauses. The stillness. The times when you wait your dog out and let them choose you without being prompted. Then repeat, repeat, repeat.

It feels weird. It looks weird. But it works.

So embrace the awkward. Lean into the silence. Be the still, calm rock your dog can anchor to. That’s the art.

💬 Got Questions?

If anything here made you curious, confused, or inspired, hit reply—I’d love to hear your thoughts or help you with your own awkward training moments.

And hey, if you liked this little story, forward it to a dog-loving friend who might need the reminder that standing still and looking weird is sometimes exactly the point. 🐶👀

Thanks for reading!