Progress

Wren, our latest adopted canine family member, is taking us on a journey. We can only speculate about her backstory, but it was likely not a happy one. We’ve worked with her over the last six months to build trust, establish a routine, address her fear-aggression toward our other dogs, and her separation anxiety.

Recently, we related to our dog trainer that although we’ve made some progress with Wren, that progress seems slow and small. He shared with us advice given to him by another trainer, “There is no small progress or big progress, only progress.”

Besides the fact that this other trainer may be a mystic Zen master, I’ve kept this wisdom in mind, not only when working with Wren and our other dogs, but also in my daily work and life. I worked in the yard, but I didn’t get as much done as I’d wanted. I didn’t finish the project, but I completed two important tasks to move it forward. I missed my mark of writing 1,000 words today, but I managed 750. Progress. All progress.

And when I apply this to Wren, I dog that would not let me come near her for the first many weeks she was in our home, who now snuggles deeply in my lap, I understand it’s all progress.