What is a ‘Relationship Bank Account’?
This is for ALL animals.
We all have a ‘Relationship Bank Account’ (Even Humans) with EVERY relationship we have.
Siblings, parents, friends, children, acquaintances, colleagues, bosses, even strangers….you get the picture.
Some people put more positive experiences into our lives than others, this makes our bank accounts with them bigger and fuller than others.
The fuller the bank account the stronger the relationship.
The bigger the bank account the stronger the relationship. You can never fill up a bank account, it just gets bigger.
I want my relationship with all my animals to be strong and as full as possible. Therefore I spend time creating lots of positive rewarding experiences. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes I do have to take to the vet, or bath or administer medication, sometimes I even accidentally tread on a tail or a paw which all withdraw value from my relationship bank account. But because I keep it as full as I do, these negative experiences don’t really make a dent in our savings.
It works like this.
If I rescue a dog, our relationship has not yet formed. Our bank account is empty.
If I create good associations, experiences and moments, each one of those values go into my new relationship bank account and makes it fuller than before. Now things like Vet trips, taking medication, washing/bathing (dependant on what your dog find unpleasant or aversive) ALL these things will withdraw value from my existing bank account. BUT if I have spent time filling it as much as I can with rewards and positive experiences and kindness when it is time to withdraw some value it would not be as bad as if I haven’t spent the time filling up the account.
Pay in if you:
+ Praise
+ Comfort
+ Feed
+ Heal
+ Understand
+ *Stroke/massage
+ Take for an adventure
+ Love
+ (*Anything your dog finds rewarding)
Withdraw if you:
-Tell off
-Scare
-Hurt
-*Administer medication
-*Take a trip to the Vets
-*Bath
-*Clip claws
-Punish
-(*Anything your dog finds aversive)
If you want some help paying into your Relationship bank account get in touch and Email: [email protected]
and book a 121 session or sign up for group classes.