The Forced March through the Magic Kingdom…

If you see me over the next couple of days and I seem a little "off," please cut me some slack.

I just got back from a week-long boot camp disguised as a Disney vacation.

Now, I know many of you have done Disney. You know what it’s like to walk all day trying to see as much of the park as humanly possible.

But none of you have done Disney with the lovely and beautiful Rachael.

"Lovely and beautiful" goes right out the window at Disney. At Disney, she turns into a full-blown Marine Corps drill instructor. Actually, drill instructors are soft and cuddly compared to Rachael on a park day.

Most people think of Disney as the Happiest Place on Earth. Rachael treats it like a military campaign. I call it the Forced March through the Magic Kingdom.

The General wakes everyone at 0600. Forced March begins at 0700. The march continues until the mission is completed—which means when the park gates lock at night.

You think I'm kidding? She marched us 30,000 steps every single day. For the uninformed, that’s roughly 12 to 14 miles of pavement pounding. Daily.

Age or gender? Doesn't matter. 75-year-old mother-in-law or 8-year-old kid—the same rules apply.

Have a headache? Blisters on your heels? Dizzy from 96-degree, sweat-soaked Florida heat?

Two Tylenol and a water ration are issued.

Forced March resumes.

By day three, laying in bed completely broken, I looked over at The General and said:

“You know… when you train a dog, there are times you have to release the pressure.”

I told her about a dog I took on years ago. The owner was moving out of state on a tight deadline, and younger, less-experienced me promised I'd have the dog fully dialed in before moving day.

Because the clock was ticking, I hammered the dog with reps. Morning, noon, and night.

A funny thing happened: the dog stopped progressing.

I assumed more pressure and more repetitions equaled faster results. But the dog was burning out. The second I backed off, shortened the sessions, and released the pressure, his performance skyrocketed.

You see this all the time with dog owners—especially with commands like the recall ("Come").

People drill it over and over. When the dog doesn't respond instantly, they get frustrated, double down on the pressure, and repeat the command until the dog tunes them out completely.

Training isn't about running a grueling boot camp or repeating mistakes until everyone is exhausted. It's about knowing the exact balance of structure, motivation, and timing so your dog wants to listen.

Fortunately, my story worked. The General granted four hours of pool R&R (and massive ice cream sundaes) before planning her next tactical assault on EPCOT.

Stop marching in circles with a dog that won't listen.

Let's figure out what's really going on. Book a Free Dog Behavior Evaluation with us today, and let's get your dog listening the first time you call:

Book Your Free Evaluation Here → https://ericletendre.com/

All the best,

Eric