Rene Smith, a Certified Canine Behavior Consultant (CCBC-KA) with nearly a decade of experience working with aggressive dogs, brings a unique perspective to understanding behavior at both ends of the leash. Problem Solving Unleashed offers practical tools for good humans to make training effective and approachable, while embracing curiosity, connection, and the nuanced realities of growth for dogs and their humans.
Trust the Process (and the Snacks)
Published 3 months ago • 4 min read
Trust the Process—and If That Fails, Trust the Snacks.
Problem Solving Unleashed: Practical tools to make training effective and approachable, while embracing curiosity, connection, and the beautifully chaotic realities of growth—for both dogs and their humans.
Let's figure out where we are, together
Between work, family, and trying to carve out five minutes for yourself, it’s easy to keep moving without pausing to take stock. Speaking of milestones, I reached a new personal best this winter: consuming nine pounds of Reese’s Christmas trees from December to February. (Yes, nine. Trust the snacks, folks—it works.)
But sometimes, stepping back—zooming out and really looking at where you stand—can shift everything. It’s not about reinventing the wheel; it’s about noticing where it’s rolling and understanding why.
And hey, when all else fails, trust the process—and if that fails, you know what to trust.
Each story in this episode is about embracing a “first pause”—an essential moment to reassess, create clarity, or simply lean into curiosity. Frankie’s story highlights careful planning as a tool for transforming uncertainty into hope. The oothecas teach us to embrace excitement and trust the unknown, even when things don’t go as planned. And the process of writing a book? That’s about building structure and trusting yourself to keep showing up, day after day.
Let’s explore these pauses together—and trust the process (or the snacks) along the way.
Trust the process, but don’t forget to trust yourself above all.
Frankie’s Story:
Finding Hope in Uncertainty
Life in this busy but loving home was never dull. With two dogs, four cats, and a young child, there was always plenty to juggle. Last year, the family worked with me to help one of their dogs overcome reactivity and stranger danger. With a few key adjustments, they built a foundation of trust and stability.
One day, this good human spotted a scared pit bull puppy running loose on the streets. His red, raw paws told a story of exhaustion. While this wasn’t an ideal time to bring in a foster, sometimes timing doesn’t have to be perfect; it just has to work. On his first day, Frankie found rest in the cool grass of his rescuer’s backyard, finally safe enough to relax.
Frankie’s story is a reminder that pausing to assess your readiness—whether it’s for fostering, rescuing, or even just the challenges life throws at you—can transform uncertainty into possibility.
Sometimes, the most unexpected treasures appear when you’re not looking. During a walk to reconnect with my favorite tree, I stumbled upon six tiny oothecas—egg cases for praying mantises. Discovering them felt surreal, like a scene from Everything Everywhere All At Once: chaotic, random, but oddly meaningful if you look close enough.
Unlike Frankie’s story, which focused on preparation and planning, the oothecas were all about trusting the moment and leaning into curiosity. Without overthinking, I brought them home, Googled how to care for them, and cobbled together a setup with hot glue, a jar lid, and a windowsill.
This story won't have a fairy-tale ending - but it is a reminder that even uncertain processes and "failures" have value. Sometimes starting with excitement leads to transformation, even if the outcome isn’t what you imagined.
Unhatched praying mantis oothecas
My Book:
Creating Clarity in Chaos
Creating something from nothing takes intention, focus, and trust—trust that you’ll find your way back to a project even when life throws distractions your way. For me, writing a book is about nurturing ideas in a dedicated space and relying on the process itself to guide me. It’s not just about the act of writing but about believing in my ability to return, again and again, even when progress feels slow.
This mindset was inspired by a transformative moment last year. After years of struggling to stay engaged with reading, everything suddenly clicked. The first book I completed was Essentialism, a guide to focusing on what matters most—a lesson that’s shaped how I approach creative challenges, including this book-writing endeavor.
Unlike Frankie’s story, which highlighted the power of assessing the present, or the oothecas, which celebrated curiosity, writing is about discipline and commitment. It’s about showing up consistently, even when motivation falters. By December, my own momentum began to wane, and by February—seven and a half months in—I’d lost sight of the spark that had driven me. That’s when I decided to pause, giving myself the grace to reassess my approach and discover a format that better suited the ideas I wanted to convey.
Next time, I’ll dive into the skill I’ve been building: visualizing the complete message of a book. Together, we’ll explore what it means to shape a creative process that thrives on clarity and perseverance.
I have logged every day of intentional working on my book so far - It has been SO helpful for keeping motivation authentic.
Each story in this episode reflects the power of pausing—whether it’s assessing where you are, leaning into curiosity, or building discipline to create something from nothing. Frankie’s story shows how readiness can transform uncertainty into possibility. The oothecas remind us to trust the unknown and find joy in the process. Adventures from writing a book highlight the balance of structure and self-trust to keep showing up, even when progress feels slow.
These “first pauses” teach us to step back and embrace clarity, curiosity, and consistency—even when life feels chaotic.
And if that fails, well, there’s always snacks.
Now you know what 9lbs of Reese's look like.. you're welcome.
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Which story resonated with you most?
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Let’s explore what’s possible, together—with curiosity, compassion, and a good dose of humor.
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Rene Smith, a Certified Canine Behavior Consultant (CCBC-KA) with nearly a decade of experience working with aggressive dogs, brings a unique perspective to understanding behavior at both ends of the leash.
Rene Smith, a Certified Canine Behavior Consultant (CCBC-KA) with nearly a decade of experience working with aggressive dogs, brings a unique perspective to understanding behavior at both ends of the leash. Problem Solving Unleashed offers practical tools for good humans to make training effective and approachable, while embracing curiosity, connection, and the nuanced realities of growth for dogs and their humans.
