Why Instructors Should Channel Their Inner Guard Dog (Yes, Really)
When a new student walks into your class, your awareness should sharpen instantly. Not in a tense or intimidating way, but in that instinctive, tuned-in, hyper-observant way a good guard dog behaves. A guard dog doesn’t judge, overreact, or assume. It simply notices. It scans the environment, reads energy, and becomes alert to what’s new. That’s exactly what great instructors do when new faces walk in: they observe, they attune, and they pay attention.
I will never forget the day I spotted Reese Witherspoon, yes, thee Elle Woods herself in my class. There were at least 50 people packed in the room, and apparently she had slipped in unnoticed. But the second I caught sight of her? Oh, you best believe my inner guard dog snapped to attention. I instantly clocked where she was standing, who was around her, her energy, her emotional state, the whole thing. I wasn’t hovering or acting weird… but I was definitely guard-dogging. LOL. And honestly? That heightened awareness is exactly what every instructor should bring to every new student, celebrity or not.
New students walk in carrying a mix of emotions: excitement, nerves, hesitation, hope, overwhelm. They’re scanning you just as much as you’re scanning them. This is where your guard-dog instincts become gold. Pay attention to body language. Notice if they're lost, confused, tentative, eager, or looking for cues from others. Awareness lets you offer what they need: maybe a small modification, an extra cue, a grounding smile, or that subtle moment of acknowledgment that says, “I’ve got you.”
The beauty of this analogy is that it reminds us that awareness doesn’t need to be loud. Guard dogs aren’t running around barking, they’re observing with purpose. Instructors should do the same. You don't need to over-correct, spotlight someone, or make a big deal about noticing them. Simply being present, aware, and tuned-in tells a new student that they’re safe, supported, and allowed to be exactly where they are in their journey.
Because here’s the truth: new students don’t return because class was flawless. They return because they felt seen. They return because your awareness made them feel welcomed rather than overlooked. They return because even in a packed room of strangers, whether 5 people or Reese Witherspoon and 49 others, you made them feel like they mattered. So the next time someone new walks into your class, channel your inner guard dog: aware, observant, emotionally intelligent, and quietly protective. That kind of awareness is one of the most powerful teaching tools you’ll ever have.