26/08/2025
I train for Companionship, Not Competition, how about you?
In my mentorship group today, we had a heartfelt discussion about something many of us have noticed: the rise of aversive trainers and the way competition titles are increasingly being treated as the “gold standard” of dog training and behaviour over qualifications and experience.
And it made us pause. Because for many of us, that’s not where our hearts are. It sparked something in me and I wanted to shoutout to our awesome community.
If you sometimes feel like your work is overlooked because it doesn’t come with ribbons, medals, or competition titles — please know, you are not alone.
I see you.
I see the work you do helping families with anxious, reactive, or struggling dogs. I see the late-night texts, the tears of your clients, and the huge wins that might never make a stage… but change lives Every. Single. Day!
Because let’s be honest: most dogs aren’t living in competition rings. They’re living in homes, parks, pubs, cafés, and communities. The skills that matter most for those dogs aren’t “competition heelwork” or “precision retrieves.”
They’re learning to relax at home.
To settle calmly under a café / pub table.
To walk down the street without problems.
To feel safe, connected, and confident with their dogs.
That is powerful work. That is gold-standard work. If there were competitions for teaching dogs to chill out on the sofa, settle in a pub, or calmly cope with everyday life, I’d be proudly standing on the podium. Because that’s the training I do, and that’s what matters most to the dogs and humans I work with.
And let’s not forget: when you’re working with companion dogs, you’re not just training the animal. You’re supporting the dog, the humans they live with, in the environment they share. To do that well takes deep knowledge, empathy, and the ability to see the whole picture. That kind of work transforms lives — and it deserves to be celebrated.
Of course, competition has its place, and it can be beautiful. Some trainers do both, and when it’s done with kindness, those skills can complement each other beautifully and I tip my hat to those trainers. They are however, different worlds, with different goals and pressures, but even competition dogs must learn to navigate both worlds — the precision of the sport *and* the unpredictability of everyday life as companions. That’s no small feat.
If you’re an ethical trainer teaching competition dogs to also be calm, confident companions — without aversives — you are incredible! You’re proving that excellence and empathy can walk hand in hand.
So, if you are a trainer who sometimes feels “less than” because you don’t measure success in medals, please hear this: You are not less. You are part of a community of professionals doing work that changes lives, your work is not just enough — it’s invaluable.
I train for companionship, not competition, how about you? Lets see your gold standard!
With gratitude and solidarity,
💜 Danielle
