10/17/2024
You just rescued your first dog! You couldn’t possibly fall more deeply in love with this cuddle bug. The way they fill your heart with such joy makes you desperately want to return the favor. They have you utterly wrapped around their dewclaw, as you coddle and spoil beyond measure.
Eeeeeeek! It feels so gooooood! And it all seems so innocent!
Until...
The lack of the other dimension of a healthy human-2-dog relationship — instruction, guidance, clarity, believability, and accountability — begins to create fallout.
Whether it’s explosions at the end of the leash, chronic whining in the crate, barking for attention, an inability to be calm, or over-protectiveness, excessive pampering, without ever having earned it, is the fastest way to create an entitled monster.
Dog after dog after dog that come for training aren’t lacking in the “love” department. They’re made wrecks out of its overindulgence. “It’s really hard to not think of them as my baby, or a human.” And there you have it — the real confession to why their dog is biting people, attacking other dogs, and having meltdowns around the unfamiliar.
These dogs only see one side to their owners — the soft side. And because of that, they disrespect, become unhinged at the sight of their owner, will take control of their living arrangements in canine fashion, and simply don’t listen. And why would they?
When there is a lack of direction on what to do and what NOT to do, there is no reason for a spoiled, entitled dog to make their best choice in any given moment. Overindulgence blurs any clarity on what’s right or wrong.
So let’s get really clear on this... if we only do what feels good to us (spoiling, coddling, overindulging), rather than what’s best for our dog (rules, boundaries, and structure), then we cannot hold the dog to blame when things begin to unravel.
The only path towards a well behaved, stable dog is one paved with the balance of BOTH leadership AND affection. It’s time to consider what’s best for the dog.
