05/26/2022
There is a notion that you just have to love a dog. The truth is that dogs YEARN for Physical & Psychological challenges. Most people get dogs for selfish reasons because it "makes them happy."
Too much affection & at the wrong times can be damaging to a dog. Like humans, dogs also want a sense of purpose & fulfillment.
Dog Education & Enrichment is not just for "bad dogs". Imagine saying about a child, he's a good boy so why teach him violin? Or she's a good kid, why take her to a rock climbing gym?
When dogs are deprived of enrichment (scent games, dog sports etc....) it can turn into anxiety and self destructive behavior.
Amongst other things, Anxiety can manifest into licking it's paws until They're raw, chewing on walls (I've seen it), tail chasing and more!
The root cause of many nuisance behaviors is a lack of fulfillment in a dog's life! I have had experiences where I achieved success with a client's dog without addressing the problem behavior that they called me for.
Sometimes, when you add a sense of purpose to a dog's life, the problem fixes itself.
