04/01/2025
This is what is on my mind most often these days. The fact that our brains are wired for survival in a world of scarcity. And a world of scarcity is not the world that we live in today.
We live in a world full of overwhelming abundance. Yet why does life still seem hard? We don’t have to fear that we may not come across a deer to feed the family. And there’s no shortage of dopamine fixes. Cell phones, TV, foods, drugs, alcohol, ni****ne. We should be happy with constant access to comfort & potent forms of the “happy chemical” called dopamine right? Wrong. We’re overwhelming our reward system. We’re not wired to be rewarded so much, it throws off our natural balance. Today’s culture tells us we should never be in pain and if you are then something is wrong. People go through so much pain trying to avoid pain. There’s often no mental calluses built on pain so the smallest amount now gets the name, trauma.
Why am I talking about all of this on a dog training page? Because I see the same sad world created for dogs. Sure, they don’t have cell phones but they’re often overindulged. They live indoors, comfy beds with an abundance of food delivered to them multiple times per day. Often dog owners avoid any opportunity for their dog to feel any sense of struggle/pain/stress. And when the dog steps outside pulling at the end of the 6ft leash like they’re running for their life and/or they explode when they see other dogs and people. The veterinarian, behaviorist and/or internet says something is wrong with that dog & tells you that this pill and/or more rewards/treats will do the trick.
There’s nothing wrong with them, there’s everything wrong with their daily life. Besides the important fact that they need to get outside more often on more than a 6tf long leash. They need some sense of struggle/pain and less rewards/constant comfort. They deserve to be told no in a way that makes sense to them when they’re doing unacceptable things. Yes it may hurt their feelings, that’s okay! Being humbled is only clarity. When a dog can acknowledge their limitations and imperfections, they gain a clearer, more realistic understanding of themselves and the world around them.