08/20/2024
I’m about the animal as themselves, and working out kinks between us while I make sure they’re happy healthy and whole.
I have been trying to ignore the latest drama in the dog training world, because honestly, it is just starting to get old and boring and most of us have better things to focus on. However, sadly, it has become apparent that the latest saga is affecting many of my colleagues and causing a lot of hurt and confusion for people who are genuinely trying to make sense of what is going on and why certain trainers or behaviour experts who have always claimed to have the best interests of dogs at heart are joining hands with and promoting those who believe that it is quite okay to routinely inflict pain and fear on dogs to get them to do what you want.
The people involved in this are not that surprising, as it is not the first time that most of them have gone down this road. I can only put it down to some underlying insecurity that drives certain people to want to "be like the cool kids" and join hands with balanced trainers to try and stay relevant or because they have run out of healthy ways to increase their followings. It is not incidental that social media is in a furore over this – in fact likely one of the main goals is to create hype and keep those involved in the public eye. There seems to be little thought given to the damage inflicted on dogs in the long run from their publicity stunts, the confusion created for the general public and the hurt to those in the industry who are actually in this to help dogs and promote welfare first.
The original campaign adverts using “superhero” imagery speak volumes about the egos and intentions of the people behind this. It is honestly just gross. They can phrase it all they like in terms of building bridges across the dog training world, but that is not what it is about, even if they are deluding themselves into believing that. It is about their own egos and publicity.
Yes, I am being judgemental and harsh, but I would no more interview or try to learn from a balanced trainer than I would a person who believes that any sort of domestic violence towards their family members (men, women or children) is justified and for their own good. It is honestly sickening.
I am also so tired of hearing about “The Science” and this being used as a weapon on both sides of the debate (anti and pro punishment). This is not about science. Dogs are not laboratory experiments. They are not a thesis. They are not there for us to carry out experiments on to find the quickest ways to get them to do what we want at all times. Dogs are sentient beings with intrinsic worth, who we should regard as part of our families. Our relationships with them should be governed by our ethics and values, not graphs and statistics.
Of course science has an important place in our understanding of behaviour and learning how best to handle problems that may arise (within ethical parameters), but I really would not give a damn if some scientific paper came along to “prove” that punishment would be more effective in a particular situation, because my relationship with my dogs is governed by love, trust and respect and not by what is most convenient or effective for getting my way.
I am more and more finding that I want to withdraw completely from the wider dog training space to my own little corner of the world, where I can hopefully make a difference in the lives of dogs and people in my actual community and avoid the continual merry-go-round of social media dog trainers. I sometimes wonder if any of these people still work with actual people and dogs in the real world or whether they only exist online? I know so many wonderful trainers, who while they may not be good at marketing or have an interest in becoming social media celebrities, do so much good in the lives of real people and dogs on the ground, that I think they are worth more than all these celebrity trainers put together. Perhaps dog training was never meant to be a career that brought fame. We often say that good training, done right, is as boring as watching paint dry, so maybe this is why those seeking fame have to continually invent drama to stay in the limelight.
So here is to all my colleagues, both my good friends here in South Africa and those I catch a glimpse of elsewhere across the world. To those of you doing your little bit in your community, improving welfare one dog and human at a time - you are making a real difference. Thank you for putting dogs and their people first and valuing human and animal welfare above fame and status. Keep doing what you are doing – you are the real heroes.
