07/07/2025
"My dog hates the car."
"My dog hates the vet."
"I can't cut my dog's nails."
"S(he) won't eat her food unless I add a little [human food] to it."
"My dog hates other dogs."
"S(he) will *be fine* once s(he) gets used to you."
"My dog is afraid of [thing/place/person/etc]."
"My dog hates the crate."
With precious few exceptions, all of these things are completely avoidable, so they never happen, or can be fixed with thoughtful effort.
The reason these behaviors occur is because owners never thought they needed to condition the dog to accept these things. In the beginning, at the very first sign of protest by the dog, the owner stops whatever they are doing and the dog registers that protest makes what the dog *doesn't* like, stop altogether.
The next time the owner reenacts the same scenario, the dog doubles its effort, perhaps even quicker, and the owner stops again.
It doesn't matter what it is, what the dog's take-away from each encounter, is when I fight, I win.
It could be as simple as holding a puppy, taking a collar off or putting one on, or any number of simple things owners do to dogs every day .
Owners tend to make these things a struggle and accidentally reinforce the behavior every time they allow the dog to escape or avoid consequence for refusal or failure.
Once the dog is a mature adult, there will be a time where these things will need to be done. Either the owner, a veterinarian, or some other caregiver will be the recipient of a fair bit of fury when the dog exercises his memory of past refusals at the first whiff of conflict. After achieving adult size, at adult weights, and having formed adult opinions.
It doesn't take much to prevent this, but folks have their work cut out for them once the dog matures, and they try to remediate these issues after they have been hardened through practice and no opposition.
Your dog is capable of learning how to be confined, restrained, groomed, approached safely by strangers, travel, etcetera.
What stands in the way of where you are now, and success, is knowing what to do, how to do it, and the effort necessary to get it all done.
When you're ready for results, we are here.
