14/01/2021
“It’s been going on for months and I don’t know what to do. Please help me fix this!” — I struggle to understand why some wait until the last minute to look into training because they “didn’t need it until now”. Or they avoided it in fear of being deemed incapable of doing it themselves. We need to normalize dog training in and of itself. Normalize hiring a dog trainer early as a positive step towards setting your dog up for success; not a failure as a guardian, as if you’re expected to be an expert in all things dog simply because you have one. And, more importantly, normalize the mindset that no dog is “bad or dumb” because they are receiving or require training.
Often I hear - “I never had to worry about something like this with my last dog.” or “Jane Doe doesn’t have this issue with their puppy, what am I doing wrong?” Your dog is still an individual with their own mind, personality and way of learning/processing their environment. Comparing your dog to someone else’s, or a dog you had in the past, isn’t conducive to setting you up for success. We have to start thinking of dog training as more of a preventative measure instead of a hail mary when the going gets tough. It’s kind of like not going to the dentist because the toothache is tolerable.. until it’s not. Believe me, I’m a champ when it comes to avoiding the dentist, but that shouldn’t be how it is when it comes to finding the support of a dog trainer.
Also, please be careful when seeking advice regarding your dog! I can’t scream this enough. Your aunt who has had dogs their whole life, the social media account with a large following that says “this worked for me”, or your neighbor who knows someone, doesn’t count as a qualified person to give you sound advice on the matters regarding your dog. Find a certified force-free trainer if you want to work with someone who will be there for both of you and prioritize strengthening the dog-human bond from day one! There is zero shame in hiring a trainer and it’s always better to be proactive instead of reactive! Your dog will thank you for it in more ways than one.
