19/07/2024
I think 99% of having a mutually enjoyable relationship with your dog is getting the right one for your lifestyle. At least half of the clients I’ve worked with over the years probably would have been better off with a different dog than the one they got.
Of course training can help with a lot of these issues, and I’m happy to do that. But we also have to understand that nearly everything people ask of their dogs typically goes against hundreds of years of genetics and instincts.
We brought dogs into our world and expect them to live by our rules (most of which make ZERO sense to a dog. If I want to go over there, why would I not pull on the leash to get there? If I see a squirrel or rabbit running away, why would I not chase it? If I see food left out within my reach, why would I not eat it?)
Like I said, training can absolutely help, but we also need to understand just what we’re asking of our dogs. We have to ask ourselves if we’re setting reasonable expectations, and if our dog’s needs (especially for both mental and physical exercise) are being met. This is most especially true of working breeds: hunting, herding, etc.
Look. I love dogs. Obviously. I love your shepherds and retrievers and hounds and border collies. BUT…I truly believe these breeds should not be nearly as popular as they are. The truth is that very few households are an ideal environment for most working breeds. When you get a dog that’s not the right fit for your lifestyle, it can result in a ton of stress for both your dog and for you.
The truth is that most people like to think of themselves as being active, but even active humans rarely have the same energy as an active dog. And you also have to ask yourself: are you ACTUALLY an active person? Do you actually run or hike or swim and are constantly prepared to exercise, rain or shine? Or are you someone who generally lives a couch potato lifestyle and enjoys an occasional walk?
Bringing dogs into our human world requires a lot of communication, commitment, and compromise between two very different species. Many of us can do that happily and successfully with the right training and dedication. But the single most powerful factor in a successful human-dog relationship is getting a dog that works best for your lifestyle.
To everyone who got a dog that perhaps wasn’t the best fit, I’m happy to help and see what we can do to make your lives together more cohesive and successful. But if you haven’t gotten a dog yet, please do tons of research and talk to a trainer BEFORE you bring a dog home!
I love all breeds, but I would really love to see the popular breeds in this country better match what the popular lifestyles are. Consider low energy breeds like greyhounds or mastiffs, or breeds bred more for companionship than work (like King Charles Cavalier Spaniels or Shih tzus). Or mixed breeds from shelters and rescues, especially ones that are adults and you have a good idea of their energy level and temperament. Be picky. Be very, very picky and take your time before deciding on a particular breed or dog.
Everyone who is thinking of getting dogs should read this because you need to understand this reality:
***I am a 21st century dog.***
-I'm a Malinois.
Overskilled among dogs, I excel in all disciplines and I'm always ready to work: I NEED to work.
But nowadays I get asked to chill on the couch all day everyday.
-I am an Akita Inu.
My ancestors were selected for fighting bears.
Today I get asked to be tolerant and I get scolded for my reactivity when another approaches me.
-I am a Beagle.
When I chase my prey, I raise my voice so the hunters could follow.
Today they put an electric collar on me to shut up, and you make me come back to you - no running - with a snap of your fingers.
-I am a Yorkshire Terrier.
I was a terrifying rat hunter in English mines.
Today they think I can't use my legs and they always hold me in their arms.
-I'm a Labrador Retriever.
My vision of happiness is a dive into a pond to bring back the duck he shot to my master.
Today you forget I'm a walking, running, swimming dog; as a result I'm fat, made to stay indoors, and to babysit.
-I am a Jack Russell.
I can take on a fox, a mean badger, and a rat bigger than me in his den.
Today I get scolded for my character and high energy, and forced to turn into a quiet living room dog.
-I am a Siberian Husky.
Experienced the great, wide open spaces of Northern Europe, where I could drag sleds for long distances at impressive speeds.
Today I only have the walls of the house or small garden as a horizon, and the holes I dig in the ground just to release energy and frustration, trying to stay sane.
-I am a border collie
I was made to work hours a day in partnershipwith my master, and I am an unmistakable artist of working with the herd.
Today they are mad at me because, for lack of sheep, I try to check bikes, cars, children in the house and everything in motion.
I am ...
I am a 21st century dog.
I'm pretty, I'm alert, I'm obedient, I stay in a bag...but I'm also an individual who, from centuries of training, needs to express my instincts, and I am *not* suited for the sedentary life you'd want me to lead.
Spending eight hours a day alone in the house or in the garden - with no work and no one to play or run with, seeing you for a short time in the evening when you get home, and only getting a small toilet walk will make me deeply unhappy.
I'll express it by barking all day, turning your yard into a minefield, doing my needs indoors, being unmanageable the rare times I'll find myself outside, and sometimes spending my days sunk, sad, lonely, and depressed, on my pillow.
You may think that I should be happy to be able to enjoy all this comfort while you go to work, but actually I’ll be exhausted and frustrated, because this is absolutely NOT what I'm meant to do, or what I need to be doing.
If you love me, if you've always dreamed of me, if my beautiful blue eyes or my athletic look make you want me, but you can't give me a real dog's life, a life that's really worth living according to my breed, and if you can't offer me the job that my genes are asking, DO NOT buy or adopt me!
If you like the way I look but aren't willing to accept my temperament, gifts, and traits derived from long genetic selection, and you think you can change them with only your good will, then DO NOT BUY OR ADOPT ME.
I’m a dog from the 21st century, yes, but deep inside me, the one who fought, the one who hunted, the one who pulled sleds, the one who guided and protected a herd still lives within.
So think **very** carefully before you choose your dog. And think about getting two, rather than one, so I won't be so very lonely waiting for you all day. Eight or ten hours is just a workday to you, but it's an eternity for me to be alone.
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