Dog Training Tips & Articles

     Not a day goes by where I am not confronted with the unavoidable fact that there are people out there who claim to be professionals in my field and then take on cases their experience, or even worse, their misinterpretations of dogs themselves cannot handle.  What happens then, in my opinion, is the literal “Kiss of death” for some dogs who’s owner(s), foster parents, or rescue organizations don’t know what they are seeking or need in a dog behavior specialist.  The so-called professional dog trainer, behaviorist, psychologist, etc. blames the dog and then proceeds to write them off as lost causes that no one can help or in best case scenarios, goes right for the medication cabinet before any basic applications of communication, training, and leadership are applied.  I feel this is simply because they couldn’t help them with the limited tools and understanding they were providing?  I don’t think so.  Unfortunately I see this happen every day.  This shouldn’t be.  And it wouldn’t be so prevalent if us as dog enthusiasts became a little more in tune with what makes us tick before we can expect to analyze our pets.      The problem with most dog behavior specialists is that we like to control things in our lives and environments (admittedly…me included).  Our personalities like to solve problems and fix what seems to be broke.  We like it our way or no way at all!  (Sound a little like some dogs we know?)  This works great when persistence, control, and a hefty ego are necessary to convey the assertive take no nonsense control of a good pack leader.  It does however get in the way of one’s ability to see a broader scope than their own eyes and mind may allow them to see.  This is where we as professional dog handlers need to understand ourselves and who we are so we can be effective in being objective and neutral when educating pet owners and the public about dogs and their behavior.  The inability of many of my peers in this particular department has driven me to place the majority or my work’s emphasis on the need for this self-awareness so we can help rehabilitate dogs who otherwise are limited solely by our lack of understanding of the innate concepts they as a species already know.  It is hardwired into their genetics.  It is our job as the creator of this species to learn how to see the reality of their existence and not make assumptions based on preconceived notions of what they mean to us and how they fit into our psychology.  An example of this will be how someone will name a dog “Sparky” because they are a Terrier and have a spitfire personality.  Sparky just seems to do everything 110%.   I’ll hear something like: “He gets so excited when people come over he literally spins in circles while he barks constantly.”  “Sparky just loves walks, he nips at me when he sees the leash and is always out in front barking at the world announcing his presence.”  “Sparky just seems to be so excited with everything, even a leaf blowing across the yard!”  If we examine more closely though, these are just character traits of the dog and not their actual personality or psychological makeup.  In the past, my observations usually have concluded that most “Sparky Dogs” are a little discontented from the over-thinking they have to do during the times their owners don’t take over certain aspects of their lives for them.  The behaviors, (good bad, or indifferent) are just manifestations of the dog’s mindset at those particular transition points in a dog’s life and the way they are reacting to it, not their personality.  In my section on “Doggie Racism”, you will learn how a dog’s breed has little to do with what makes them who they are.  Unless you are utilizing the more pronounced natural instincts certain breeds posses to accomplish a working or sporting goal, you are getting a breed because of how they look to you and how your psychology projects onto them or theirs onto yours.  Trust me, its not what you think…So many of my client have a difficult time hearing this and facing these facts.  I always explain how I understand why this is difficult for them to hear and accept, and what I am revealing to them is far from criticism or they are being a bad dog owner.  They wouldn’t have made the effort to come see to help them resolve these issues if they didn’t love their dogs!  Remember, we are just being human, and as humans we must display some humility in the face of something we do not fully understand.  I do this everyday, and feel there is always something our dogs can teach us about who they are so we can create a deeper understanding and communication between us and them.  It’s the so called “experts” or the “I’ve had dogs/insert breed (even worse!) my whole life and this is what you should do…”  For the armchair dog trainer this is ok for some basic training and maybe light obedience issues where the dog will let you slide with some effort and intent.  For dogs that have higher requirements of leadership, usually due to higher than average levels of insecurity and anticipation anxiety, this “speaking with an accent”, at best, won’t do.  We need to understand our dogs to the core if we are to successfully address more advanced and complex behaviors such as aggression, separation anxiety, anti-social behaviors, and severe problem behaviors based in discontentment.  What I continuously find amazing is this ignorance has permeated into my profession.  After all, dog professionals are still humans first which places the responsibility on us to understand our end of the leash as well.      Half of the cases I see have been through some other type of training or behavior program before they come to me.  When I ask all these numerous unrelated people why they have spent a great deal of time and effort, and are now in my office to see me make them put in more of a great deal of time and effort. (Everyone loves when I tell them that!)  I consistently get the same response; “We just didn’t get the results we were seeking, and don’t feel the previous trainer/behaviorist understood our dog.”  The reason for this is in the statement itself.  Once we understand our dogs, the results come naturally…Period!!!  This is why I frequently show owners results during the first time we meet far beyond what the past person was able to achieve after months of work with the dog.  It’s all in the understanding.  “How can we understand our dogs and relate to them if we don’t understand what motivates us to have them in our lives, interpret their behaviors the way we do, and relate to them in such a unique way?”  As a professional, it is our responsibility to examine and understand this to its fullest extent.  Too many professionals are stuck with their method or philosophy and can’t get past what they think is their new breakthrough creation and amazing contribution to dogs as a species.  Honestly, I have a difficult time biting my tongue not telling these people to get over themselves.  Talk about alpha-dog ego?  So, what makes me different?  I mean I talk about myself and my fantastic ability to relate to dogs and their owners all the time, I promote myself as a dog expert, so what gives?  Here’s the difference; I see myself as a messenger.  Someone to tell it like it is, based on my experience, understandings of energy and psychology (my own as well), and the gift I have been given to be highly sensitive enough to be able to be in tune with the instinct driven, sometimes extremely subtle world of dogs.  I just teach people how to tap into and understand what nature has already created!  As professionals, we must see ourselves as a vehicle to do this and act as a bridge between species.  Not a preacher who feels they have found the missing link to communicating with our dogs and are unable to see past their viewpoint.  The link is there.  Dogs use it 24/7, we just have to see past our own psychological instincts as humans to grasp it and see it for what it is.  Once we do, that link becomes the golden ring to link us to the endless communication possibilities we can have with our dogs…