Redefining Success in Dog Training
Success is what we strive for as humans and especially Americans. We’re told it fits into a box even for our dogs. Success in dog training is raising a dog who loves everyone, stays silent, and wants nothing more in the world that to do anything you request as soon as you say it.
But is that really success!? I don’t think so. A very small margin of dogs happily live like that. Often we’re told to buy a dog of a certain breed, intelligence level, and as a puppy. This fallacy is not only damaging to our egos and understanding of who we are but also the dogs in our lives.
Odds are you do not have the skills to raise a dog from puppyhood to adulthood in a way to accomplish the behavioral ‘success’ we’re told we should have. And that is ok! Dog trainers and canine behaviorists like me are here, after spending our entire lives not only with dogs but also educating ourselves to help YOU accomplish greatness with YOUR dog.
Let’s talk about what YOU should have BEFORE getting a puppy or dog.
A clear understanding of the mental, physical, and grooming needs of breeds you’re looking at.
I choose pit bulls for many reasons. I have an active ‘on-the-go’ lifestyle that involves bringing my dogs with me and allows me to incorporate not only multiple walks but also training. I also never want to go home and remember to brush my dog; long fur is not for me. Pit bulls are ideal because they are generally a medium-high energy breed with a lot of stamina, have a loyalty second to none, and aren’t the most intelligent breed (making them easy to train). This is usually not a breed for someone who works outside of the home for 8+ hours per day and want to come home to watch tv.
A clear understanding of what life stage you’re interested in and why.
Everyone thinks they want a puppy, but most would avoid it if they understood the extremely expensive needs of puppies. You’re expending money (vaccines, neutering/spaying, potential other unexpected vet bills), energy during the morning before going to work, energy in the day time to go back home and ensure your puppy has had a potty break and hasn’t chewed anything dangerous, energy after work to train/exercise them, and at night to get up for more potty training. A puppy generally goes through 1-3 fear stages before they’re 2 years old. This means they become irrationally fearful of random things and you need to help guide them through those fears in a specific way to help them learn coping skills and to avoid irrational fears for the rest of their lives. All of that on top of everything you’re doing now and basic obedience training.
The lifestyle for whatever breed and age of puppy or dog you’re getting.
Companion and guard breeds were created to be with you all of the time. They would love nothing more than to be with you everywhere and anywhere you are. This is great because they’re usually easier to teach recall and very loyal. It can however lead to more instances of separation anxiety, which is not generally hard to avoid but is very hard to fix after it begins. (ex. cavaliers, pit bulls, yorkies)
Working breeds were created to work for many hours alongside you and to take direction. This makes them easy to train but also means they’ve begun training you before you realize what is going on. Many working dogs require more grooming because of their heavy or dense coats due to select breeding for working outdoors. You see them excel at sports like agility and couch chewing. (ex. collies of any variety, labradors, aussies, corgis)
Terriers and dachshunds were created to be very ready and willing to literally dive head first into anything to grab a small animal, like a rat. This means if you don’t have the interest, time, and money to get into serious training classes this is not the group of dogs for you. They are not bred to follow direction, to think of what you want them to do, or to sit inside your home after you get done working. They need a job and they need to vocalize their opinions freely. If you’re looking for maximum sassy personality these are your best friends. (ex. westies, schnauzers, dachshunds)
A list of resources ready to go.
Knowing you’re getting a puppy or dog means knowing who to call for help. It takes a village and your village is out there ready to help! Here is a list of who to have picked out before you bring home a furry soulmate:
Veterinarian & Emergency Veterinarian (2 separate hospitals, make sure they both have a copy of all vaccines & medications at all times)
Dog walker / hiker / running / drop-in visitor / daycare (in-case you have a furry soulmate who is high energy or maybe you get stuck at work)
Dog sitter & boarding facility (you should have both in-case the 1st choice is booked)
The 2 closest locations to buy your dog’s food (the 1st one might run out, so have a back-up)
The dog trainer or behaviorist you plan to use (see my contact page above lol). Having your trainer/behaviorist out before the dog even arrives can be highly valuable, you don’t realize what you don’t know yet.
Contact with at least 2 other people who have owned the same breed for more than a year. They have insight that you do not. I really like sending clients to breed specific meet up groups to learn about the breed before buying/adopting.
Dog groomers in the area and what their style of grooming is. Haircuts are an artform and the style you like might be accomplished by certain groomers but not others. Also I highly recommend avoiding any place that does not offer straight through haircuts with only 1 or 2 groomers in the salon at a time. I am a professional dog groomer and apprenticed with a nationally certified Master Groomer, trust me on this Please.
Let’s talk about what you should do AFTER getting a puppy or dog.
Schedule your dog trainer or behaviorist to come to your home as early in the process as possible. This will help them gain an understanding of where you and your dog are starting from. It also allows you to start setting expectations from the beginning; leading to less mishaps later on.
