I can already feel the protest on this one.
I can sense it.... coming toward me from dozens of new puppy trainers everywhere.
I'll take the hit though. This is important.
Every adult dog who has a behavior problem now... started as a puppy. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. There's literally no way around it.
In fact.... many of these same adult dogs even did puppy training with their dogs. Their dogs who now suffer from separation anxiety, firework phobias, nervousness around strangers, reactivity or aggression toward other dogs or people.
Puppy training is touted as one of the best ways to prevent behavior problems down the road... right?
So what's happening?
Why are all of these Used-To-Be-Innocent-Puppies coming to me, and other trainers as adults with behavior problems... EVEN after they'd done puppy classes, or puppy training?
Where is the gap here?
What are we missing?
Maybe... we're missing how HARD puppies really are.
See, I'm on the inside of the dog industry. And I'm about to share some truth with you that maybe not a lot of people know about.
Puppies are thought of as "easy" sometimes as "money makers".
Fill up the puppy classes they say. Puppy classes are EASY they say.
New trainers are given advice to start with puppies.
Because puppies are EASY, they say.
All you have to do is to teach them and their owners how to sit, stay, down, greet other dogs, and any other variance that's included in a basic puppy class.
But puppies AREN'T easy. I get it. I used to think the same thing. I actually used to think it was a GOOD thing that I started my career working with older, difficult dogs. I thought it made me more experienced.
More capable even.
But the reality is... puppies are easy to mess up.
And the problem with that is... that you don't see the result of that until months... sometimes over a year later.
New trainers mess up. A lot. Experienced trainers mess up too. We all mess up. We've got to be honest about that.
But messing up a puppy... is far easier than messing up a mentally mature dog.
Those mess ups... they're much more impactful for puppies than a mentally mature dog.
And unfortunately, it's common practice for businesses and training companies to put their NEWEST trainers on puppy training duty... because puppies are "EASY".
What does this result in?
This results in dog owners just like you..... having a now teenage... or adult dog... and having the impression that "training didn't work".
And those dog owners are right.
It didn't work.
But it's not because TRAINING doesn't work.
It's because the mindset around puppy training is backwards. It's so far off the rails that it's causing a real problem. Prevention is the MOST. IMPORTANT. THING.
Dog owners like you, as a result, are being short changed.
You're being taught obedience. You're doing puppy socialization. You're being taught potty training and house manners.
But what you're not always being given... is everything else you need.
Arguably the things that you need MORE than obedience commands.
You're not being given these things... because sometimes newer trainers don't know any better. (I know I didn't starting out).
Do you know how to tell if your puppy is tired? Do you know how much sleep they need a day? Did you know that it's entirely possible to OVER socialize them?
Are you being prepared to help them through stress, frustration, and arousal? And do you know how to identify the difference of each?
Are you being informed about fear periods, and how they can permanently impact your dogs future behavior?
Maybe some of this sounds like it's not important. I don't blame you.
The internet has a plethora of "PUPPY CLASSES!!!" type advice. "SOCIALIZATION!!" type advice. "POTTY TRAINING" type advice.
So that's what you google. That's what you focus on. It makes sense. That's what you're being told to focus on.
But it's not enough. You know why it's not enough?
Because you DESERVE to know more. You deserve to know what's most important.
And I can tell you with 110% conviction... that obedience.... that's NOT the most important thing.
And I can tell you with 110% conviction... that puppyhood is the MOST important time to really dig deep.
Dog owners like you... well... you want the best for your dogs.
It's hard to know what the "best" is.
But what I do know, is that it can take experienced teaching to ACTUALLY help you prevent behavior problems.
And you have a right to know how the mindset in the dog industry directly impacts YOU and your puppy.
And you know what? I'm going to throw some of that responsibility back onto myself too.
I can't proclaim that new trainers should stop training puppies, without having an alternate solution at the ready... right?
New trainers should learn how to train puppies. The RIGHT way (and I'm not referring to methods/styles when I say the "right" way).
But new trainers cannot learn unless someone teaches them.
Because of that, I am happy to be a teacher to new trainers, even though there will ALWAYS be trainers who know more than me. And I will always be a student myself.
I can't say "new trainers shouldn't be training puppies" and not offer to help those new trainers become pros in the best way possible, right?
So here's my advice to dog owners:
Don't take the shortcuts.
Don't jump into the first/closest/cheapest puppy class you can find. You may pay for it later.
Don't be afraid to advocate for your and your pups education, by choosing your teacher carefully.
And my advice to new dog trainers:
Commit to doing your very best.
Commit to being aware, and unashamed of your shortfalls, or weaknesses as a trainer.
Commit to becoming an experienced teacher, who does everything in their power to positively impact both our industry... AND dog owners.
Because they deserve our best.
And nothing less.
Are we turning our dogs into victims of assault? A glimpse into the creation of reactivity.
Let's get uncomfortable together for a minute. I'm actually going to trigger warning this because it might legitimately make some of you, some of you who have been in uncomfortable situations... really uncomfortable.
I want you to imagine that you are somewhere that scares you. Not the spooky Halloween kind of scares you.
But the.... "being on a busy street in a foreign country, while everyone turns to stare at you....... they start talking and waving and saying things that you cannot possibly begin to understand... AND you're naked" kind of scares you.
Now, you're probably thinking.... WHY would I ever put myself in a situation like that?
You wouldn't, right?
There are actually probably a few people who wouldn't feel that uncomfortable with that scenario, but I think you get what I mean.
But now I want you to imagine that you have a friend with you. A friend standing next to you. A friend that you love. That you trust (or should be able to).
Imagine that your friend, when you turn to look at them, to ask for help.... they take a few steps back, and ALLOW strangers on the street to touch you.
And somehow they seem to know the language of these people. They are talking with them, and laughing with them.
They see you, with that uncomfortable, tense feeling, and the petrified pleading look you keep giving them.
THEY SEE YOU.... and they step back, and they allow strangers to assault you.
You want to scream. You want to ask WHY you are being left here like this.
You feel powerless, like you can't even move. Like you can't talk.
You feel trapped, and exposed. You feel betrayed.
You are a dog. In a humans world.
Is your dogs food making them crazy?
You've probably been told that it's their age, their energy, or maybe you've just been made to feel like a bad dog owner.
It's no surprise dog owners are so confused. I mean, pet food companies are constantly competing on your television to give you the most feel good message they can think of, in an attempt to earn your trust... and in turn... your money.
That means that the information floating around is being stretched into hundreds of different directions (this article is no exception).
So, what exactly is it that I'm going on about?
First, I'm going to mention a growing realization that is coming to many not so furry friends... other humans. We've always known that a healthy diet will in turn make for a healthier us.
Recent research however, has begun to make it alarmingly obvious that our diet impacts much more than just our physical health.
In fact, our every day diet impacts our mental health and our behavior in huge magnitude.
What does this have to do with our dogs being crazy?
Dog food is full of sugar.
Well, not ALL dog food. But more than you would ever imagine.
Studies in humans have shown increased rates of depression and anxiety in humans who have higher sugar intake, and reduction in depression and anxiety has been recorded in others who have used dietary changes (read: much less sugar) to help improve their mental health.
Why would it be any different in dogs?
While there is little to no controlled study on the impact of sugar and processed ingredients in canines (I may just personally fund one myself, if I ever get the opportunity), the anecdotal evidence is strong.
Am I saying that changing your dogs food will cure their separation anxiety or aggression?
Absolutely not. Behavior problems are still very real, with or without diet.
What I am saying however, is that being aware of the long and short term impacts your dogs diet is having on their mental health is important, and it CAN impact the severity of their behavior.
Do you need help knowing whether your dogs food is right for them? Reach out for a free nutrition discovery consult to help you become clear on what to avoid.
