Training a Dog is Hard Work

I just started a new dog training class last night. We had a couple of rambunctious adolescents and at the other end of the spectrum some very quiet and shy puppies. All of the owners were trying their best to control their dogs. The class began a little noisy but all of the dogs quieted down and the owners began the process of introducing new cues to their dogs. When we think about a dog training class it is really a misnomer. The instructor is actually training the owner who then has to train the dog. The two processes are usually occurring at the same time in a very distracting environment for both the owner and the dog. The above scenario would make an education professor cringe. Simply stated dog and owner training is hard work. It is hard work for the instructor. It is hard work for the owner and it is definitely hard work for the dog. The most amazing thing is the wonderful success that both dog and owner achieve if they are willing to put in the time and do the work. Over the past 30 years I have seen some amazing transformations of wild and crazy pups. They were just looking for some direction and a job to do. But unfortunately I have seen some owners taking their dog’s very normal behavior personally and become embarrassed or angry and choose to quit rather than just to work a little harder. When we make a commitment to buy a puppy or adopt a dog it is for the life of the dog. We also must make a commitment to help teach the dog to be a law abiding member of our family and the community at large. We want a dog that comes when called. We want a dog that walks nicely on a leash. We want a dog that ignores other dogs and bicycles and children when we are out for a walk. The Lassie that we all knew and loved wasn’t born that way. The mythical Lassie was trained to be an amazing dog and training is hard work.