Dogs Living in Our Human World

by The K9 Guy, 08-21-17

A few weeks ago I read a comment in a Facebook group by a fellow trainer. He was no longer recommending his clients take their dogs for walks. His reasoning was that there are so many dogs that walk poorly and are reactive, he didn't want his client's dogs being subjected to those problematic behaviors. While I believe owners need to keep their dogs safe and not allow them to be roughed up by problematic dogs, I also believe passing an ill-behaved dog on a walk shouldn't be cause for concern.

I too have seen a large rise in the number of leash reactive dogs. And while I have my opinions on why this is occurring, most problem behaviors typically start out small and get worse. Having useful ways to tell a dog "NO" goes a long way toward heading things off at the pass.

To do this, many owners need help in "talking" effectively with their pet. After all, dog's don't speak human language. If you don't know how to tell your dog "NO", or aren't comfortable telling your dog "NO", consider the help a good trainer can provide. If your dog's not getting your message, most problems behaviors will get worse.

And then there's training. Obedience training teaches a dog to listen, it develops language between owner and pet, it helps dogs defer to to an owner's wishes, and it gives owners a way to pro-actively guide a dog in challenging situations. Yes, this takes work and time, but there's no substitute for strong obedience. Again, a good trainer can help owners develop their dog's skills in this area.

At visits with my own clients, I work hard to help owners teach their dogs acceptable behaviors in a variety of situations - in life with humans, and other pets. Most dogs need their owner's coaching, and many owners can benefit from a trainer's help. This work can be challenging at times, but a dog that lives well in its owner's world is always a joyful sight.