Train the Owner, Not the Dog!

Train the owner? Many would look at you as if you had lost your mind. Why train the owner? Well the answer is simple. In today’s society many people view their pets as disposable and are expecting the perfect pet. I am here to inform you that there is no such thing as the perfect pet. I know many of you are thinking that Fluffy or Snickers was just the perfect dog, almost human in fact. But think really hard to when Fluffy or Snickers first moved in…is it coming back to you now? The first night of anxiety, the first potty accident, and the first pair of shoes chewed. Granted, the good memories exceed the bad ones, but the bad ones are still there, therefore, not perfect.

But you were able to work through those mishaps and bad manners to cultivate a pet that, in your mind, was perfect and had carved a specific place in your heart for eternity. Many people do not understand that to own a dog is a huge responsibility and to make it a socially acceptable canine is an even bigger responsibility. After being in the “dog world” for 30 plus years, I am amazed by the “yuppies”, as I like to call them, which are emerging to purchase a puppy of their very own. These people do not know how to train their children much less a dog. Many breeders in my circle have horror stories of such yuppies that call them at 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning complaining because their new puppy has cried all night long and they need their sleep.

Dog owners listen up, and listen good…dogs take a lot of work to train. If you cannot handle disciplining your child, do not get a dog. And do not have any more children. Society has enough misfits as it is; two-legged and four-legged.

I always suggest (quite forcibly at times) for the new owners of a puppy to read the Monks of New Skete’s The Art of Raising a Puppy.  They show that through appropriate training using the reward and discipline systems, you can have a puppy that is very well mannered and an asset to your home and family. I also encourage them to go through a training class that teaches them how to train their puppy and molds the owner into an owner who takes responsibility for their puppy.

It has been said that a child’s behavior is a reflection of the parent’s ability to discipline and teach. I believe that this is also true for your four-legged children. Their behavior is a reflection of your ability to discipline and teach. If you are the type of parent who believes that discipline and structure is a negative thing, then your children will reflect this in their behaviors. Dogs, much like children crave structure and consistency. For a child, structure and consistency gives them a sense of order and security for their lives. The same is true for your dog. However, your dog is also looking toward you to be their “alpha” or leader. If you do not step into that role and show your dog that while you do love him, certain behavior is just not acceptable, he will learn to challenge your authority and behave any way he sees fit. In other words, you are the top dog and if you do not make it known that is your position, your dog will challenge you for the honor. In many instances a dog has usurped the owner from the alpha position is a dog that ends up abandoned or put to sleep because the owner thinks it is the dog’s fault. When in reality it is the owner’s lack of training that has molded the dog into an ill-mannered and socially unacceptable canine.

I say to all of the dog owners who feel like their dog is hopeless when it comes to training or feel the dog is just too stupid to be trained, take a step back and examine how you are training the dog. Go online or to your nearest bookstore and order The Monks of New Skete’s book, The Art of Raising a Puppy; and no, I am not an affiliate who makes money every time someone buys this book, I just truly believe in the practices they teach. Do not throw your pooch by the wayside because of an error you have made in their training. Many times the damage is reversible. Just with a child, you have to take back control and show exactly who is alpha and what behavior you will tolerate and what behavior will result in consequences.