When we adopted Linus, our senior pup, he was deaf and going
blind, so I needed to learn how to do touch training with him. Believe it or not, I was able to find this
training online and followed the basics and within a few weeks he was following
my commands and we were having a wonderful time.
When we adopted Quinn, our teen pup, she came to us with anxiety-based
reactivity, so I thought, this isn’t my first rodeo, I’ve got this! Boy was I wrong. Quinn has taken me on a training journey that
has not only provided her with a whole new life, but has taught me so much
about dogs, training, and myself. I
thought I would give you some of my thoughts on the experience, so that maybe
it will help you in your journeys.
First Lesson | How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall? Practice!
Practice! Practice!
We all know if you want to do something well, it takes time,
dedication, consistency, and commitment.
Yet, when it comes to dog training and our busy lives, it can sometimes
take a back seat to other things. With our
dog Buzz, if we missed a day with our training on the basics of sit, stay, come,
it simply meant the next time we worked with him it could take a moment for him
to catch on again. But, with Quinn, if
we missed a day, it could mean she lunges or snaps at someone in public and we
run the risk of losing her. So, what I have learned is that training is a
commitment to your dog to give them their best life and in order to do this,
you need to carve out ten minutes twice a day to create a lasting bond with
them; it is worth the extra effort.
Second Lesson | Forever Isn’t Long At All, When I’m With You
Training, whether it be basic obedience or specialized training,
is a commitment to your dog for their lifetime.
It is not a quick fix, no matter what the Internet says. Advertising and marketing are wonderful
things, I know, I do it for a living; but training your dog, getting your dog
to let go of a behavior takes time; it takes a commitment to your dog for their entire life. Even when they seem to “have
it” one day, they may make a slip the next and you need to be there for them. I
no longer take walks with Quinn or Buzz while looking at my phone, taking a
call, or listening to the latest podcast. I take my walks with my dogs with
active awareness of the world around me and the opportunities to learn are
boundless. Training is now an active
part of our daily routine and we all look forward to it.
Third Lesson | It’s Not Them…It’s You
Although you are taking your dog to training, it isn’t
actually the dog getting trained; it’s you! Be prepared to learn more about
yourself than you would in a therapy session.
When you are anxious, that anxiety translates down the leash into your
dog. When your dog is unsure of a situation, they need to be able to look to
you, they need you to be the one to say, “I got this!” One of the most
wonderful results of the training that I have done with Quinn is that I have
gotten my voice back. I had taken a moment in life to fade to the background,
to let myself be unseen, but Quinn needed me to step up and be the person she
needed, so I grew a voice and now I am prepared to use it whenever needed to
show her, “I’ve got this!”
Fourth Lesson | Not Too Soft, Not Too Hard, Just Right
No two training courses and no two trainers are alike; what
works for one person and their dog may not work for someone else. Case in point, our first trainer was
recommended by a friend who had great success, but neither Quinn nor I
responded well to the techniques used by them, so we didn’t continue. We have
tried different training courses along our journey, some worked to address an
immediate need, and some have given us tools to continue our journey well into
the future. Listen to your dog and listen to your gut; keep researching,
interviewing and find the right training course/trainer for you. When you find “Just Right” you will know it
and the results that you see will guide you the rest of the way on your
journey.
