What they don’t tell you about dog training
There are so many things I didn’t know. When I got into dog training I thought it was all about the dogs and quickly learned I was very wrong.
Dog training is about us. We start training our dogs to live a calmer life and enjoy walks again, but what it leads to is so much more. We celebrate the wins and pick ourselves up after a not-so-great walk. We become stronger and learn that we can do anything if we can do this.
It's about you and me—more than our dogs.
All dogs are so different & training will reflect that. What worked for your aunt's, best friend's, neighbor's, and strangers' dogs may not work for your dog. Dogs need different things, and when you get a more challenging dog, the training may look different from what friends and family think. That's ok.
Sometimes using food doesn't help things. Using food to stop behaviors like reactivity, anxiety, resource guarding, etc., doesn't always work. Food has its place in training, but many owners are left feeling bad because it's not working. Sometimes using food doesn't help and it's worth trying without.
It's going to feel messy at times. This stuff is not easy - ONe day things are great, and the next your dog reacts on the walk. What happened to our progress? the training process feels like a roller coaster at times, but each day gets a little better when you are consistent with your new habits. I know it might not feel like it right now, but you'll be grateful you stuck with it.
And just in case you didn't get it the first time - dog training is about us. We start training our dogs to live a calmer life and enjoy walks again, but what it leads to is so much more. We celebrate the wins and pick ourselves up after a not-so-great walk. We become stronger and learn that we can do anything if we can do this.
It's about you and me—more than our dogs.
If you need extra help with your dog, check out our training guides here. I know dog training can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. You’ve got this!
