These are all valid and noble reasons to get a dog, but I feel using these reasons without educating yourself about what your DOG needs also, is as silly as having a baby to save a relationship: you don’t love baby any less, but the initial decision didn’t receive the proper attention, research, and planning that it should have had.
I have been working with dogs long enough to see that the human in the dog/human relationship really DOES want what is best for their dog; they are usually just misunderstanding what the animal part of their beloved pet needs.
By nature, dogs are not scared, fearful, anxious, vicious, rude, obnoxious or anything else. It’s us humans and our inability to properly communicate our desires to our animals, along with a slightly humanized idea of what we think they want, that turn them into exactly what we try to avoid in dog behavior.
As talk spread about what I was doing, I was contacted by a representative for a national rescue group, and was asked to analyze and rehab their biters for adoption. so far, I've had 100% success, and all of the dogs I've rehabbed have found a forever home with loving families. Remember, these dogs were HUMAN AGGRESSIVE-they had all at one time bitten or attacked adults/children/babies. I feel that a lot of these “aggressive” dogs are not given the chance they deserve to show us how loyal, loving and obedient they really are supposed to be by nature.
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I love being able to “translate” between dog and human, to explain what is needed on each side. I help to create an amazing bond between you and your pet because I clue you into what your dog needs, and show you how to convey to your dog what you desire from them. A lot of my clients try to place human emotions and human psychology onto their pets “my dog is sad when I leave…that’s why she destroys the house ” sound familiar? the problem with thinking like this is that your dog is not “sad” that you left
“sad” is a human emotion, not an animal emotion.
In most instances, the dog is continually feeling the need to protect you and provide for you; the dog is your “alpha.” She is not sad when you leave, she is anxious…how will she protect you if she can’t be with you? what if something happens, or you need her? how will she help you?
Say for instance that you have a 4-year old. You come home from work, expecting your four-year old to be there and no one is there. You would panic, too, wouldn’t you? how can you protect your child when they’re not there? what if they need you? this is how your dog is feeling, when you leave. Now imagine you have the same four-year old and you tell the child that you won’t be home when he/she gets home from pre-school because you have things to do.
Does that child panic because he can’t take care of you and protect you when you’re not there? no. You are the parent. You are allowed to come and go as you please. As a parent, your main goal is to give that child what she needs: safety and security it is the same for your dog. The only difference is that a human child has the ability to reason: mom or dad is gone to the store and will be back. A dog does not have the ability to reason like this, dogs need three things in life to be happy and feel safe and secure:
- physical/mental exercise
- rules and boundaries to provide a feeling of safety and security
- affection
You may say that a child needs the same, and I would agree. However, what each of these necessities translate to, is different for the two different species. what affection actually means to a child is different than a dog. A hug, kiss and “baby-talk” is affection for a child. A pleased “alpha” and a job well-done gives a dog more pride and happiness than most people could ever imagine.
You can mentally challenge a child by working the brain with different educational exercises. however, a dog will be mentally challenged with a “job” to do. Walking is the most common way to give your dog a job. The problem is, most people don’t walk their dogs as effectively as they could, so it’s in no way challenging or mentally stimulating for the dog.
Discipline has the same meaning between both species, it is simply conveyed differently. Discipline does not mean punishment. Discipline means having rules and boundaries. In reality, a lot of rules and boundaries you create for your children actually translate to the canine species. It is the delivery of the rules that doesn’t translate. Why? because your dog doesn’t speak in words.
Most people mistake consequences for discipline, which is incorrect. it’s actually those “consequences” that don’t translate between the two species; spanking doesn’t translate; yelling doesn’t translate; threatening doesn’t translate. If you place human consequences on your dog, you may actually be working backwards in your attempt to train your pet. You can’t expect your dog to obey you if he or she doesn’t know what it is that you actually expect.
REMEMBER, your dog WANTS to please you. all you
have to do is give them the opportunity…
jamie mueller
weekdays
608-232-1180
evenings/weekends
608-217-5406
www.badbettiedogtrainer.com
