So, here I sit at my table setup, taking in new sign-ups for dog training at the Pet Depot. My schedule is never the same because sometimes my clients need private lessons and I adhere to their schedules or availability. That is why, when I am asked what my hours are, I reply, “When do you need me?”
Over the years, I have witnessed the weird and unusually stubborn dog. Then, there is just the weird dog. I don’t know how many times I have been told by the family of the dog needing the training, “I don’t believe you can help.” That response always brings a smile to my face, because in most of these cases, the dog has won out on patience, meaning the dog out-waited the human, and the human gave up. Small breeds can sum up most of these cases.
Some dogs just need to be worn down and your patience increased. Here is a basic 101 tip: take the stubborn dog for a twenty-minute walk. The walker walks the dog, not the dog walking the walker. In other words, the dog walks with the human walking them, not in front of or behind the person walking them. In many situations, a training collar will be needed. The owner should consult with a trainer to insure the right training collar is purchased and used properly.
When I train a class, I train the basic obedience commands needed for all learning. It never fails: as the class progresses, I get the privilege of witnessing the transformation of the dog and the family. In most cases, when the dog learns who is in charge, they look up to their human and it is a look of love. See, a dog promises one thing, their love and their life.
Sometimes, I get the real wild child of dogs. This is the dog dragging their owner into or out of the store. This dog will go any direction that they feel the need or desire to go. Another tell-tale sign is the wild eyed look the human has when the wild child brings them into the store. In this instance, I usually hear them coming, yelling the dog’s name and trying their best to get the dog to stop pulling. One time, I offered to help a lady with her dog that was dragging her and she told me that she was alright. I just sat back and watched her get dragged throughout the store. Some people just don’t understand that I am not going to charge them for advice.
Then, there is the dog that goes with their human that wants to mark everything. When your dog does this, guess who is in charge? Not the human! This is the same dog marking throughout the store because they have been allowed that behavior. How does one correct this problem? By watching for when the dog is about to mark and give them a quick collar correction and saying, “No.” If they do succeed in marking, please have the decency of letting the store know so the mess can be cleaned up.
So, everyone out there that has a behavior issue or lack of discipline in their dog: come see me and what I can do before giving up. I am very affordable, both for private lessons and group training. To participate in group, the dog needs to be six months or older, unless there are extenuating circumstances (like service dogs).
By: Joel and Zues Allen
256-651-2211
