When should I start home dog training?
Often our customers, right at the end of that first lesson, tell us “I should have done this a long time ago”. Most of the time, our clients are very patient and tolerant having put up with all types of unwanted canine behaviour. We had many clients admitting to us that on their way home from work, they were dreading their dog and wishing that they didn’t have one.
What we hope, is that you never reach this point before you decide to call for help. To that end, we would like to help you in these next few paragraphs by sharing our clients’ reasons why they hesitated to go ahead with the training and hopefully help you decide that your dog deserves to become a good canine citizen.
"My dog is too young (or too old)"
Dogs can learn new behaviours at any age. When your dog is a puppy, unwanted behaviours can develop very fast. It’s important to be able to guide your dog on the right path before these behaviours really make your life together unpleasant. A puppy can be trained very early. We had a client who booked their first lesson the day their new puppy arrived. We had another who was even more proactive and had their first lesson a week before the puppy’s arrival. The youngest puppy we trained was 6 ½ weeks old. Her owners were unable to sleep because of separation anxiety. We saw this Doberman grow up to become a great family member.
The oldest we trained was a 14 ½ year old Australian Shepherd that barked constantly unless the owner was petting him. She warned us that he would be euthanized if we could not fix him. The lesson was a great success and he passed away of natural causes 2 years later. The owner was thrilled and cried when she saw the difference in her dog. She had come to believe that nothing could be done with an old dog.
"He will get better when he is older"
We say that if you don’t want your dog to do something when he is older it should be nipped in the bud when he is a puppy. Early barking may seem cute but if you don’t correct it when he’s young it can turn into a real nuisance. If your puppy runs your life, you need help.
Fearful puppies can have a terrible life and become aggressive if their owners are not trained to help with this type of behaviour and canine temperament. If you feel that the behaviour of your fearful dog is overwhelming, please call
for help.
"He growls often but would never bite"
When a dog growls, he is warning you. If it happens often, it really needs to be handled as quickly as possible. We have to be aware of why the dog is growling. Most canine aggression comes from fear. When we are afraid, we try to avoid the situation by removing ourselves from it. Unlike humans, a dog will actually attack the source of its fear if it can. He might just lunge towards what he fears, hoping it will go away. If cornered, a fearful dog will attack. Remember dogs have what we call the “fight or flight” reaction. If unable to escape a situation they will attack. What we call leash aggression comes from the inability of the dog to flee while he is on leash.
Living with a dog should be a wonderful experience. We’ve noticed with our many home dog training visits that children who grow up with dogs become better people. We also notice that people who have dogs are better people. This is why we love what we do and we love bringing harmony to the lives of people and their dogs.
"So when should I have my dog trained?"
If you have thought about it a few times, the answer is now. Please do not hesitate to call. We are here for you and we are more than happy to help.
