You know you need help with your dog.
It’s been what, 4,5,6,7 years??
You hoped when he hit the age of two he would have grown out of it, cause you know that’s when you were told it gets easier, that’s when maturity kicks in.
And yes, adolescents is a tough stage, it’s where dogs test out the world around them and their owners the most, but there are certain things a dog does not and will not every grow out of over night.
If your dog seems more energetic then most, he may slow down with age, but he will never be like those cruisey dogs you see happily kicking it by their owners side, that you just know will go straight home and curl up for a nice long nap.
You know the kind of dogs that probably left the house just because their human needed to be walked. When they would have rather stay nice and snug in bed.
That probably won’t ever be your dog.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a more content, docile version of the dog you have, but waiting isn’t going to make that happen.
And dogs don’t grow out of anxiety, worry and the need to patrol their home either.
It tends to fester under the surface and grow over the years, having you both doing things that just help it seem less of a thing than it used to be, but you know if you really paid attention, if you thought about it long enough, he is triggered quite often, he is always right on the edge, tense and never fully relaxing.
And that “selective” hearing your dog has, well your dog can tell the very difference in sound of each car, he knows yours from the rest, he knows the neighbours and he knows when a strange car has pulled up in to close for comfort near the house and he has to alert you, as if you’re the one that behaves like you have issues hearing things…
You know your voice is getting louder, but you know it’s not because you believe he is deaf, your just so frustrated, sick of repeating yourself, sick of the same old routine, why can’t he just get it through him, why can’t you he just understand that if he listened if he just understood, then he could have more freedom, more time to get out, that he does not need to worry about and stick his nose into things that just don’t concern him.
You feel guilty frequently about where things are at with your dog, you know it’s not from lack of trying, and your sick of the same old advice, “just walk him” “he is bored give him a job” – what ever the fuck that actually means “you just need to be the leader, show discipline” “be more dominant” – again what does that even mean or look like seriously?
I digress
You know you need help with your dog.
But every time you start the search, you’re overwhelmed by information, different ways of doing things, trainers plastering their free advice all over the place, where to even start with that let alone even picking a trainer to hirer, classes? private one on ones? Programs? Oh my.
What is it that you really want with your dog?
A relationship where he is responsive to your spoken words? where *shock* you don’t have to pretend to be something your not, (forget being dominate, if it was the answer you wouldn’t be reading now because my job wouldn’t exist) and he is still willing to let go, trust you and follow your lead.
What about when he stops listening all together on walks, despite how hard you have worked at home. You know what I’m talking about it’s almost as if his brain has flopped out of his head, left it at home and there is just no reaching him, his in a completely different zone and your not even sure if you exist anymore.
What if that was no longer a thing? What if he cared where you were when out on a walk, cared how is action were impacting you both and was willing to check in with you and take your guidance, because you have learned how to build the kind of connection that’s required to have those amazing moments.
A dog that you can easily not only have friends and family pop around but you can also actually go places with him, where he is content happy to just be by your side and get out of the house no matter what you get up to?
A life with balance, where you are doing things you BOTH enjoy, having it bring forth contentment for you both, where things don’t feel like a chore, neither of you are dragging your feet to do something and you are both motivated to help each other feel happy.
Is that what you are looking for?
What year are you at with your dog now?
How many more days, months, years are you going to let pass by before you make the above a thing?
It can be done IF you are willing to do the work, the work that is shaped for those goals.
And guess who has the goods, who would LOVE to share all that with you?
I think you know, and I think it’s time x
