I tried an interesting experiment at one of my outdoor training classes recently. After watching some owners struggling to cope with their unruly dogs I asked them to switch with owners of calm dogs.
I separated the handlers so that the dogs were not unduly influenced by their owners then continued our country walk. It became increasingly obvious that the dogs that started the walk as calm attentive individuals were becoming increasingly unruly while the unruly dogs began to calm down.
By the end of the session a couple of dogs had totally switched their behaviour pattern to the exact opposite of what they had been at the start.
It was a graphic illustration of how handlers shape their dog's behaviour. If you are the owner of a calm, well-behaved dog chances are every other dog you own will turn out the same. If you own an unruly dog the odds are any other dog you acquire will eventually behave in a similar way.
The way to break this cycle is knowledge. The aim of our classes is to inform and educate owners so that previous mistakes are never repeated.
People who own dogs that chase, jump up, pull on the lead or refuse to come when called are likely to acquire dogs with similar habits unless they know how they created the problem in the first place.
It's no good thinking that swapping an unruly dog for another will cure the problem. I see people returning dogs to shelters because the dog jumps up or runs off and within weeks whatever new dog they acquire does exactly the same thing.
Whatever the problem YOU are the answer. If you want me to prove it come to my Teggs Nose Country Park Behaviour Clinic this Sunday Sept 25 from 10 am. For a £10 charity donation I'll show you how YOU can shape your dog's behaviour.
Text me on 07590-560012 for a fixed appointment or just turn up on the day and I'll see you ASAP.
