“Watch out! Highly aggressive dog!” the woman screamed as she came bursting into our training center. “He just bit the vet and almost bit the girl outside!" The dog was in a harness and on a short leash. It lunged toward me, snapping its teeth.
Behavior does not become this severe overnight. What was now a serious issue was once imperceptible to the untrained eye. Left undetected, it developed into a nuisance; and eventually, when unaddressed, became a full-fledged nightmare. In this example it’s easy to see the dog’s need for training. Without the help of someone with knowledge, experience, and the time to dedicate to correcting the problem, the dog would surely have been euthanized.
Often overlooked is the owner’s need for training as well. Had the owners possessed the knowledge and experience from the beginning, the time they spent with their dog would have prevented it from developing the unwanted behaviors. When is it time to get a professional involved? Whenever you or your dog have a need for added time, knowledge, and experience.
When You Don’t Have the Knowledge I’m contacted regularly by people who struggle with their dog and don’t know how to change the situation. A lack of knowledge can be the greatest limiting factor in your dog’s development. It's quite easy to recognize when things are not the way you want them to be. Knowing how to create the change you desire is where the challenge lies.
Building a relationship with a knowledgeable professional can go a long way in increasing your knowledge. A trainer often has taken many dogs, of varying breeds and temperaments, through the process that you might be navigating for the first, second, or third time. They can be a beneficial resource in guiding you through this training; alerting you to possible pitfalls, and helping you navigate challenges that may arise. Regardless of how much a person knows about the development of a gun dog, there is always something more to learn. The greater your knowledge is, the more effective the time you spend with your dog will be.
Your dog also needs to gain knowledge. It needs to know what certain words and actions mean. It needs to know how to behave in various situations, and it needs to know the behaviors it will be expected to perform and when to perform them. In the same way a trainer’s experience makes them a valuable resource to increase your knowledge, they can also increase the knowledge of your dog. Once the dog understands what is expected, correcting a mistake is much easier.
When You Don’t Have the Time Much of a dog's learning comes from repetition. For those who lack the time, a professional trainer can get in these reps. (Photo courtesy of Kambri Smedley) When it comes to developing a puppy there is no substitute for time. You will reap the benefits of the time you spend with your puppy, for its entire life. Spending time together allows you and your dog to get to know each other. Though time spent with an adult dog has great value, the time spent with a puppy is unique because it has two compounding factors. The young mind of a puppy is like a sponge; it’s ability to learn new things is at its peak. A puppy’s mind is like a clean slate without any misconceptions that need to be erased. These compounding factors make the first couple of years very influential for the rest of the dog’s life. The information you can gain from a professional trainer can increase the quality of that time you spend with your dog.
Obviously, this personal time with your dog cannot be hired out. When it comes to education, however, a professional can be of great help. So much of the learning your dog does comes from repetition. If you lack the time to be persistent and consistent in giving your dog the repetitions to learn, a trainer could be a great option. Professional trainers can offer regular time spent day after day working on the tasks your dog will be expected to perform.
When You Dont Have the Experience If you lack training knowledge or experience a professional can be a good way to get both. (Photo courtesy of Kambri Smedley) As a young man, I took some Spanish speaking classes in school. After I graduated from high school, I moved to south Texas. In Texas I had the opportunity to speak with individuals who spoke Spanish as their native tongue. I recall listening to them speak and wondering whether I would ever be able to understand them. Sometimes it didn’t even seem like the same language that I had studied in school. I had knowledge, but I didn't have any real-world experience using the language.
Similarly, dogs can gain knowledge of the tasks they need to perform in a controlled environment, but applying that knowledge in real world situations, with unfamiliar distractions, can become confusing to dogs. It is important to know that as the dog moves into real life experiences, it may struggle to recognize that the tasks they learned in the training drills need to be performed in these new situations as well. Guiding a dog through this transition can be challenging. It is often performed more effectively by an individual with experience guiding dogs through this process. This is a great time to include a professional who can aid your dog through the process or help you as you guide your dog through it. When a dog performs a task correctly and repetitively, habits are created, and the dog becomes more consistent and predictable. An experienced dog will even begin to self-correct when they make a mistake.
A professional can be a valuable resource in giving your dog the time, knowledge, and experience it needs to reach its full potential. However, your dog will ultimately spend far more time with you than it will with a professional. It’s been my experience that even highly trained dogs will recalibrate to the skill level of their handler. Therefore, the best way to gain lasting results is for you to also increase your personal knowledge and experience, equal to the performance level you dream of for your dog.
