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Dog Training: The BIG Picture

Writer's picture: Lexie BargenLexie Bargen

The big picture in dog training is often overlooked.

 

I once had a client ask me, “I have all these big issues like separation anxiety and aggression, why aren’t we focusing on that?”

 

The question was a good one. People all over the lower mainland have issues with things like ‘reactivity’ and ‘aggression’ but those are byproducts of underlying issues owners have created for their dogs. We have to address the foundation of the dog’s behaviours and habits to understand where the big issues stem from. It is not entirely the owner's fault, with the mass amounts of information at your fingertips, it’s hard to know which pieces are correct.

 

Dogs are complex creatures, and we as humans, put a lot of our own emotions onto the dog. We introduce a lot of grey into the relationship when dogs view things in black and white. We want them to love us, even when they are going to do no matter what, if given a nice home and security. As humans, we do a lot for our K9s; we pay for their food, clean up their poop, pay for their vet bills, give them a warm place to live, and buy them toys.


Indigo, Lexie's dog, chews on a large bully stick in a condo in Vancouver, demonstrating that we as humans do a lot for our canine companions to ensure their comfort, safety and happiness. Attending dog training classes with your pooch ensures that the respect is mutual between human and dog.
Indigo, Lexie's dog, chews on a large bully stick in a condo in Vancouver, demonstrating that we as humans do a lot for our canine companions to ensure their comfort, safety and happiness. Attending dog training classes with your pooch ensures that the respect is mutual between human and dog.

Yet, many people feel prisoners to their dogs because they can’t walk down the hallway of their building or the street without the dog ‘reacting’ negatively towards something, either person or another dog. Behaviours such as snarling, lunging, jumping up, barking, or pulling on the leash leave a lot of our clients feeling embarrassed and dreading the daily walks they have to take with their dog. Many relationships between dogs and owners are purely transactional. The dog is not doing anything to actually please you as the owner, but to be paid off with the treats you have in your pocket.

 

Let’s look at a scenario: From the young age of being a puppy, the dog is constantly around brothers and sisters with a mom who puts the puppies in their place if it steps out of line. The 8-10 week mark hits and the puppy is finally ready for you to go pick it up. You bring it home and love them so much. You allow them on your bed, and on your couch, you give them pieces of food from your plate at the table. The dog begins to realize it’s allowed to get away with a lot of things. It is not corrected for inappropriate behaviours such as rough play or chewing on things they aren’t supposed to (puppy teeth are sharp).


A cute puppy yawns showing how sharp a puppies' teeth can be. Getting your dog into dog training early can help the dog owner avoid costly damage to things that a young dog likes to chew.
A cute puppy yawns showing how sharp a puppies' teeth can be. Getting your dog into dog training early can help the dog owner avoid costly damage to things that a young dog likes to chew.

The dog hits six months of age, it begins leading on the leash, this behaviour is not corrected. They learn that they can pull the entire walk and nothing is going to change. Treats are often used to bribe the dog into doing what you want until you realize that the squirrel, other dog, or leaf (yes, puppies get distracted by the cutest things) are more valuable/interesting than the food. You spend more money on something ‘higher value.’ The dog is getting older, the cute puppy eyes have you wrapped around its paw.


Bodhi, a Border Collie/Blue Heeler, and his furry friend, Indigo, are looking up a big tall tree in a Vancouver forest, they are distracted by squirrels, their favourite thing to watch. Dog training classes will allow the dog owner to be able to call their dog away from distractions when necessary, with instant recall.
Bodhi, a Border Collie/Blue Heeler, and his furry friend, Indigo, are looking up a big tall tree in a Vancouver forest, they are distracted by squirrels, their favourite thing to watch. Dog training classes will allow the dog owner to be able to call their dog away from distractions when necessary, with instant recall.

 

You continue repeating yourself for the dog to perform a simple command such as ‘sit’ or ‘come’ until finally, after the fourth, fifth, or eleventh time, they finally do. You praise the dog. The dog begins to realize it doesn’t have to listen for the first command, it still gets exactly what it wants even after ignoring you. The dog is getting bigger, and stronger, and starting to reach its year and a half age mark, the issues of aggression or reactivity are starting to appear. The dog gets closer to physical and mental maturity and the issues seem to worsen. You wonder where your sweet puppy has gone and who this dog has turned into. The big issues of aggression or reactivity have become too much to handle and this is usually when someone like myself is called to help.


An aggressive and 'reactive' dog lunges at the window of the door and bears his teeth, as a dog trainer approaches for a private dog training session, exhibiting territorial aggression.
An aggressive and 'reactive' dog lunges at the window of the door and bears his teeth, as a dog trainer approaches for a private dog training session, exhibiting territorial aggression.

With our dog training, we want to give owners back the leadership role the dog has taken for itself.

 

With our dog training, we want to give owners back the leadership role the dog has taken for itself. We have taken an approach that understands how dogs actually communicate so we are bridging the gap between what they want and what we need from them. It starts with simple things like physically getting the dog to sit, umbilical training, lots of obstacles, and working a 3-minute sit stay. We give the owners wins over their dogs to reverse the pyramid effect of control the dog feels it has over the household. Usually within the first 5 days, the dogs will have a bit of a meltdown with the new rules, but after that, they are visibly excited to see what the owner has in store for them. The dog begins paying attention to where the owner is moving and is more willing to do things to please the owner for physical praise—the way dogs communicate.



A white doodle dog, Keela, sits and stays on an obstacle, wearing a glow collar during an evening dog training class in Vancouver.
A white doodle dog, Keela, sits and stays on an obstacle, wearing a glow collar during an evening dog training class in Vancouver.

Four dogs sit and stay on large rocks in a Vancouver rainforest during an outdoor dog training class.
Four dogs sit and stay on large rocks in a Vancouver rainforest during an outdoor dog training class.

 

If you want to create a lasting bond with your dog that will make you proud to leave your house to show off your dog’s well-behaved manners, please email us! Vancouver/Burnaby dog training classes take place every Wednesday at 6:30 pm and Saturday at 8:00 am. Surrey/New Westminster classes take place every Monday and Thursday at 6:30 pm.



About the Author

Lexie Bargen is alumni of the Hustle Up Dog Trainer Course, taken at the Hustle Up Dog Trainer Academy. She is a Certified Dog Trainer Educator (CTE), Search & Locate Instructor and dog training class instructor in Vancouver, Surrey, & New Westminster, B.C. and owner and operator of Lex Trains Dogs.

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