Is Your Dog Perfect?

A well trained dog. What does that mean to you? I am a dog trainer by profession. I do not participate in competitions of any kind nor show my dogs in conformation.

When people find out I am a dog trainer, the next words are often "Your dogs must be perfect". Most people assume my dogs are "perfectly" trained.

What is "perfect"? How do you define it? In my opinion, there should be no perfect, especially in terms of dog training. Everyone has their own standards and expectations.

The expectations I have of my dogs are to come when called, respond to cues within a reasonable amount of time and to perform at the level to which they have been taught.

The truth is, my second dog has never been taught to walk politely on leash. I've just never taken the time to do it. Most of the time he is on a harness which attaches on the chest, or he is off leash.

Many people in my neighbourhood know I am a dog trainer. I sometimes want to carry a sign which says "I have never taught my dog to walk on leash - but I could if I wanted to". It's simply not a priority to me.

A bigger priority for me is off leash control. That's where I put my time in, and it has paid off. It's not "perfect" but it's pretty awesome. I spent lots of time with my Beardie working on recalls, a good response to name, using play as a reward (because that's what he loves), teaching him that being with me is great and teaching numerous signals which mean "come back".

Every client I have or have had wants their dog to come when called. It's one of the first requests during a puppy visit. People want results fast.

The awesome recall I have with my Beardie took close to 2 years to teach and it's something we work on regularly (he's 3.5). It's by no means a "perfect" recall in every situation and I don't expect it ever will be.

I think many people don't realize that training is an ongoing process. It's never static. I admit I get frustrated when people want their dog to do various behaviours such as stay when children are running, when the basics have yet to be taught. Expectations are so very high for dogs. It's not fair to the dog nor to the person, to ask for a skill which has yet to be learned.

I guess the point of this blog is simply to ask that people figure out what they expect from their dog as an adult and realize that training takes time and patience and to not expect perfection. Guide your puppy to adulthood, forgive mistakes and realize there is no such thing as perfection.

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