Why I CAN'T work with everyone who reaches out to me

I get a lot of inquiries from clients who are seeking answers, solutions, and understanding of why their dogs are acting in certain ways, showing aggression, having severe anxiety, or are just generally not well-behaved. While some of these issues may be genetic, most of them can be addressed and improved through training. However, the key factor that determines whether I can work with someone is their willingness and ability to change themselves.

In order to make significant changes in a dog's behavior, it is crucial to get the humans involved to recognize their own role in the situation. Often, we humans unknowingly contribute to the problems with our dogs, and when combined with the dog's genetic predispositions, it can lead to undesirable outcomes. Therefore, to bring about effective change in a dog, it is essential for the humans to acknowledge where they have gone wrong and how their current interactions with their dogs are reinforcing and exacerbating the problematic behaviors.

Unfortunately, not everyone is willing to accept responsibility for their dog's actions or make the necessary changes in their own behavior. Some individuals refuse to acknowledge their role in the situation, preferring to believe that their dog's behavior is beyond their control or that it should not be altered. When I hold people accountable for their behaviors, such as mindlessly playing fetch without considering the consequences, they often respond with statements like, "But he enjoys it!" While it is true that dogs have natural instincts to chase and catch, allowing a dog to indulge in these behaviors without any controls or leadership can lead to further problems.

To effect meaningful change, you must be willing to change your own actions. It may require making yourself and your dog uncomfortable at times, and I will hold you accountable throughout the process. If you are seeking someone who will only provide positive reinforcement without addressing the underlying issues, then I am not the right fit for you. I am here to give you the truth and provide a comprehensive approach to solving the problems you and your dog are facing. However, if you are unwilling to change and simply want a quick fix without addressing the root causes, then I am unable to work with you.

Working with dogs and their owners is a collaborative effort that requires a commitment to growth, learning, and change. I have a responsibility to the dogs and to their well-being, and that includes ensuring that their owners are willing to make the necessary adjustments. Therefore, I carefully select the clients I work with based on their openness to change and their commitment to the long-term well-being of their dogs. This is why I cannot work with everyone who contacts me.

Why Is Professional Dog Training Important?

If you have furry family members, you know their behavior impacts your household as much or more than your partner and kids. Your dog needs to be able to live in your home comfortably, safely, and happily, and one of the best ways to accomplish this important goal is through professional dog training.

A professional dog trainer helps you understand your dog better and keeps you accountable for your role in your dog’s behavior and doing what is best for them. Here, we take a closer look at why having your dogs professionally trained could be the most important thing you do for your fur babies.

Give Your Dog Its Best Life

Professional dog training helps your dog understand which behaviors are acceptable and desired and which are not. Teaching your dog proper boundaries and socialization allows them to share more of your life and have more positive experiences.

For example, well-behaved dogs can generally have more freedom in the house and come on more outings with you and your family. While an out-of-control or anxious dog doesn’t make for fun family trips or long walks in nature, a trained dog that understands boundaries can get out into the world more and join you for more adventures—allowing you to give your fur baby their best life.

Better Understand Your Pup

Dogs, like humans, can be complex creatures. They have a particular social pack order and understanding of the world. Professional dog training helps you not just correct or modify your dog’s behavior but truly understand it. This understanding gives you the appropriate context for making behavioral modifications or requesting different behavior from your dog.

Working with a professional dog trainer helps you gain more experience and knowledge about your dog and can even help you with your future dogs. Understanding your dog’s behavior and how to work with them allows you to make positive changes that will result in a happier life for both you and your four-legged friend.

Keep Your Fur Baby Safe

Professional dog training is about more than having a dog who’s a model citizen. It’s about keeping your fur baby safe and out of trouble. Getting your puppy, adolescent, or adult dog trained can make them safer for you and your family to be around at home, outside or around neighbors, or even at a busy restaurant while you’re enjoying dinner.

Working with a professional to train your dog can:

• Help your dog feel more safe and secure since they know what is expected of them.

• Reduce your dog’s stress and anxiety.

• Channel your dog’s energy into focusing on tasks and commands.

• Improve your dog’s social skills and reduce reactivity around other animals or people.

• Build a stronger bond between you and your pup.

• Minimize the risk of harm by teaching your dog to come to you when called or stop a harmful behavior.

• Make vet visits, grooming appointments, and vacations easier. 

Are You Ready to Invest in Your Dog’s Future?

Whether you’re a first-time pet parent or have had dogs for years, it’s never too late to get started with professional dog training. If you’re ready to invest in your dog’s best and brightest future, contact Nova Pack Dog Training to ask a question, schedule an in-home evaluation, or learn more about our training process.

You Can’t Medicate Your Way Out Of A Behavior Problem

Behavior problems with dogs aren't anything new, but the treatments today are. Veterinarians, groomers, pet store employees, friends, family, and neighbors will tell you "how well-behaved" their dog is since they put them on medications to stop them from being an untrained dog. While medications can help MANAGE certain behavioral issues, it's important to understand their limitations and potential side effects.

There are several types of medications commonly prescribed to dogs for behavior problems, including:

Antidepressants: These medications are used to MANAGE anxiety, fear, and other related behaviors in dogs. Examples of commonly prescribed antidepressants for dogs include fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft), and clomipramine (Clomicalm). These medications work by regulating the levels of certain chemicals in the brain that affect mood and behavior.

Anti-anxiety medications: These medications are prescribed to reduce anxiety in dogs and can be beneficial in cases of separation anxiety, noise phobias, or generalized anxiety disorders. Examples include benzodiazepines like diazepam (Valium) and alprazolam (Xanax) or tricyclic antidepressants like amitriptyline (Elavil).

Sedatives: Sedatives are used to calm dogs in specific situations or for short-term use. They are often prescribed to MANAGE situational anxieties such as travel or veterinary visits. Commonly used sedatives for dogs include acepromazine, dexmedetomidine (Sileo), and trazodone.

Behavior-modifying drugs: These medications target specific behaviors and can be used in conjunction with behavior modification training. For example, medications like clonidine and buspirone are sometimes used to address certain types of aggression or hyperactivity in dogs.

But the issue isn't the medications themselves; it's the fact, and I do mean fact, that just like the old school training methods of decades ago, the pills, tablets, injections are just suppressing the problems, not addressing them.

We have this idea as human beings that we can take a pill and feel better instantly, which in the case of a headache could be true. Although when it comes to something like depression, a pill alone won't do the trick. You need to do a lot of work with a professional who knows what you're dealing with, how to address it correctly, when medication can help, as well as when the risk of adding an anti-anxiety medication could be a fatal mistake.

When it comes to us, we can understand that a pill will make you feel weird, different, better, or worse for periods of time, dogs simply can't. They have no way of knowing why suddenly they feel funny, drunk almost, and sometimes that can lead to the dog biting more randomly, and more severely when the issue of fear, aggression, defensiveness is just medicated.

I am not a proponent of medicating dogs for behavior problems at all, but I am not a veterinarian. Do some dogs I see benefit, sure, to some extent, but I haven't seen a fearful biter or a forward aggressive dog look worse when no medication is given, and the dog is given clarity in their lives, rules, boundaries, and building upon the relationship with their humans having mutual trust and respect.

If you and your veterinarian have already put your dog on medication, I am not saying to just stop giving it; that can be very dangerous to go cold turkey. But if that solution works well enough for you, stay the course. I'm just giving my opinion based on experience with many dogs, having worked with trainers and behaviorists who trained dogs for decades, who never had the option of medications and never needed them anyway. Train the dog, learn why they have the issues they have, whether it’s genetic, or learned behaviors, and improve yourself to help the dog get better.

The Importance Of Telling Your Dog Trainer EVERYTHING About Your Relationship With Your Dog

Dogs are considered to be a man's best friend for a reason. They are loyal, friendly, and always ready to please their owners. However, owning a dog comes with its own set of responsibilities, and one of the most important ones is training them properly. A dog trainer can help you achieve this goal, but it is essential to be completely honest with them about your relationship with your dog.

When you bring your dog to a trainer, it is important to share all the information you have about them. This includes their temperament, history, habits, and any behavioral issues they may have. The more your trainer knows about your dog, the better they can tailor their training approach to suit your pet's individual needs.

Here are some reasons why it is crucial to tell your dog trainer everything about your relationship with your dog:

Helps your trainer understand your dog's behavior

Every dog has its own unique personality, and it is important for your trainer to know what makes your dog tick. By sharing information about your dog's likes, dislikes, and past experiences, your trainer can understand their behavior better. This will help them tailor their training approach to suit your dog's personality and improve their training outcomes.

Aids in diagnosing any behavioral issues

If your dog is exhibiting any behavioral issues, it is crucial to inform your trainer about them. Aggression, separation anxiety, and destructive chewing are just a few examples of common problems that dogs may face. By being completely honest with your trainer, they can diagnose the root cause of the issue and work on a customized training plan to address it.

Helps build a trusting relationship with your dog trainer

Trust is an essential component of any training relationship. When you are open and honest with your dog trainer, it helps to build a level of trust between you, your trainer, and your dog. This trust is essential for successful training outcomes as your dog needs to feel comfortable and safe with their trainer.

Allows for better communication between you and your trainer

Effective communication is key to successful training. By sharing all the relevant information about your dog with your trainer, you enable them to understand your expectations and goals for training. This helps to ensure that you and your trainer are on the same page and working towards the same outcomes.

In conclusion, owning a dog is a huge responsibility, and training them is an essential part of that responsibility. It is important to be completely honest with your dog trainer about your relationship with your dog, including any behavioral issues they may have. This will help your trainer tailor their approach to your dog's unique personality and ensure successful training outcomes. By working together, you and your trainer can create a happier and healthier relationship with your furry friend.