Manage Your Expectations

It’s great when my clients are keen to train with their dogs. However, sometimes, we reach a point that is far as their dog is going to go. It may sound harsh but it’s no fun for the owner or the dog if you are trying to go somewhere with your training that’s just not achievable.

I am currently training a client who has a Golden Retriever. They are doing really well and my client wants to go on to train the dog up to work on a shoot. However, his partner does not. This is a case of managing expectations. Does he really want to implement such a strict training regime with no chance of putting that training into practice? Sometimes it’s better to settle for a really well behaved dog.

Another example is a rescue Lurcher that I have been training. We have made some really great progress but the owner just wants to keep going. Realistically, there is nowhere else for us to go. The dog has achieved remarkable things from when I first saw it, just be happy with that.

If you buy a working dog breed but don’t intend to work your dog, it’s great to do some gundog training, Just accept that there is a level you will achieve and there is no further to go without actually working your dog. Enjoy the training journey and your life with your dog beyond training.

Posted: August 7, 2021