When The Client Knows Best

You may remember my blog about Finigan, the unruly Irish Red Setter. One of the key problems with Finigan was him rearing up and lunging at other dogs. I advised that the owners get rid of all the paraphernalia used to control the dog and change to a simple slip lead. I have demonstrated with the dog how effective this can be.

You can imagine how disappointed I was to see Finigan exited the vehicle at his latest lesson with a halti and a lead clipped his collar. While the client spoke to me, he was continually jumping and pulling. This behaviour was rewarded with strokes and kind words when he eventually sat down.

I decided on a different approach. We went into the training fields while I threw dummies out for my dog. I ignored Finigan as he pulled towards my dog from his owner. Eventually, she asked what I was going to do. I calmly took the dog and put him on a slip lead. I continued to work Islay while he sat perfectly by my side on a loose lead attached only to my little finger.

As with so many dogs I see, the problem is not the dog, it’s the owner. If you think you know best, then you don’t need training. It’s a waste of everyone’s time. If you want to take the advice of someone who has been training dogs for decades, I’d love to work with you.

Posted: December 1, 2020