K9 Commandos…NOT!
Just Google “Dog Training” and you’ll see a long list of places claiming to fix your problem dog. The choices can be overwhelming for the average pet parent, after all they have a dog that needs to be fixed, but have no clue who is capable of delivering results, so they have to go with a business image that speaks to the issue.
Without knowing much about the person or business, it’s the name that creates an impression. So if you have a “broken” dog, you need someone who can fix the problem, If you have a “bad” dog, you need someone who can break his bad habits. Names like K9 Commandos, Pack Leaders, Alpha Dog Training and such conjure images of militaristic protocols to whip your dog into shape. And for those of you who fall prey to the fear mongering in this industry, you are likely to close your mind and open your wallet in order to make a soldier out of your dog! After all, it is common knowledge that without a dominant leader, most dogs would murder the family in their sleep!
I will digress…Many years ago, my landlord took me to court for giving a 28 day notice to vacate my apartment instead of the 30 days, as was required by Wisconsin law. Having watched many TV crime shows, I knew that the only lawyer who could save me (from who knows what fate), was a Perry Mason type. Yes, I needed the big guns of a defense, but what I got was a geeky looking guy named Herbie Urkel, clearly not a member of Johnnie Chochran’s “Dream Team”. Fortunately, I didn’t need brawn because Mr. Urkel had brains, and while this trial lacked the high drama that makes for exciting TV shows, he won my case!
So what does this have to do with dog training businesses, you’re wondering? Since you’re reading this, you already know that my business name is GofidoGoodfido. You also may have noticed that the logo has cartoon dogs that are jumping through a hoop and rollerskating. Clearly, all this merriment cannot represent the seriousness of bad dog behavior, so why, when it would have been so much easier to join the ranks with names like K9 Commandos, SWAT Dogs or GI Joe-Joe, would I deliberately select a name and logo that represents fun and amusement? The answer simply is that I do not want to be associated with ANYTHING that sounds like I would use brawn over brain.
You see, we actually have research on dogs today, and while still in its infancy, it is fascinating to know that dogs can, count, learn human language, imitate, and read! Yes, READ! They have the abilities of a human toddler and for a species that is not human, these latest discoveries are nothing less than astounding!
I want my clients to learn the latest in what research has documented. I want a client who is interested enough to want to know how their dog thinks, so that rather feel the need to “Alpha roll” their poor pup, that they’d rather teach their dog how to communicate, and most importantly, learn how to create an enriching environment where their Fido thrives!
You see, if done right, modern force-free training is as exciting a watching paint dry, but the results are nothing short of a work of art!
The picture in this blog captures a session where the students and their dogs had a jolly good time, learning fun manners while moving around the room to the rhythm of holiday tunes. This Jingle Bell Rockers class was one of many in my Amusement Bark series. Serious fun, for sure, and not one dog was popped, socked or shocked! Although perhaps the clients may have been a little “shocked” that a training class could achieve results while being so much fun. And fun it should be because there is nothing to be gained by having an adversarial relationship with the human equalivent of a toddler!
Dogs are not soldiers to be whipped into shape, and earning should be fun for you and fun for Fido…K9 Commandos, they are not!
HAPPY HOLIDAYS, TRAINING & ENRICHMENT
© Fran Berry CPDT-KA, UW-AAB all rights reserved 2022
