As a professional dog trainer I’m sometimes frustrated because I can only do so much to help dogs and their owners.

Most people look at the behavior problems their dogs have and they see it as a training issue.  In many cases they are right.  In many other cases, though, training is only a piece of solving the problem.

For example, I recently spoke with a gentleman whose dog had bit a child who was cutting through their yard.  The child was the one trespassing but it was still a behavior that was uncalled for.  The dog was securely behind a hidden fence but it was still a tragic event.

While I told him that training would definitely help the situation it may not be the only part of the answer.  You can train a dog all day long but if you aren’t home and a child trespasses on your yard there is nothing you can do at that moment to let the dog know he or she isn’t allowed to attack that child.

I’m also reminded of the client whose dog received some amazing training from our company.  The dog was highly obedient on and off leash, was respectful of commands, had good manners, and could be relied on to listen when commanded.

In spite of all this the dog chewed up the couch.  In diagnosing the problem it was determined that the owner did little to no supervising, didn’t get the dog exercise, and the dog didn’t get as much attention as she needed.  So in spite of excellent training the dog still had behavior problems.

This is where it gets frustrating.  As a trainer I want to solve any and every problem my clients have.  And when it comes to that I think we do a darn good job at fixing dog problems and making dog owners happy.  Where there is a struggle, though, is when the solution is part training part something else.  All the best training in the world won’t solve problems if dogs don’t get attention, adequate supervision, structure, schedules, exercise, fulfillment, and more.

When you hire us as a company know that you’ll be getting world class training.  Also know, though, that the training is only one piece of having the best trained dog possible.