Groovy Dog Trainer

I vaguely remember that day when I was a Junior in high school and the dress code ended. What I do recall so vividly was the following day when students, who just one day prior had been primly dressed, arrived to school leaving behind any traces of the early 60s simple and ordered lifestyle. Gone were women’s dresses that were hemmed just below the knee, as well as tailored men’s shirts with stiff collars and buttoned cuffs, and in their place were bell-bottom pants and tie-dyed shirts that either gender could easily wear. And I suspect that many hair straightening irons were tossed in the dumpster because I never so so many kids with wild curly manes, as I did that day!

Seemingly, in the blink of an eye, a counterculture emerged, raising their collective fists against the establishment, preaching social changes and protesting social injustices. The Age of Aquarius epitomized the new  movement, characterized by the now iconic hippie lifestyle.

Many, many years later, the word, “hippie” still conjures up images of Vietnam War protests, psychedelic symbols painted on Volkswagen Busses, the Woodstock Music Festival, weed, peace symbols and people living off the land, so to speak.

You’re probably wondering what this stroll down memory lane has to do with dog training, and as always, I will digress…

There are many definitions for the types of methods that dog trainers adhere to; in fact the Whole Dog Journal recently published an article titled Types of Dog Training which, in this unregulated industry, does not have a standard.

While I’m not going to go through each philosophy, mainly because they are variations on the same theme of using aversive methods, however, the definition of  “Force-Free” training speaks to me, as it is a “Do no harm” methodology, and there’s no hidden agenda. It basically says, that I’m not going to do anything to hurt your dog, or teach you how to hurt your dog!

A few weeks ago, I was asked by a local rescue to do a consultation for a couple who had enrolled into the foster to adopt program.

Like many humans, regardless of whether they’ve grown up with dogs or never had a dog, they still rely on their instincts to raise their dog, and if in doubt, a  consult  with “Dr. Google” will give answers which unfortunately, most people select that which is aligned with their own instincts. Instincts aren’t science, however, it usually won’t stop the human from using it, even if it doesn’t work.  Bad advice by the way, is reflected in other industries such as dog products, for example, dog crates. The sizing information is almost always way too small, for  the dog, and don’t even get me started on the rhetoric that talks about the crate being a den where dogs love to be.

Getting back to my story, I consulted with this couple, discussed the recent canine research, (which I find fascinating), explained that we no longer have to rely on outdated, painful, and dangerous dog-training methods, and then I demonstrated the fun, effortless, painless methods that are extremely effective and will enhance the human-hound bond, which I’d hoped  is what they’d want to have with their four-legged companion.

Apparently not, because they returned the dog after having her only a few days!

When I discussed with the rescue the couple’s reasons for returning the dog, I also mentioned that I would work with them if they reconsidered keeping this sweet pup. Her answer was hysterical. She said that they didn’t want to work with a “Granola Trainer”. At first I was stunned at the terminology, as I’ve never been referred to as “Granola” or the more retro version, “Hippie”, but suddenly I just got it…You see in our current climate of accepted ignorance, cruelty, and misinformation in the dog training industry, this couple saw me as some “Way out there, counterculture trainer going against the man”. And guess what, this is the highest compliment because I care deeply about the welfare of the dogs I work with. I care deeply that there’s not enough protection under the law to discourage animal cruelty, and I am a big advocate for change and getting more competent, licensed, science educated trainers, doing good for our dogs.

So thank you Mr. and Mrs. Old School, for at least recognizing that I’m NOT one of those other types of “dog-trainers”!

Perhaps I should change my business to Groovy Dog Training…Peace-out!

HAPPY TRAINING & ENRICHMENT

© Fran Berry CPDT-KA, UW-AAB all rights reserved 2023