January Goals-A Wonderful Journey
There’s something so invigorating when we declare a new goal, and what better time than a new year when we leave the past year behind us, looking forward to new stuff that we think will be way different this year than last.
We set goals, to lose weight, start a new career, learn how to play the piano or learn a new language, in the event we need to permanently move to a foreign country or at least for the next 4 years!
As I look back on so many new goals that I’ve set, I also realized that while I have followed through on some, other goals seem to stay on my never ending to do list such as organize that #$%^& guest closet so the few friends I entertain have a place to hang their coats!
So what does this depressing issue have to do with dog training? As always, I will digress…
It seems there are certain times of the year when there’s a big public push to do something extraordinary. To name a few, we feed needy families in November for Thanksgiving; we have a Toy Drive in December for Christmas and January is National Blood Drive Month. For those who don’t know, January is also National Train Your Dog Month to raise awareness about training and socializing dogs.
The thing about having a particular month dedicated to being charitable or goal setting, is that it gives the impression that this is a one and done feel good cause. But in reality, people are hungry every month and we need blood available all year. Toys for a poor or sick child boosts their spirits even when it’s not a holiday, and training your dog, well let me tell you, this is a commitment until they get married and leave the nest.
Joking aside, the modern trainers who take a “Do no harm” approach have moved beyond just fundamental training and have come to embrace what the newest research has shown and that is our dogs, similar to a human toddler, are capable of learning much more than just manners. Dogs, like young children, can actually learn how to count, distinguish colors that their vision allows, pick out a new object that is placed among several known items without ever having heard the name for the new object, and they can learn how to copy us! These are but a few of the things that we need to see beyond just training, and instead see them for the extraordinary sentient beings they are.
As I digress once more, Benjamin Spock was a pediatrician who went against the status quo for raising children. His book, Baby and Child Care, written almost 80 years ago, encouraged parents to be affectionate, more flexible with their children and to recognize them as individuals. His ideas at the time were considered out of touch with mainstream ideas, compared to other experts who recommended not to pick up a crying baby because it would encourage more crying, not to hug them because this would not prepare them to be strong and independent individuals! Fortunately, millions of his books were read and Dr. Spock’s ideas helped to bring about major change in child rearing.
The dog training industry appears to be at a similar crossroads, with mainstream being out of touch with science, and advocating for punishment based methods. This, unsurprisingly, has left the average pet guardian not knowing who to believe. Frankly, I don’t know why this isn’t an easy choice to be an advocate for your dog. Unlike a child that often has other positive influences in their life, so even if the parents lack skills or compassion, sometimes a friend’s parents, a teacher, clergy or best friend can provide security and a positive role model. Our dogs, on the other hand have only the owner, and that doesn’t always work out for the dog, based on the number of dogs being abused, abandoned and or euthanized in overcrowded shelters.
We have an opportunity these days, to rethink how we treat our wonderful companion animals. This takes a much bigger view than setting just a training goal, because regardless of their breed or breed mix, this is an individual with strong emotions and preferences for certain activities as well as avoiding things that they don’t care for, and that’s okay. You can look for things they like to do such as unpacking food-stuffed puzzles at mealtime, as well as doing things together, even if it’s only making their walks to different places an exciting event.
Dogs need their health, nutritional, social, emotional, physical needs met, and if this sounds complicated, remember this is what you’d do do for a child.
As I remember our beloved dog, Dixie who my dad brought home from the shelter when I was only 5 years old, we treated her like family; brought her on vacations and when that wasn’t possible, she stayed with my grandparents.
My parents may not have know much about nutrition, but in addition to the dog food that was available at the time, they added fruit and vegetables to her meals, for variety.
By the way, when my mom witnessed our dog bite the neighbor kid when he tried choking Dixie, Mom didn’t re-home or euthanize her, she instead took the kid to his parents, adding a few choice words, if he ever tried that again!
No, Dixie was not particularly well trained, but knowing what I know now, I can tell you that this incredible dog, having been raised like a family member, had the kind of street smarts that not only alerted my parents when our 4 year old house guest awoke in the middle of the night and walked out, but Dixie also located the missing boy!
Raising dogs is so much more than the end goal of just training them in January or any month. As I reflect on the amazing dogs that have come into my life, it is the wonderful journey with them that I will cherish, and that’s a goal worth setting!
HAPPY TRAINING & ENRICHMENT
© Fran Berry CPDT-KA, UW-AAB all rights reserved 2025
