I'll be more positive next week, but this week I am presenting my pet peeves from twenty years in the competition dog world, as a competitor, instructor, and club member. (#1 is the one most likely to get me to walk up to the offender)
1) You are standing around talking with your dog on a leash. You finish talking and start to walk away. Nope, you don't give your poor dog any warning, he just gets his neck yanked on. Because you are mean.
2) Dogs that are perfect at home are rarely so in class. Do NOT tell me "he sits perfectly at home". You are not at home.
3) People who want me to train their dog, so he can be a perfectly behaved like mine. First, mine aren't perfect. Second, I train my dog. For about 10 minutes a day. Got ten minutes? I bet I am actually busier than you....and I have 10 minutes.
4) People who come to class with out-of-control dogs AND out-of-control kids. Look, you've already proven you can't train a child, what do you think I can do with you?
5) People who don't want to train with treats "because my dog will just come to expect them". I wish your employer would say they can no longer give you a paycheck for the same reason.
6) Folks new to dogs who are past the "everyone knows more than I do" stage and have moved into the "I know more than everyone else" stage. Guess what, there is always more to learn. And you might learn it from anyone, so quiet down and listen up.
7) Anyone who "evangelizes" their training method. This especially includes P+ trainers...lighten up...use some P+ methods on people instead of tearing into them because they haven't seen your light yet. Maybe you can teach them something. Maybe they can teach you something.
8) Perfection level obedience people. You know, I have never once been asked what my scores were. Only if we got the title. (for you non-obedience folks, that's like asking your kids "did you graduate" vs "what was your GPA". Come to think of it, I've never been asked what my GPA was, only my degree - a Master's.)
9) People who can't let their dog just be a dog.
10) People who are too serious to have fun with their dog.
11) People who won't let their dog in the house because he is dirty. Ever hear of a bathtub? Great invention. BTW, your kids are pretty dirty too, can I put them in the run when you bring them over?
12) People who get two puppies at the same time, from the same litter, "so they can be each other's buddies during the day", then complain to me that they are more bonded to each other than to humans. Gosh, wonder why.
13) People who get a new puppy, then go on vacation. Without the puppy. I have never understood this. A puppy is not like a purse, it's a commitment. Cancel the vacation. You can teach a dog every skill he will need to survive in a humans world in the first 8 weeks. Go on vacation, well, you have missed out on that magic window. And you wonder why your dog is the slow learner in the obedience class.
TT#4
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7 comments:
Great List!
We just loves dogs, unfortunately my daughter is terrified of them.
Your dog looks so peaceful and nice. Wish, We could find a dog like that for her and our boys.
Happy T13!
Great list!
What bugs me are people who constantly say, "I wish my dog behaved like yours does" but they won't even consider putting forth any effort to train their dog. Do they not realize that my dog and I have gone through extensive training?
Great list! Happy TT!
My dog is always much better behaved in training class than at home. He's such a show off.
I'm bothered by people who don't clean up after their dogs when walking them in public. How hard can it be? The hard part is getting the dog to poop outside; all you have to do is use a baggy to pick it up.
Happy TT!
This is a great list. Happy TT.
Great list. One question...is it ever too late to work on training a dog? I have let mine rule the roost so to speak and I would love to get some more control over them. I love them dearly and I take the blame for their sometimes unwelcomed behavior...but I would like to try if it is not too late
Oh my.......yes I understand Splash. I believe that the ease of life comes from training. My sidekick and I trained eachother from the beginning. I still lose my mind though when I want to greet someone and my sidekick wants me to wait. And she loses it when she sees other puppies and wants to hold them, totally forgetting that I am...and should always be enough for her. But we forgive eachother ...our short comings.
:)Peace, Haley
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