I was recently reading The Secret History of Kindness by Melissa Holbrook Pierson, a book which examines how more animal-friendly methods like clicker training became prominent in various sectors of the training world. It mixes history, science, opinion and anecdotes about the author’s own dogs.
While I sometimes disagreed with her interpretations and analysis, one section perfectly hit on a MAJOR struggle I encounter daily with dog owners, particularly very smart dog owners.
Why Smart People Often Struggle With Dog Training
The author, after taking a deep dive into all the most prominent books and seminars on dog training, found herself not with endless afternoons of Lassie-like bliss but rather “feeling defeated, looking failure in the eyes…”
More specifically (bold emphasis is mine):
“Having spent a few years attempting rudimentary clicker training with two dogs, advancing bit by bit into reading… conversing with friends both online and in real time, I now felt exactly as I did when I started to write a book: about to drown… The finish line pulled away faster than I could advance on it. Despair was always the result… it felt a little more life-or-death-ish: it was not just intellectually painful; the impasse meant I was unable to figure out how to train my dog to live in the society of humans.”
What she’s experiencing, what many of you have likely experienced, what I experienced when I first entered the dog world, is OVERWHELM.
Finding the Best Dog Training Approach
There is so much information out there. So, so much.
Much of it is good intentioned. Much of it is wrong. All of it is insufficient alone. In some ways, the Internet is the worst thing to ever happen to smart people.
It’s easy for the promise of additional knowledge to overshadow the need for focused action.
Then…
When the reading is not enough, we are tempted to blame ourselves: Too busy. Too scatterbrained. Unable to focus. Maybe we’re just misunderstanding. After all, they’re published experts.
The problem is not too little information.
The problem is that staring at a training protocol from start to finish is too much to take in at once, even for trained professionals.
Far better is to first focus on one or two doable steps.
By rushing ahead, we end up falling farther behind.
Finding a Better Dog Training Approach
It’s not the problems that are too big, it’s that we haven’t yet made the steps manageable.
I’ll never scold anyone for reading a book or a reputable website. I read as many as I can and consider it essential to my wellbeing. But I’ve also learned the hard way that this alone doesn’t solve significant problems. Pushing ourselves deeper into OVERWHELM can make things worse.
Instead:
Take a step back.
Write down three things you can do RIGHT NOW to improve the issues with your dog.
Things that are obtainable. Don’t put down “train agility” if you have little interest in dog sports (no shame, not my specialty either). Don’t write “off-leash hike” if the dog won’t yet listen on a quiet street. Even things like “teach obedience” are too broad. It’s great to have motivating goals, but they can’t replace these more concrete essential first steps. These need to be attainable actions that you can check off at the end of the day.
Get simple. Get specific. Get consistent. Find things you can build upon.
Dog Training Solutions
What should these be?
That depends on your dog, your lifestyle and your goals. I’m not here to bully you into one specific method or to say you’re an inadequate owner if your dog doesn’t do ONE KEY TEST THAT WILL DETERMINE YOUR ENTIRE RELATIONSHIP AND PERHAPS WORTHINESS AS A HUMAN BEING AND LEADER AND PARENT!
But if you haven’t yet figured out these first steps, you’re going to run into more frustration and overwhelm. You won’t enjoy the journey.
And life’s too short to not enjoy the journey.
Fresno Dog Training Opportunities
If you need help figuring out where to focus your attention, this is where a professional can come in. If you’re feeling discouraged, that’s a sign that you care and you’re trying and you’re not that far from the right path. If you’re ready to transform this overwhelm into enviable confidence, send us a note below and let’s get you started.
Nate Hess is a dog behavior specialist and the owner of Dogspring Training, LLC., which provides comprehensive dog training and behavior services in Fresno and Clovis, California. He is a graduate of Stanford University, a member of the International Association of Animal Behavioral Consultants (IAABC), and an evaluator for the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) and S.T.A.R. Puppy programs. He lives in Clovis, CA, with his wife, Elaine, and some lovely dogs.