Dogtalk: Which dog owner was right?

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Which dog owner was right?

Dear Jan,
I was out walking my young German Shepherd on a leash the other day in a park. A man with an off-leash German Shepherd was approaching, and his dog came running toward me and my dog in a very assertive way. I yelled at the dog to "Back off!" and the man got all offended, saying his dog was just trying to be sociable. I apologized, but I'm not sure I should have. Did I handle this situation correctly? I didn't want the dog to start a fight with my dog.
Tori

Dear Tori,
YOU were in the right, not the other guy. You had your dog on a leash (which was probably the law in the park) and you were concerned about your own and your dog's safety. It's your RESPONSIBILITY to take charge and head off any confrontation to protect your dog. Your actions were appropriate. Even if it had been a harmless looking golden retriever, it's still prudent to become the "aggressor" and let the approaching dog know his advances are unwelcome.

People are the cause of most dogs' inappropriate behaviors, and many of them are not as "trainable" as their own dogs are! You didn't need to apologize for defending yourself and your dog against the advances of a strange and assertive dog. The other owner should have apologized to you for letting his dog startle you, and for letting his dog run off-leash and away from him.
Jan

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Axiom Archive

Consistency = doing things the same way 100% of the time, with the eventual goal of achieving the same results 100% of the time.
Be consistent with what you allow your dog to do. Consistency = same thing 100% of the time. 99% is not good enough.
Before you give your dog a command, have a plan to enforce it without repeating it. If you can't enforce it without repeating, don't give the command.
Your dog can read your body language better than you can speak.
Before you can teach your dog anything, you must earn his respect.
The best trainer your dog will have ever had is its own mother.
A dog's destructive behaviors are caused by improper human management.
"Dog training" is actually about teaching people how to act around dogs.
The quality of a dog's "Sit" can tell you a lot about his state of mind.
Out of respect to your dog, learn his language.
Eye contact with your dog is like an invisible leash.
Leashes and collars are communication devices, not restraint devices.
If it would be impolite for a child to do it, it's impolite for your dog to do it.
Get your dog off unemployment and help him have some self respect.
Dogs don't love "loveable" leaders; they love strong leaders.
Your dog's behavior in your presence is a reflection of his relationship with you.
Your dog's respect for you must be earned; it can't be bought.
Never ask your dog to do frivolous or demeaning things that could cause him or her to question your judgment and fairness as a leader.
Words are a human invention; sounds are natural occurrences. Dogs respond to sounds, not words. Make sure your commands "sound" the same each time you give them.
When it comes to training, make the wrong behavior difficult and the right behavior easy (thank you, Ray Hunt!)
People who physically resemble their dogs are usually pretty well matched for each other.
Dog training is a never-ending journey. Forget the destination and enjoy the trip.
Teach your dog to think, not just react.
Training doesn't change your dog's personality; it merely brings out the best of it.
The pack leader LEADS on walks.
All dogs and kids need boundaries, rules & limitations.
Survival tips: Pay attention to your leaders, show respect to them, and learn to exercise self control.
Learning to be your dog's leader is 10 times harder than training your dog.
Any dog can be housebroken with the right training and guidance from a human.
Never use your official recall command (i.e., "Come" or "Here") to call the dog to something he doesn't like.

When you're about to issue a command, always ask the dog for the command that's easiest for him to do correctly and easiest for you to enforce. (Don't ask for a "sit" if a "down" will do. Don't ask for a "stay" if a "curb" will do.)
Your dog is more "human" than many people.
Listen to what your dog is saying to you.
Who rescued whom?

About Jan Manning

Life takes unexpected turns and leads us into work we were each meant to do. Jan never set out to make a meaningful career out of dogs. But 8,000 dogs later, Jan has established herself as one of the best dog behaviorists in the Pacific Northwest. Her understanding of dogs, and her ability to improve the dog/owner relationship, rivals that of any specialist in the world. Her approach most closely resembles that of Cesar Millan, "The Dog Whisperer," although she'd never heard of Cesar until a couple years ago. Jan has been "whispering" since 1993, refining her techniques over the many years and thousands of dogs.

Retiring, but not rusting

On Nov. 3, 2007, my husband Don closed the gunshop he'd owned in Yakima, Washington, for 30 years. Several months earlier, I'd sold my 15-year dog-training business. Don and I were setting our sails for RETIREMENT!

To commemorate the closing of Shooters Supply, which had been a Yakima icon for three decades, our good friend Phil Lamb presented my husband and me with a bottle of Glennfiditch Special Reserve and a few words of advice scribbled on a note card. He wrote, "Retire, but don't rust."

Wise words. Good advice. "Don't rust" is more than just a catchy phrase. I consider "not rusting" a moral obligation. None of us should ever really "retire" from using the skills, talents and gifts we've accumulated. We have a duty, a responsibility, a mission to use those skills to help others live better lives. That's a responsibility from which there is no retirement. Ever.

It took me a good 10 years to realize that I'd been led down the "dog-trainer career path" for that very reason. It's not so much about helping dogs as it is helping people to fully enjoy their dogs, which were put here on earth by God to bring us joy and pleasure. Dogs are one of God's purely fun, pleasurable gifts to us. They enrich our lives. They teach us patience and grace, self discipline and self control. They relieve our stress. They teach us to love and to accept love. They teach us humility and compassion. They make us better human beings, which is the ultimate challenge for all of us.

After many years in central Washington, Don and I are now living in a quiet, secluded Montana river valley. This blog will help me stay in touch with many of you I've met through the years, and hopefully many more I have yet to meet. Updates will happen at least every other week. Look for articles and insights on a variety of training and behavior challenges, plus some good information on nutrition and health. I'll also be reviewing new dog products, from toys to grooming devices.

In between blogging and playing outside in our Montana paradise, I plan to conduct some small group obedience classes in the local community on a strictly volunteer basis. I'll be available for professional consults (for a fee) on a VERY LIMITED basis. I would rather just "give back" to the dog community, while enjoying a bit more down-time than either my husband or I has had in the past 20-odd years.

Stay in touch. Feel free to forward this site, or refer others to it. I invite you to send me your questions on anything dog-related. If I can't answer it, I'll refer you to someone who can.

Now, let's go walk our dogs!

Dogtalk

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Which dog owner was right?

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Retiring, but not rusting