Dog controversy

I follow a lot a blog post and people on social media. I found in the Dog world there’s a whole lot of controversy. When I really got into studying dogs and trying to be a better dog owner. I started watching television shows, documentaries, following podcasts, reading books and of course, taking my canine specialist course.

I found very quickly when it comes to training there’s many different schools of thought. Positive training, balance training, aversive training. There are people who admire well-known dog trainers in the media and there’s people who despise those same trainers.unfortunately on some things you have to decide where you stand and it’s okay to say you’re not sure and to do further research on your own. It’s very important to follow your own compass, and figure out what you want for yourself and your dogs and, to remember just because something works for you and your dogs, does not mean it’s going to work for everyone. I also understand it’s not always my Choice and my opinion when it comes to someone else and their dogs really does not matter. I try to follow the positive training methods and they work for the most part for me and my dogs.

I have looked into Balance training. I follow podcasts of people who do balance training. I have found it really does not look like something I would want to do personally. I respect people who do it and understand sometimes it is necessary. In fact I believe that my obedience class that I participate in in my neighborhood, offers Balance training for people who are finding issues with positive training. Basically the obedience trainers do what works for the family which I feel is the most important thing in dog training.for doing something that is a training method that’s well respected. As far as other controversial issues there is one that I am doing that a lot of people find fault with. I have a couple of dogs on medication. When I first mentioned it to someone who was studying to be a dog trainer she told me medication was not right. It made Dog zombies and she did not agree with it. She basically told me I would need to rehome my dogs rather than put them on medication. The thing is I do think we live in a overmedicated society and people rely on medication too much. I’m not saying medication is not necessary, I think we live in a society that relies on it too heavily. Medication is the cure for everything. So, I took the idea of putting my dogs on medication very seriously. Given correctly. Of course you have your veterinarians support behind you when you make the decision to try medication and you need to make sure your dogs are in good health and rule out all health issues medical issues or other problems before you go to the medication route. I did all of those things. I tried other things in conjunction with medication such as obedience training and I would like to get her in agility. I saw a major difference within a couple of months of putting her on medication. Major improvements with training and socially. Also the bond between her and I got so much stronger. My second dog that I put on medication has been in my home over three years. Her separation anxiety was getting worse. She was destroying property getting out of crates escaping any sort of boundary messing up doors things like that and finally I decided after careful reflection to put her on medication. Her medication has just started and she’s only been on it for one month but I am seeing small improvements I do not think this separation anxiety is nearly as bad and I hope to see it dissipating along the journey. Within their budget, and limitations. I didn’t understand that but I also found last year I started eating healthy losing weight exercising and I guess that just project it onto my dogs. There are other things such as rawhide that people have arguments about in the Dog world. I have used Dog rawhide, in the past and never had a problem with it. I understand the horrors of it and I try to avoid it now but it’s not some thing I get really worked up about like some people do. I get worked up about seeing dogs living on chains. That really frustrates me I don’t understand why people would get a dog just to keep it outside tied to a tree or a steak all the time. Never bringing it in. Basically having a yard dog or a porch dog or some such nonsense as that. I feel like dogs are meant to be companions I understand dogs like to have jobs and I’m not saying they can’t have jobs. I feel like they can be a member of the family and have a job just like a person does. Having a job does not mean they have to be treated like some wild animal or indentured servant. They can be a member of the family and still do their job. There are some things that I understand you have to have boundaries. Such a service dogs. They have to have rules, regulations, and a certain conduct as well as they have to be treated in specific ways. They do not live out on chains or stay on the porch. They have their jobs and are still a member of the family.

The last controversal issues that I feel strongly about is people who have big traveling ability and money to do something like that then of course if it’s possible then do it but as for everyone else breeders might be a good source of getting a dog. Anyway, these big breeders who have large properties and large amounts of dogs. They keep the dogs outside all day and then put them in a crate at night. So these dogs are not exposed to home life. Yes they have veterinary in cara water food their coats are taken care of and all their needs are met perfectly. Yet these dogs are not socialized. Then when they get too old to breed and need to be retired they talk about putting them in nice pet homes which is great but these dogs don’t know how to be a pet. If you’re planning to do something like this you need to socialize the dog and treat it like a pet. I have gotten several of these breeder moms and as far as physical care they had been taken care of. But socially they did not know how to be a pet. They did not know how to live in a home. They knew a crate in a yard. They didn’t understand home life and being a member of the family and being expected to interact with someone. That was extremely hard and foreign to them and I feel like it’s a disturbist to these dogs. Yes you want them to be pet and to have the life they deserve. One breeder said to me I want them to curl up on someone’s couch and watch television. Options , First socialize these dogs hire help if you have to or scale back your breathing to only have enough dogs that you can socialize. Yes The puppies are socialized OK the Mom‘s need to be socialized as well or they need to keep these moms forever. I’m not speaking of puppy mills. Never get a dog from a puppy mill. Puppy mills are terrible rotten places. In someways I guess these moms are sort of like puppy mill survivors on a smaller scale, but I do believe there is a difference between responsible reading and a puppy mill. I also think there is a difference between these people who don’t really there is a difference between a responsible breeder and a puppy mill. I also think that sometimes we all make mistakes with our dogs because of lack of education or oversight. No one is the perfect dog owner and that’s important for everyone to remember.