There’s no doubt that dogs enhance our lives. They’re wonderful companions who bring smiles, laughter, and unconditional love. Dogs are also embarrassing.
Anyone who’s had a dog has had moments. The time your boss comes over for dinner and your dog greets them with a crotch sniff. Or you’re talking with your next door neighbor over the backyard fence and your dog won’t stop growling at them. Or you’re in obedience class and your dog decides it’s time to poop.
It happens to everyone
Actors are advised never to work with children or dogs. There’s a reason for that. Both are unaware of social nuances. And if they do know, they don’t care. Their reactions are honest and real. And, at times, make you want the ground to open up and swallow you.
The nice thing about being involved in dog sports is that everyone, to a person, is in the same situation. Whatever awful, embarrassing thing your dog does, everybody else there has “been there, done that.” Your peers aren’t judging. They’re sympathizing.
And the general populace may not identify with you, but they will find it cute or funny. No one blames the owner for the silly or disgusting behavior of their dogs. Most people find it aww-worthy watching a dog rolling around on its back in the park. You’re the only one who knows they found something gross and will get a bath the minute you get home.
Get some perspective
We see it most often in our training classes. Most people want their dogs to behave nicely in public. When we come over to talk to someone and their dog jumps on us, they always apologize and try to get their dogs to behave.
That’s silly. If their dogs knew how to behave, they wouldn’t be in class. We even had a case where the person thought their dog was too naughty to come to class. That’s not possible.
Dog training classes are there to help you communicate with your dog. They might still decide their private parts need a thorough cleaning while your mother-in-law is over, but they may not jump on her and knock her over.
Start playing training games
We’re in the middle of a seven-part series of fundamental dog training games on 2-Minute-Trainer. We named it that because that’s how long you should play the games. Just a few minutes a day can make a world of difference.
Dogs are never completely predictable. But you can prepare for some of the common naughtiness by having alternative behaviors. If your dog’s been taught to “Sit!” whenever someone comes in, then crotches go unexplored. Grandma won’t get bowled over. And you can relax a little bit. Until your dog goes flying through the house with the toilet paper roll streaming out behind them.
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