My Canine Awakening: How My Reactive Dog Shattered My Preconceptions of Dog Ownership

Before getting a dog, I thought I had a pretty good idea about all there was to know about dog ownership. However, all of that changed when I became the owner of a reactive dog.

I used to be an asshole.

I didn’t mean to be. I thought I was doing what I was supposed to be doing.

I felt entitled and it made me defensive.

Now, I know better and have repented for my sins with thousands of dollars invested in dog training.

Now, I train dogs dog owners for a living and write about what not to do in hopes of preventing well-intentioned assholes like I once was from leaving the house with their untamed dogs.

I was one of those dog owners who allowed their dog off-leash or allowed my dog to greet other dogs despite a lack of reliable recall and a dog who had a penchant for lunging at other dogs who had the audacity to exist.

After far too many rude encounters with other dogs, I started to realize that maybe this wasn’t actually working out so great. I felt like shit every time my dog sank her teeth into yet another dog at the park and certainly didn’t like being yelled at by the owner.

I’m the problem, it’s me.

I finally learned my lesson during an embarrassing encounter on my local trails.

Sixteen miles into an 18-mile run, Sora and I came upon a group of senior birders on a single track trail. Sora, with plenty of energy reserves, was off leash and I was out of treats, useless in her eyes.

Two of the people in the group had dogs. The first dog, prancing merrily alongside her human, was unsuspecting of Sora’s apparent rage. My beloved dog went in for the lunge and attacked, completely unprovoked.

An echo of horrified shrieks rang through the birding group.

Sora spotted the second dog and made the same move.

The shrieks returned, along with several choice words about my rude off-leash dog.

I never let her off leash like that again and I still cringe when I recall that moment because I knew it was unfair to have my dog off-leash, especially since the trail required leashes.

I did it because so many other dog owners do the same, which led me to believe that it was ok.

Do You, Not What Everyone Else is Doing

Don’t be like me and train your dog the way you’re supposed to because that’s what everyone else says to do. Or do the activities with them that you’re supposed to do because that’s what everyone else does with their dog. Don’t risk a bite to a dog or a person just because you think your dog should be more friendly.

What everyone else does with their dog because they see that’s what other people do with their dogs isn’t generally the way to go about dog ownership.

I’ve been there, tried it, and failed miserably.

I put my dog in situations that I should not have. I took her to the dog park and hoped that this time, she’d get along with the other dogs. I thought that dogs needed dog friends because why else would dog parks exist?

I put other people and dogs in potentially dangerous situations by allowing them to pet her even though I held my breath each and every time, praying that she wouldn’t bite.

I was a poor leader and advocate for my dog. I allowed other dogs into her space, even though she was leash reactive.

My dog didn’t trust that I could keep her safe, so she acted accordingly to do my job.

I did all of this because it’s what I thought I was supposed to do.

Fuck supposed to. Fuck what everyone else is doing.

It doesn’t work, and now that I’ve become a dog trainer, I know that most other dog owners are struggling with their dogs just the same as I was because they are doing what they think they’re supposed to be doing.

I’m not here to shame you (I’ve been that dog owner, remember. I’ll repeat that over and over) I’m here to show you that you don’t have to follow the herd.

The whole point of me writing this newsletter is so that you can become, well, an enlightened dog owner. I want to teach you the things that I didn’t know in the beginning so that you and your dog can live your best lives together, starting today.

Your dog will thank you for it.

You can thank me by sharing this newsletter with a fellow struggling dog owner.