Many times, when people think about getting a dog, they already have an idea of their life with that dog. Some of these expectations may be realistic such as obedience goals, while other goals the dog may not be able to achieve. Every dog comes with some instincts and behaviors unique to that dog. In training we need to work towards a goal within the limits the dog can achieve. Specific expectations for behavior and characteristics are hard to predetermine in a puppy who has yet to show their full personality.
One of my dogs, Dante, is a lab husky mix rescued at 7 months old. He is a great dog but has an extremely high prey drive. A goal of having him be an off-leash dog would be a completely unrealistic expectation on my part. His prey drive is so high that it overpowers any cues I might try to give him, trying to go off leash would set him up for failure or worse. The use of an e-collar to train for off-leash is not worth the punishment it gives. The expectation that he will walk well on leash, and not pull or react when he sees animals was the realistic goal. With proper training Dante now walks great on leash and does not pull when he walks. He will not try to pull after animals when he spots them. When I stop to talk to someone he automatically sits or lays down. When I am ready to continue walking, I give the cue “let’s go” and he gets up and walks with me. Walking him is incredibly enjoyable for me, and he loves walking on a trail or greenway. All of this training was accomplished with positive reinforcement. He knows the cues to wait, cross the street, and go right or left if we are jogging. He may not get to go off-leash, but the trade off is that I take him on lots of trails and different places because he is trained so well on leash.
Sometimes we need to think about how we train for the behaviors we want and what is possible for a dog to achieve. Your dog and you will both be happier training in a positive way and reaching goals together. I think back to when I adopted my Rottweiler. I was doing a lot of agility work with my other dogs at the time. My rottie came to me with one eye and was diagnosed with hip and elbow dysplasia just after he turned a year old. The vet said that he would never be able to do agility work (like that might change my mind about him in some way). That was not even my concern at the time. I was able to teach him scent training which he loves. I found myself learning something new to enrich his life and give him a job he could do. Years later I still love scent work, and now train other dogs to do this. Remember that if your dog may not be able to do something you had hoped, there will be talent you can bond over, even if that’s just being an expert cuddler!
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