06/26/2025
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 (𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲) 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐲 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐃𝐨𝐠 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐫
a light-hearted guide full of very real pain
We adore your dogs. We even adore you.
But if you've ever wondered how to make your dog trainer cry quietly into a tug toy... here's a handy list of what not to do:
✅Call your dog like you mean it... 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 200 feet away.
Say their name 10 times, do absolutely nothing else to help them succeed, then sigh when they ignore you.
✅Grab your reactive dog’s collar as another dog walks by and say “It’s okay!”
It’s not. It’s never okay. Your dog is turning into a soda can ready to explode.
✅Play fetch with your lab on the beach and only throw the stick if barks long and loud. Congrats! Your dog trained you well!!
✅Let your dog off leash and shout “He’s friendly!”
Meanwhile, he’s doing zoomies through strangers’ picnics and body-checking a leashed Chihuahua.
✅Ask your toddler to cuddle your dog on camera.
Bonus points if the dog is yawning, licking lips, and frozen in fear. What could possibly go wrong?
✅Tell me “he’s perfect except when…”..he sees dogs, people, birds, shadows, wind, emotions.
So basically, he’s perfect at home in a sensory deprivation tank.
✅Book one session and ask me to fix everything.
Because 60 minutes is clearly enough to undo 4 years of stress, reinforcement history, and human habit loops.
✅Use a shock collar ‘just occasionally’
That’s like going to a vegan chef and asking them to season your tofu with bacon grease. It’s not a compromise—it’s a contradiction.
✅Give your fearful dog a treat, then immediately reach to pet him.
Because clearly food = consent, right? (Hint: nope.)
✅Laugh and pet your dog while jumping on you... then ask how to stop it.
You literally just trained him to jump again. Congrats!
✅ Ask me to train your dog without you needing to do anything.
Oh good, let me just move in and raise them and your kids, too, myself. I’ll bring my own coffee.
𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
We trainers love progress. We love helping dogs and their people thrive. Everyone can make mistakes. Once you ask help, no judgment here. It is just hard to walk on the street without rolling my eyes. 🤷♀️🤦♀️😅
Want to stop annoying your trainer and start building calm, connected behaviour?
I can help with that. 💬
Www.thegibsonsdogrunner.ca
