01/05/2026
Your veterinarian is not your dog trainer.
And some of the worst dog advice I hear… comes from vets.
Before people get emotional, let’s be clear:
Vets are trained to keep your dog alive.
They are not behavior specialists.
They are not trainers.
And they are definitely not the person you should blindly trust for fixing aggression, reactivity, leash pulling, separation anxiety, or off-leash reliability.
I can’t tell you how many dogs I’ve seen get worse because an owner was told things like:
* “Just use treats.”
* “Never correct the behavior.”
* “He’ll grow out of it.”
* “Avoid anything that makes the dog uncomfortable.”
* “Don’t use that tool, it’s mean.”
Meanwhile the dog is:
* dragging the owner down the street
* blowing through commands
* resource guarding
* lunging at other dogs
* biting family members
* running the entire household
That’s not training. That’s denial with a stethoscope.
A vet can absolutely be great at medicine.
That does not automatically make them qualified to give behavior or training advice.
That would be like me saying:
“I train dogs for a living, so let me perform your dog’s surgery.”
Sounds stupid, right? Exactly.
If your dog has a medical issue, go to your vet.
If your dog has a training or behavior issue, hire someone who actually understands behavior, structure, timing, accountability, and real-world rehabilitation.
Stop taking obedience advice from people who don’t even train dogs.
A dog doesn’t need more coddling.
A lot of dogs need clarity, structure, boundaries, and leadership.
And yes… that makes some people uncomfortable.
Good. Truth usually does.
-Chris
