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, letβs 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 canβt tell you how many dogs Iβve seen get worse because an owner was told things like:
* βJust use treats.β
* βNever correct the behavior.β
* βHeβll grow out of it.β
* βAvoid anything that makes the dog uncomfortable.β
* βDonβt use that tool, itβs mean.β
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
Thatβs not training. Thatβs 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:
βI train dogs for a living, so let me perform your dogβs surgery.β
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 donβt even train dogs.
A dog doesnβt 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