The doorbell rings. How do we know? Well, because the family dog is barking and hauling it to the front door. Before you know it, the dog is at the door, jumping and barking all over the place. Now, by the time the parent gets to the door, the dog is good and frenzied acting like a child on Christmas morning waiting to see what Santa delivered right to their door. If you have ever experienced the pure joy of watching a child see Christmas morning right when they see the tree all lit up and the presents expertly placed beneath the tree and before wrapping paper is flying around the house like leaves on a breezy fall day. Think about that child and ask yourself if you really think you have a chance of having that child sit, down and stay, while you get your cup of coffee, check your Facebook and look at our latest blog post? Not a chance. Why? They are too excited and adrenalized.
A dog’s behavior, like our behavior, is a manifestation of our mental state. When we are calm and relaxed, we act calm and relaxed. When we are agitated, on edge and something trigger us, we are only likely to become more agitated and irritated. Consider the following scenario. You wake up in the morning, eyes are half closed and on your way to the bathroom, you stub your toe. With the sudden burst of pain, your heart begins to pump waking you up on the wrong foot. You realize half-way through your morning routine you have an early appointment which you are now going to be late for. You grab your coffee, hit the alarm, and jump into your car and while your depositing you things on the passenger seat, your coffee spills onto your brand new shirt and pants. You come out of the driveway and 1/4 mile down the road you catch a flat tire. 15 More minutes after changing the tire you are coffee stained outfit is now further customized with small oil and grease stains. You pull up to your morning appointment 30 minutes late needing to reschedule. The good news is your on time for work. The bad news is you have been assigned a trainee to teach how to do your job under the H-1B visa program which ultimately means, you’re training your replacement and will be out of a job in 6 weeks. How do you feel?
Now consider the previous scenario applies, but you have a $500 million winning Powerball ticket in your pocket. In which scenario are you more calm and relaxed in? What changed? Your frustration and adrenaline level.
Teachers prefer to have their students in a calm, relaxed state of mind because it helps teachers teach and helps students learn. It is difficult to learn something when you are in an excited mental state. Teaching your dog obedience really only has a chance when they are calm and relaxed. How many group classes have you been to where the owners and all the dogs are calm and relaxed? To quote Dean Wormer from Faber College, “0.0.” The great and inescapable irony is when dogs are calm and relaxed, they often will not jump and remain calm when the doorbell does ring and when people enter the home. This is the same calm and relaxed mental state needed to be able to teach them down, sit, stay and other obedience commands.
So back to our ringing doorbell and obedience. Suppose the doorbell rings and you know it because you can actually hear the doorbell. Your dog is calm and relaxed, hanging out and enjoying life not barking and jumping all over the front door. Did you tell your dog, sit and stay or is your dog just sitting and staying? There is a world of difference. The former dog must be told how to act and behave. The latter knows how to act and behave.
When your dog is calm and relaxed, you don’t need dog training. If your dog is agitated and adrenalized, obedience dog training will not help get their mind right, it will only lead to more frustration for both of you. Don’t get frustrated with your dog, get a new dog trainer!
