I got into training dogs because I love dogs. I don't want to be mean to dogs. Yet sometimes being a good coach requires you to be hard. Which makes you feel mean.
I'm faced with a dog that is rude. With a side of Nasty. No boundaries. Terrible fearful temperament, from a combination of strong breeds. She was failed by well-meaning people, who probably like me, felt uncomfortable with the boundaries she requires.
But the oddest part of this is, she is not uncomfortable with corrections. She doesn't give a damn and they have no affect on her, meaning she needs stronger ones. We humans are uncomfortable with this fact, so much so that other trainers have suggested euthanasia as a more humane option. They are not wrong. Or are they?
This option protects our souls from the discomfort of her reality. My brain keeps trying to chew this concept, and all I keep coming back to is how fucked up this line of thinking is... death is not kinder than a strong correction.
But it is easier for me because then I'm not judged. And I don't feel mean.
Monique Anstee
Victoria, BC
Add new comment