So You Want A Dog... What The Fluff Now?

Twelve years as a professional dog trainer has taught me the good, the bad and the ugly of dog training and ownership. My 5 Steps to the Perfect Pet book focuses on the how. This book will focus on the why.

I hope that folks will read this book before they get a dog. But if my profession has taught me anything, it is that humans are totally reactive creatures that struggle with proactivity. We wait for problems to show up and then want to fix them, instead of just teaching the correct skills before the issues show up.

We are impulsive creatures; this is obvious in choosing to bring a new dog into the family. All we have to do is see those puppy eyes, smell that puppy breath, or see the look on our kids' faces when they encounter the puppy for the first time... Next thing you know we are leaving the pet store or shelter with said puppy, wondering what the fluff we just did!

The point of this book is to point out all of the good intentions we have, just like New Year's Resolutions, diets, and or taking better care of our bodies. We are focused at first, but we don't always have stamina for the challenges that require real work in the long run.

I want you to understand how hard puppies and dogs can be if you do it wrong. Dogs who lack confidence and socialization tend to be fearful, and that fear can lead to reactivity with people and/or other dogs, which can lead to aggression. This journey will be difficult, and it will take time and consistency on your part to be successful, but if you can set some simple routines right now and follow them daily, I can make this journey so much easier for you and your family.

The other little tip I give you before diving into this book will be the idea of fun. If training your dog is not fun for both you and your dog, will you keep practicing? Do you think you will keep the routine going? Training can and should be fun!

Turn the page, keep an open mind and take notes. If not, there is just going to be another dog dropped off at the local shelter because her owners were not ready or prepared for the challenge of a new pup.