Many years ago I received a call from a dog trainer -- a comrade of sorts.
She explained that she was sending me a client with a dog that was highly reactive and unpredictable with its aggressive outbursts. The other trainer was certain that the dog was under-stimulated mentally and needed to do some scent training such as tracking to give the dog a job and release some of its pent up frustrations. This wasn't far from the truth. Scent training can help a reactive, high-energy dog as long as it is combined with proper leadership.
So off we went to a local park to begin our training. When I met the pair, the woman seemed fairly easygoing, as did her dog. There were no immediate issues so we began our training.
A few weeks passed and the dog improved with the tracking exercises. Around the halfway mark in our training we were working a track, and at a distance of about two soccer fields away another dog and owner began to play. This caused a minor distraction to my client's dog. Much to my surprise, my client stopped the track and violently shouted at this other dog owner: "Can't you play with your stupid dog somewhere else? We are training here!"
Actually, I'm paraphrasing what was said due to language not fit for print, but I was so taken aback by this that I felt embarrassed and somewhat violated.
As calmly as I could I said, "That person has every right to be here, just as we do. I now know why your dog is a jerk, because you are!"
Needless to say I did not hear back from her.
Over years of working with dogs I often see people reflecting their own insecurities on their dogs. It starts with a comment such as, "I wish I could read his/her mind and know why he/she is doing what he/she is doing."
They thought the dog was the sole problem in the canine-human relationship and if they figured out what was wrong with the dog then all would be solved.
I smile politely as I began my lecture about canine behaviour, pack dynamics and the importance of a strong leadership presence, all the while knowing it boils down to one thing: that the dog is a reflection of its owner.
No one wants to hear that the reason their dog has a bad attitude is because they do.
We all try to do our best in this world and we also make every effort to resist, or mask, our inner demons or insecurities. Some of us resist them so well we don't even know they exist.
We put on a persona of perfection to convince ourselves that everything is great. We like to have people around us, strangers especially, think that we are indeed perfect. But when a dog does not match that persona it is a clue, a sign that some inner work on the human's part needs to be addressed.
We humans have a bad habit of stuffing our issues deep inside and they only rear their ugly heads in times of stress, or when we lose control. But the more you resist something the more it persists until it is dealt with.
Gloriously, our dogs are mirrors to ourselves. They are not bad dogs at all but simply a guide helping us release the fears and insecurities that are causing our issues.
It doesn't matter if your dog has been with you since a puppy or if you have a rescue. Rescue dogs are more than willing to let their old baggage go, but if they hold onto it, it is because the new owner has a difficult time of letting go of the past and its burdening issues.
Dogs don't really have a reason to be bitter and spiteful at life for having being dealt a rough hand. But people often are, as we strive for material success and notoriety with our peers instead of spiritual success and inner balance.
Instead of pointing your finger at your dog as the problem in your relationship, first take a personal inventory check and look deep inside that closed box labeled "insecurities."
By helping yourself you will also be help your dog.
