Owning a Dog is a Two Way Street

My sweet neighbor recently gave me a book about pups, since she realizes I help manage a dog rescue. The quote by Callie Smith Grant on the back of the cover is perfect and reads,

"if this hound could like us, well... maybe we could trust ourselves."

Now, here's the rub. This only becomes a reality, when we approach this concept in reverse. Dogs need to respect us, like us, but not see us as assets, a doggie treat if you will. They need to see us as leaders—and this only happens when we begin to trust ourselves, guiding them in a confident, calm manner.

This concept, the reason why wolves first started coming to our camp fires in the first place, must be understood before you become a dog owner. In other words, dogs are a two way street. In order to truly enjoy their affection, you must be a leader—or get off your biscuit and begin learning how to be one. For some of us, we are not confident, not feeling cozy in our own skins or maybe we are impatient. These traits are sure fire signs of failure and must be worked on, so that your dog will trust you and listen. For example, let's talk about the items I must work on, in order for me to be successful with pups. I am confident, but have a horrible temper. If I am working with a new dog, I realize, if I do not remain calm, the dog will not listen. In short, the dog is making me a better human, while I work on showing the dog how to follow my commands. It's a symbiotic relationship that is always improving, never perfected, but the pursuit is more rewarding than any other.

Dog loyalty is not the default, but the genetic triggers are there for families willing to put in the work to unleash the love and loyalty. Once experienced, you truly begin to trust yourself. Furthermore, your relationships with family, work and friends will improve as well. If you don't believe me, just try it. Yes, it's a great deal of work, but worth the effort. In our program, we call it becoming a Humble Warrior.