Looks like the board and train dog training business has taken a turn for the worse. Larry Krohn, one of many online dog training gurus, had a podcast recently with several guests discussing the dramatic downturn in dog training businesses. People are hanging onto their money now that the Covid 19 “stimulus” money has all been spent, and the US economy is generally in the tank. Here are some of my thoughts concerning having other people train your dog, and the focus on fixing behavior problems AFTER they have developed, rather than focusing on raising puppies correctly.
I run a service business and out of several thousand customers homes I’ve been to in the last few years I can’t recall even one where their dogs had any form of basic obedience. I mean the state of poor dog training is epidemic! Even my own parents dog is a nightmare! I go to peoples homes and their dogs shoot out the door and run down the street with a screaming owner in hot pursuit! So I see why so many trainers out there always seem to be dealing with dog behavior problems due to a lack of good puppy raising. They look up one day and the puppy they have been playing dumb games with like wrestling, tag and tug is now a year or two old and doesn’t even respond to it’s own name. These trainers say the board and trains are down but I know 3 trainers who have a board and train waiting list which they are selective who they will accept. I honestly think a board and train is a poor way to go as when you get the dog back and put him in the same environment that produced the bad behavior the dog will revert right back to where he was before training. The owner needs the training as much as the dog.
I agree Barry and I would like to add that most of these issues stem from people having anthropomorphic views of the dogs. You never see a farmer treating bulls, cows, and horses like little human babies but treat them as animals and catering the specific need of that species of animal. People have just forgotten that a dog is a dog and needs to be treated as a dog (not in a harsh way but it needs a proper upbringing).
I agree. People treat dogs as if they were people
Oh for sure! My Mom treats her dog like a person and he is in fact afraid of other dogs! I know 10 people who’s dogs are on diabetes meds! Why are they on these meds? Because they are fed the same crap their owners eat and are obese! You do a dog an injustice by treating him as a person.