About a month ago I decided to separate my dog walking/pet sitting business and my dog training business. My pet sitting business, Pawfessional Pet Sitting is doing phenomenal, I have a lot of really great clients and I feel like I honestly help people. So why separate the two?
Honestly, I think it’s because I want to help as many people as possible. So I started Redemption. I have always had a special place in my heart for the “quirky” dogs.
This is Coconut. She bites people. I can literally hear people gasping as I write this, “What!? You’re a dog trainer and you have a dog that bites people?”
Yep, and a lot of trainers I know have similar dogs, though they may not admit to it readily.
I’ve had Coconut since I was 18, I’m 29 now. Coconut has not bitten a person in many years, and yet I still classify her as a dog who bites people. Why? Because given the chance, she absolutely would.
When I got Coconut the only training experience I had was training my family’s Border Collie, Jo, to do things like roll over, give a paw, spin, and basic obedience. Jo was a super easy going dog and Coconut resembled her in color, and breed characteristics, which is why I ended up choosing her when I went to the shelter for my first dog.
About 3 days into having her, she started nipping at people’s hands when they’d try to pet her. I had no idea what to do or how to deal with it and this was before the internet was an overflowing lake of information so I did what a lot of pet owners do in this situation, I kept her away from the general population and rearranged my life so that me or my boyfriend at the time were the only people she had access to.
Not long after getting her, I moved cities and started working at a doggie daycare/training facility. This was my first introduction to the dog training world, and my first introduction into balanced training methods.
After working as a doggie daycare attendant and then shift lead, I decided I wanted to get more involved with the training side of things. I had watched a ton of private lessons, board and train dogs, and some group classes that were held at the facility. I had made friends with the trainers and asked them what to do in order to become a dog trainer.
The owner and head trainer of the place suggested I take a course online to learn the basics, shadow other trainers, and go to as many seminars as possible. So, I got to work.
I decided on Animal Behavior College and went through the basics online. Then, they set me up with a trainer in the area to shadow underneath. She was a purely positive trainer, and while this blog is not meant to deny the validity of purely positive or R+ trainers, she was not a great first impression.
I’ll start with the good. She taught me a ton about shaping behaviors and the value of teaching a dog that they are allowed to test behaviors in order to figure out which behavior is correct.
Unfortunately, she wasn’t a big fan of dogs who bite humans and would recommend that these dogs be “humanely euthanized.” I never told her about Coconut once I heard this recommendation.
I had recently adopted a formerly stray pit bull, and because one of the requirements for my “certification” was to bring a dog to one of her classes, I brought Zeus. He loved people, was dog neutral, and just wanted to please.
All of these qualities would have made him the perfect demo dog, if it weren’t for his “breed.”(I recently DNA tested him and he’s a combination of at least 6 different dog breeds) I thought he was handsome and sweet, but people in classes made sure to keep their Labs and Aussies far away incase he “snapped”.
I now had an adorable dog who bit people and a mean looking dog who loved them.
I finished my mentorship with ABC and started to attend more classes run by balanced trainers. I learned how to use marker training, using “yes” and “no” so that the dog knew exactly what I was looking for. I learned to properly use head harnesses, front clip harnesses, prong collars, and e-collars.
I’ve always had the midset of trying everything myself and making my own decisions, so that’s what I did. I ended up seeing the value in all of them. Zeus used an easy walk harness while Coconut required a prong collar.
I started taking Coconut out in public again with my new knowledge of dog training. We started slow by just walking around the park and actually using the paved path. She learned that lunging at people was unacceptable and that sitting and looking at me would be rewarded.
At home, I started muzzle condtioning her. I didn’t want her to have to be locked in a back bedroom or in her crate every time that guests came over, but I also didn’t want my guests herded back to the door with Coconut nipping at their ankles and calves.
With that, she was able to get to know people. I have found that it takes about 3 visits from a person for Coconut to feel comfortable around them and start actively seeking their attention. Once she starts doing that, her muzzle can come off.
She has never gotten used to strangers trying to pet her and I’m ok with that. Instead of nipping at their hands or ankles, she moves away and if they are very persistent I step in on her behalf.
I do not believe that dogs should be forced to actively interact with strangers if they aren’t already social butterflies. They do however, need to be able to be around people without aggressing or being overly stimulated. It’s a balancing act.
Coconut is about 12 now and I have been through 2 different dog training “certifications”, been to many different seminars, follow a wide variety of trainers on social media, and spend a good amount of time looking at whatever the new hot thing in dog training is because I’m always looking to do things in a way that makes the most sense to dogs and humans alike.
I have yet to find the miracle cure for “quirky” dogs, but I have found a ton of methods that can change both their lives and their owners lives for the better.
Let me know if I can help you live a better life with your quirky dog. Contact me here.
Coconut is the most honorable dog I have ever met. I think part of why that night I met her she didn’t want to let go is I was amused inside a d of course she was sensitive enough to tell. But that night I accidentally switched directions with my finger and she fell down I looked at her and said I didn’t mean to but I owed you that from the first night anyway. I swear she looked at me and grinned. I have to admit the last few days I began waiting with her for you to get home. Mostly because I just liked how serious she is about guarding the yard. And you know Skyler here is the thing that it seems like nearly no one understands. No matter how well trained or good natured they are all dogs will bite in the right situation. ;