When a new client reaches out for help with their dog, one of the first questions I ask is: “How old is your dog, and did they attend puppy classes?”
Most people have taken their pup to classes. The reality is, many of those classes focus more on over-vaccination and pushing unnecessary sterilisation than on actual training and development. They’re often run by young instructors who haven’t yet raised a dog through its entire life, and who may lack formal education in canine behaviour and training.
By the time clients contact me, their dog is usually around 12 months old. The behaviour has escalated after puberty — suddenly testing boundaries, much like a defiant teenager.
Think about it: Would you stop educating and socialising your child after preschool? Of course not. So why do we stop training our dogs after a few weeks of puppy classes?
Dogs are naturally cunning and opportunistic — it’s in their DNA. If we don’t continue to guide them, they’ll make their own rules. Problem behaviours are almost always the result of neglect. And neglect is a form of abuse.
My boy Thor just turned 8. I’ve had him since he was 7 weeks old. We still walk every day and train most days. He loves our sessions as much as I do. They’re not just fun — they keep his behaviour solid and our bond strong.
Your dog’s education should never stop.
