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<\/figure>\nWe don\u2019t like it when we are not seen. We don\u2019t like being just another number in the tax system or hospital waiting list. We appreciate recognition, we appreciate being treated as an individual. It\u2019s easy to forget though when it comes to others, especially others who don\u2019t speak our language. The feelings of dogs are very easily ignored, what can they do about it in a human-controlled world?<\/p>\n
I see many dog trainers on social media promoting themselves. Many have done well for themselves. They\u2019ve broken through to becoming well known. They have successful businesses. But it\u2019s often just about what humans want. I repeatedly see them \u2018cure\u2019 dogs from pulling on lead by putting a slip lead around the dog\u2019s neck and tightening it if the dog steps away from the guardian.<\/p>\n
They seem to fail to give any consideration as to why the particular dog pulls, what their day looks like, what enrichment they have, how often they go out, where they\u2019re walked, what happens if the guardian stops, how it feels for the dog to have a rope tightened around the neck, or the damage it might do to the delicate structures within the neck (which are the same as ours). There\u2019s just no consideration for the dog at all. It’s just \u2018stay with me or get a sudden sharp neck constriction\u2019. It works, it startles the dog. The dog thinks \u2018shit, every time I move something bad happens\u2019.<\/p>\n
But, does the guardian want the dog to be frightened or on edge? And did we bother to consider the experience from the dog\u2019s perspective? Did we consider the long-term implications? The answer is usually, no. This is what we are saying to that dog. I want what I want, I don\u2019t care what you want, I don\u2019t care how you feel, do what I want or \u2018BAM\u2019 I\u2019ll get aggressive.<\/p>\n
For many, the animal\u2019s feelings are not important, I understand that, often people don\u2019t care about human feelings or even human life. After all, we\u2019ve been killing each other since before historical records began. It\u2019s sad and it\u2019s shitty how our species behaves sometimes, yet as an individual, you make the difference for the dogs in your care. To get this opportunity is a great gift. To be able to make such a huge difference to the life experience of another sentient being is truly awesome. That\u2019s what drives my choices. Don\u2019t just look at the dog, see them<\/strong>. Consider what they want, what they need, how they feel? Build a relationship, not a dictatorship.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Often in the dog world we discuss how to get the dog to do this that or the other, or even, how to get the dog to stop doing this that or the other. That\u2019s not always a bad thing, I\u2019m not suggesting that dogs should be left unguided to participate in whatever they want. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":318523,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[111412],"tags":[],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-318521","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-other"],"yoast_head":"\n