On Guaranteed Results
Have you ever seen a dog training website that advertises guaranteed results?
This is a common promise to see here in Kansas City, Missouri. People have dogs with problems, and those problems need to be solved immediately. When looking for a dog trainer, you want to be sure you’re hiring someone who can fix your issue as soon as possible. That’s what you’re paying them for! Would you want to hire a plumber or an electrician who tells you that they can’t guarantee results, or that you’ll have to put an hour of work into the issue for six months to a year to solve the issue, or that you’ll have to completely change your lifestyle, or that the issue may never even go away? I sure wouldn’t. When I hire someone to fix an issue, I want proof that they can do the job well, and fast, and at a reasonable cost. If I can’t have proof, I want a guarantee. But a dog is not a broken pipe or light fixture.
The truth of the matter is that when we are attempting to modify the behavior of another living being, there is no guarantee that they will do exactly what we want them to do no matter what. Even if we believe we have 100% control of someone else, there will always be things that happen outside our control. Life happens. It hits the fan, and all those results you thought were guaranteed go out the window. When people who work in the field of dog behavior guarantee results, they are not leaving space for pet parents to encounter real life problems, or to be imperfect, or to need more help. The relationship you have with your dog is different every day, and the results you’re looking for depend on the amount of work you’re willing to put into that relationship. If I were to guarantee results, I would be attesting that I have 100% control of the pet parent, and that they would walk and train their dog and generally do what I want no matter what. Pet parents always have the power to say no to the trainer. Don’t let them make you think otherwise.
Dog trainers who guarantee results often use physical punishment as a means of controlling dogs. The e-collar, a popular choice for inexperienced trainers due to its capacity for suppression of behavior, is frequently used at these “results guaranteed” dog handling facilities as a method for teaching recall, place, and even loose leash walking. While these collars may cause behavior fallout (the Three A’s: Apathy, Avoidance, or Aggression), there are also reasons why their use is widespread. When the goal is to stop the dog from doing something, physical punishment is a great way to stop a dog in their tracks. Electric shock often leads to an immediate freeze response, a reinforcing thing to see when a dog is offering annoying behavior. There are several issues with this. Using punishment is reinforcing to the user because at first it works immediately. As the dog starts to develop a punishment callous, meaning they acclimate to higher and higher levels of intensity, the handler may find themselves using punishment more frequently or delivering harsher punishments. This way of addressing dog behavior can temporarily appear to solve an issue, which looks great for TV or Tik Tok, but it does not guarantee long lasting results. The only real result I can guarantee from this type of training is a damaged relationship.
The best way to change your dog’s behavior for the better is the same way you would change your own. Add more things that keep you feeling healthy and fulfilled, and cut out the unnecessary stuff. Set up your environment so you don’t get into trouble. “Drink water and be nice to people,” as Anne the yoga instructor says. Take pride in your accomplishments, even if you haven’t met your final goal yet. You won’t see results after two weeks, or even four weeks, or maybe not even after six months. While you’re busy changing your life to better meet your needs, you are so focused on putting in that work you don’t see just how much you’re changing until someone else gives you a compliment. Those results are not guaranteed, but they are proven by the feelings you have about yourself. Your dog can glow up too.
My unsolicited advice to people in a period of recovery from one of life’s many challenges is to celebrate yourself. You were faced with an issue that needed to be solved today, and you decided to make a change. On day two, the problem is still so close to us, but we made it to day two, so we praise. Day three might be a little easier. If you give up now, we’re back to square one. Keep going. Pretty soon it’s been a week, and we’re starting to feel better. More life happens, and it seems impossible to stick to your resolve. It’s so comfortable to stay where we are, in the same sad place we know so well. But we decided to break the cycle. We chose growth over comfort. This is something to be proud of. We keep pushing forward and get so much further than we did when we beat ourselves up for not being perfect when we are nice to ourselves.
I don’t guarantee results to pet parents because I know how hard it is to make a lifestyle change. What I can do is ask you about your goals, come up with a training plan that works for both you and your dog, help you set up your environment for success, demonstrate less intrusive methods of handling and training, and cheer you on for every step in the right direction. You are powerful enough to set an intention for your life and move toward the results you want.
If you’re truly ready to put in the work to improve your lifestyle, you don’t really need a guarantee.
