My neighbour says…

My neighbour says this, my father-in-law says that… You recognize this? You've brought in a new puppy or adopted a dog and everyone has their opinion on how to raise your dog. Confusing! What should you do with all that information?

My advice: throw the well-intentioned advice through the window and look for a professional trainer. Only a well-trained trainer will be able to give you the right information. Choose a method that suits you.

Nowadays you can find a lot of information on the internet about dog training. Practical, right? Yes and no! Good information is of course fantastic, but unfortunately there is also a lot of incorrect information on the internet.

For example, I have often had dogs in behavioral therapy that growl whenever the owner even comes close to their food. The owners had read on the internet that you should regularly remove the food bowl from the dog because the dog has to accept this. This is unfortunately the worst advice ever. Doing this will encourage growling. The dog will first show stress signals that are not seen by the average owner. When this doesn't work, the dog will growl. Usually the dog is also punished for growling, after which the chance of biting is even bigger. By repeating the action of the food bowl, the stress bucket of the dog fills up every time. When it overflows, the dog will bite. Suppose that a child comes near the food bowl, then the consequences are terrible. Always leave a dog at peace when the dog is eating!

The neighbour is going to give you advice based on something he has read in a book or seen on television. Be extra careful with the television programs about dogs. Everything seems to go smoothly, while some things are just life-threatening to apply yourself. It may also be that the neighbor is giving you advice because it works so well for his own dog. You should also pay attention to this! Is his dog really doing well? Can the neighbour read dog language? How does that dog feel? Or does the dog just do what the neighbour asks and is the neighbour's problem solved? Also, every dog is different. What works for his dog may provoke aggression in your dog.

Another example, I was once training a dog while a man gets out of his car (in the middle of the street) and walks up to me: 'Ma'am, I know what to do. Every time the dog pulls you have to give it a stamp with your feet.' I could already guess on which television program that man had seen this. I kindly thank the man for his well-intentioned advice, but I don't do anything with the advice itself.

Another fun one is: 'I have 30 years of experience with dogs. I know how to do it.' That sentence in itself should be a red flag. Someone who has been using the same method for 30 years and never adjusted his vision is someone who is not concerned with recent (scientific) developments.

Of course you choose what you do with advice, but remember that it is not always correct, even if it is given with the best intentions.