News Flash: Just because you have a ‘nice’ dog doesn’t mean you have a well-behaved, or ‘good’ dog!

The caller on the phone was relieved to be talking to an actual dog trainer.

As she described what was going on with her young Golden Retriever, she was nearly in tears of frustration.

As she talked about the over-excitement, the jumping up on everyone, and the extreme pulling on the leash - having been pulled down flat on her face more than once - I nodded in sympathy (even though she couldn’t see that through the phone lines), assuring her we could help.

This is a typical phone call for us, several times per week.

The calls come from owners who are at their wits end, but who don’t have ‘problem dogs’ - just nice dogs, with some problem behaviors that we have answers for.

These are the ‘easy’ cases that we love; because after nearly 34 years in the professional dog training world, we know our method will bring about a quick, effective, lasting change in these naughty behaviors.

After assuring the caller for the 3rd or 4th time that we could help, and beginning to explain that the first step is to come in with her dog for an initial (free) training session, she dropped the bomb:

”But she’s a good dog! She’s really nice - and friendly!”

I sighed.

Of course she is! No one said she wasn’t a nice dog.

In fact - her nice, friendly nature is exactly what’s getting her into trouble. She wants to make friends with every human and dog she encounters, and she hasn’t been taught how to do this in a calm, acceptable way.

But just because she’s nice, does not mean she’s well-behaved, trained, or ‘good’ by my definition (or most other dog trainers’).

This a common ‘disconnect’ for so many dog owners today. Too many of you who have ‘nice’ dogs assume that your dog is also ‘good.’

As controversial as it is to tell you this, I’m going to say it.

Ready?

Here we go:

Just because your dog doesn’t bite, or destroy your house, or jump your fence, or attack other dogs, or kill cats, or growl at guests, or soil your floors, or bark at everything incessantly…

…does NOT mean your dog is “GOOD,” or “Well-Behaved,” or “Trained”.

Now, before you get in a huff - let’s take a good, long look at the above statement.

A ‘good’ dog is one who does not cause undue stress or problems - for his owner, his vet, his groomer, his owner’s family, the neighbors, other dogs, visitors, etc.

There are a LOT of really NICE dogs out there, who still DO cause stress or undue problems for their owners and the rest of the world.

This doesn’t mean they’re not a nice dog. But it DOES mean they need some help.

And that, my dear dog owners, is what training does - for you, AND your nice dog!

Training isn’t just for the aggressive or anxious dogs out there.

Training is about communication; and every single dog that is living in our busy, confusing, human world could use as much clear communication from us as we can give them.

Training is the gift of education for your dog. You wouldn’t skip sending your child to school, and then blame the child for not knowing how to read.

But somehow, too often, the really, really NICE dogs out there get so little in the way of education from their owners.

I get it. I do. Nice dogs are so easy to own. They often demand so little of us, that we take the lazy way out and never invest in training and communication for them - because, well, they’re so NICE!

But, it’s time to take a look at your nice dog - and really figure out if she’s also ‘good’. If not, the training and communication possibilities are endless - but YOU are the one with the thumbs and the credit card. She’s not going to make the phone call, or get trained (and basically educated) without your effort.

And, let’s be honest - your NICE dog is every bit as deserving of communication, training, and education as all of the problem dogs out there! Otherwise, why do you have a dog, if not to share the very best life with it?

Jennifer Hime is the Owner & Training Director at Front Range K9 Academy in Wheat Ridge, CO.  She has been training dogs in Colorado professionally since 1990. Jennifer can be reached through K9counselor.com.