I got a call from a client who wanted to cancel my services. This client first called for board & train of an 8 wk old english bulldog.
First person & mistake: the client. Why? I found out on initial consultation he’s 74, in physically bad health. Why would you want to spend so much money on a puppy you know you can’t take care of?! Selfishness.
Next person & mistake: the breeder. Why? He only cared about the thousands of dollars he was getting for the puppy. At such a young age (the client had called me after having him for a couple of weeks & “at wit’s end”), he should’t have been gone from littermates & mother yet, he should only be getting adopted now, not weeks ago. Why? Selfishness.
Good move by client: trying to find a trainer to help. However, still selfishly motivated and with unrealistic expectations. On the consult I figured out he really didn’t want to board the dog, and he said he & his wife could try working the consistent schedule to accompany the days I could make it over there. I gave him some tips to work on getting the pup to the potty training pads they’re trying to use (which of course he went on about his health & not being able to accomplish this). I tried to talk to him about crating overnight to help. His response was to reiterate when he tried to lock him in the serarium (?) overnight and all he wants to do is bark, “…he’s got to be in the bed with his mommy & daddy.”
So because of your selfishness, you are going to teach & reinforce separation anxiety issues, instead of helping the dog?! Is what I wanted to say. However, I left it with that I was sorry I couldn’t be of more help, good luck in finding someone else to help & let me know if there’s ever anything I can do. Not specifying that I meant for the puppy not for the person.
There are things we do at the shelter that make it easier for us, again selfishness (to an extent), not what’s best for the dog to be better behaved (sometimes you have to make a situational decision tho), but we can always do a little better.
We can be so selfish while they are so selfless! When possible please take the time to think what’s best for the dog instead of what’s easiest for you. Remember their main goal is making us happy, in return all we have to do is be a calm, confident, fair leader to them.
