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A new client, Jean (not her real name), and her dog, Bear, greeted me at the door for their first dog behavior session a few months ago. It was obvious from the second I laid eyes on Bear that he had fear issues with humans. This was obvious from Bear’s body language. He was definitely acting a bit grumpy toward me, with some growling and lunging.
Bear was a 130 pound, 20-month-old Great Dane. I know what you’re thinking: “aren’t Great Danes friendly dogs?” Mostly, but not always. Jean quickly informed me that Bear had bitten someone for the first time recently but that she was not worried about him biting again. She claimed that he was “getting better.” She further stated that the bitten person didn’t require any medical care, so it wasn’t “that bad.”
She may not have been concerned, but I definitely was - for a number of reasons.
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There’s an unspoken reality in the dog world when it comes to treating dogs with aggression issues toward dogs or even humans. It’s the problem of unqualified dog trainers taking on aggression cases they’re just not equipped to safely and properly handle.
The dog training industry is kind of like the Wild West. In most parts of the world, including the United States, literally anyone can call themselves a “dog trainer” or “behaviorist” without a lick of formal education or experience. One day someone is managing a coffee shop, and the next they’re charging $150 an hour to “fix” aggressive dogs with a shock collar in hand and a YouTube certification.