Knowing when to put the phone away
(and other quandaries)
Published 5th March 2024
By Steve Goodall
There is a plethora of knowledge out in the world for us dog trainers to inhale into our minds. It is also true that there has never been a better time to have free access to podcasts, books, social media pages, online content, audio books and many other great resources to further our knowledge in dog training.
I've often thought that one of the best things about dog trainers is we hunt for knowledge in our subject like a beagle hunts for a pea sized piece of hot dog that got dropped in the neighbours garden in 2010.
Sometimes this will inevitably lead us to listen, read, observe and be challenged by other trainers in our field that don't do things the way we do. People that perhaps don't share the same ethical viewpoints and opinions as you do. This can rattle our brains and challenge our core beliefs (which incidentally isn't necessarily a bad thing). We have to learn how to approach everything with a healthy dose of wonder and a firmly open mind.
We need to run everything through our own ethics, our own morality and our own history of learning. It is both naive and arrogant to think you can't learn something from everyone BUT we must ultimately look after ourselves.
There may well be occasions we march head first into an online battle to fight for what we feel is right. Some personality types thrive in this type of confrontational environment but most won't. Navigating these conversations can be difficult and changing anyone’s mind or, indeed, reaching an understanding on platforms like Facebook, twitter, Instagram and TikTok is often unlikely.
Now don't get me wrong, I personally feel that conversations need to be had. That decent, robust debate can both enlighten and inspire in equal measure. We should always strive to be learners AND educators wherever it is appropriate however, we often see the opposite of this shangri-la vision. It often ends in hostility and it is us that, ultimately, pays the price.
Our beloved profession unfortunately has a high level of burnout and compassion fatigue, is prone to being swooped up in "fads" as well as inhabiting every waking hour of your brain space. You don't have to be the evangelical online super hero that will change the hearts and minds of every dog trainer/guardian on planet earth... you just have to be glorious, standing there in front of the guardian and dog that needs your help.
The most important thing is that you thrive in this wonderful industry, that you are still practising your skills over the next two decades and that we remain energised and able to help when your skills are needed.
