PHOTO: Lorraine Wilson

Does My Dog Really Need Training?

Dogs are incredible. They love to run, chase, jump, chew, bark, and explore the world with noses 10,000–100,000 times more sensitive than ours. That zigzag walk on a leash? Not bad manners, it’s their super-powered nose at work!

Even trained dogs can do amazing things, like detecting whale poop from a nautical mile away. Their abilities are wild, impressive, and often very different from what we expect in a “well-behaved pet.”

And yet, despite all their instincts and energy, dogs adapt to our busy human world, leashes, sidewalks, eye contact. They constantly compromise to live alongside us.

The Real Question: Do Dogs Need Training?

Maybe not in the way most people think. Obedience doesn’t always equal wellbeing. A dog can sit perfectly on command yet still be anxious, stressed, or disconnected. Instead of focusing on control, what if we focused on connection and understanding?

The Real Problem: We Ask Dogs to Ignore Their Nature

Dogs were bred to chase, bark, chew, dig, and explore. We ask them not to, but what if we instead asked:

“How can I meet your dog’s needs in the world we live in?”

When dogs feel safe, stimulated, and understood, training becomes easy, natural, and joyful. When their instincts are ignored, frustration builds, for both dogs and humans.