Ty The Dog Guy On The Daily

In my work, I frequently field questions like: “When can I stop using the dog crate?” or “At what point do I not need to use the leash?” or “Can I stop using this e-collar yet?” I understand the thought process behind this questions. Training a dog isn't necessarily easy, and there is a lot of work and time involved. Cutting up treats, putting on the training collar, and handling the leash can be a bit of a hassle, and they’re outside of how we would like to live with our dogs. Let’s face it: most people would love to just go on walks, cuddle, and laugh at their dog’s funny quirks. They want their dog’s companionship, and using the crate and leash all the time can feel like a distraction from that. I totally understand this mindset. Sometimes we want to jump to the point where the dog is trained and we can relax in “maintenance mode.” We just want happy, fun coexistence with our pals! But I’m always trying to help owners understand that they shouldn't jump the gun. That’s one of the biggest problems I see: