08/10/2026
Absolutely fu***ng disgusting!! 😡
It’s not unusual for me to swear here and there to emphasise frustration or passion. Usually I’ll fill the word with #%& etc.
In this case, it deserves the word itself.
Excuse me for the emotionally charged rant that’s about to follow.
As much as I want to say the name of this trainer, this problem goes way beyond one individual. Our aim is awareness and education, not war with other trainers.
People have asked me before:
“Why do you target/attack positive-only methods?”
I don’t.
I target the ideology, the trainers behind it and the cheerleaders who defend it regardless of the outcome.
Something I was told today genuinely fu***ng disgusted me.
One of Cash’s previous positive-'only' trainers recently had a dog put to sleep because “nothing else could be done.”
Who made these “kind” trainers the grim reaper?!
Instead of saying:
“We’ve reached the limit of what I can offer. Perhaps a balanced approach may be more suitable, or may be this dog’s only chance.”
But they will never say that.
Because the ideology is so deeply ingrained that they would rather see the dog put to sleep than admit there may be another way.
That same trainer wouldn’t even consider using a slip lead with Cash.
I’m sorry, but how have we got to a point where a piece of equipment is considered more unacceptable than euthanasia?
A dog losing its life is permanent.
A moment of discomfort isn’t.
Cash has had EIGHT previous trainers.
Seven of those trainers used positive-only methods.
He has been heavily medicated by a vet.
He was advised to be euthanised by a vet.
He was advised to be euthanised by one of his previous trainers.
The answer, apparently, was to take his life.
Because the alternative involved discomfort.
That is where I draw the line. FFS.
People are putting dogs to sleep before even considering tools and methods that will actually help change the dog’s behaviour and, more importantly, the dog’s emotions.
And before anyone starts screaming:
“YOU JUST WANT TO CORRECT DOGS!”
Look at the results.
Look at the dogs we train.
We heavily use positive reinforcement, by the way, just not "only" that's the dangerous part.
We’ve just had another amazing session with Cash and his owner (he was extremely dog and human reactive.)
Multiple dogs/people in public.
Working around our clients dog.
ZERO reactions.
Calm.
Responsive.
Engaged.
And best of all?
His owner had an ear-to-ear smile while constantly commenting on Cash’s constantly wagging tail.
You can only imagine how proud they must feel knowing their decision was right and seeing the dog they were once told may need to be put to sleep now walking calmly around multiple dogs.
If you know anything about dogs, you’ll know their body language reflects their emotional state. They can’t simply hide how they feel.
The difference in this dog approaching four weeks of balanced training is night and day.
The rewards are important.
The relationship is important.
The timing is important.
But positive reinforcement alone wasn’t enough for Cash.
I don’t have a favourite tool.
I don’t use a tool because my ideology says I have to.
I use what is necessary for THAT dog.
If a reward gets the job done, brilliant.
If a correction is needed, I’ll use one.
If a different tool is needed, I’ll use it.
The goal isn’t to prove that my method is right.
The goal is to change the dog’s life.
Not to make ourselves feel good because refusing to correct a dog somehow makes us a “good person”.
We need to stop pretending that avoiding every form of discomfort is automatically kinder.
The kindest thing you can do for a dog is give them the structure, boundaries, communication and guidance they need to function safely in the real world.
Cash is proof that behavioural change is possible.
Not because of one magic tool.
Not because of one magic trainer.
And certainly not because we ignored his emotions and just corrected the behaviour.
It’s because we changed the way he felt, taught him what to do instead, heavily reinforced the right choices and gave him clear boundaries when he needed them.
Four weeks ago, euthanasia was apparently an option.
Today, he walked past multiple dogs in public without reacting.
That’s the result I care about.
Not ideology.
Results.
P.S. If necessary, discomfort before death is a hill I will die on at the end of my career.
