08/31/2026
Will training actually help?
I was recently told it won’t…and I get it. I think.
When a dog’s behavior has become overwhelming, it can start to feel like, “Well…this is just who this dog is.” And to a certain extent, they’re not completely wrong.
Genetics, temperament, early development, health, environment, and learning history all matter. You cannot train genetics out of a dog. You cannot turn every dog into a social butterfly. And management will probably always be part of some dogs’ lives.
But that does NOT mean behavior cannot change. A dog can have a genetic predisposition toward a behavior without being doomed to repeat that behavior forever.
Behavior is influenced by the dog’s emotional state, environment, reinforcement history, and learned responses. That means we can often change the response, even when we can’t change the underlying predisposition.
But “this is just who the dog is” should not be the end of the conversation. Because I don’t believe dogs should be written off simply because their behavior is difficult.
I believe we should figure out what’s driving it, what can realistically be changed, what needs to be managed, and then actually do the work.
So…will training actually help? Yes.
Will it “fix” every dog? No.
Those two things can be true at the same time.
Something for y’all to chew on before hitting the pillow tonight. ☕️
