12/05/2022
I saw a post on social media the other day written by a trainer looking to hire an apprentice. In the job description, they mentioned not to apply if you’re afraid of being bit.
I call this the Cesar Milan Effect - too many people who have been watching too much Dog Whisperer and now assume that regularly being bitten by the dogs you’re working with is a regular and respected part of the job.
Y’all, it is not. At least, it shouldn’t be.
In another post written by a dog professional who has worked with many, many reactive and aggressive dogs over the last 10 years, she explained the scenario of her first bite, which just occurred a couple weeks ago.
The trainers I respect the most, who I see making lasting and effective behavior change with their clients, are the ones who are not being bitten with much frequency, if at all.
When it does happen? They’re embarrassed. They’re confused. They’re looking for medical explanations. They’re playing it back in their heads, over and over, trying to figure out what sign they missed, however subtle.
A trainer bragging about being bit, how big the dog was who bit them, how they taught that dog a lesson after they were bit, how they put the “fear of god” in the dog…
That tells me they missed the signs, or worse, they simply didn’t care about the signs. It tells me they don’t believe dogs are allowed to have feelings, including fear or panic. It tells me they aren’t teaching their clients how to stay safe, either.
Being bitten regularly isn’t a sign of how credible (or tough, or professional, or skilled) your trainer is. It’s just a sign they ignored the signs.
