Don't Let These Things Measure Your Worth As A Dog Parent

Embarrassment. Guilt. Frustration. Owning a dog surprisingly came with a lot of those emotions. When I first experienced them, I wasn't sure how to handle it. At first, it was embarrassment over my dog's behavior before they had training. Then when they were trained it was shame and guilt for the tools I used in training. Over time it turned into a mixture of guilt for not training enough, then shame when I did train because of the tools I used, embarrassment when people would make comments, then frustration at feeling those emotions at all. I realized it was because I was tying my worth of being a dog owner to what everyone else thought. Ultimately, I was doing a huge disservice to my dogs. Training them isn't about me. It's about them. It was my responsibility to provide the best life possible where they can feel fulfilled, safe, secure, and happy. However, I couldn't do that when I was always second-guessing myself. I couldn't do my best when I was more concerned about the opinions of others. It was hard. It still can be. But what helped the most was education. Before I even became a dog trainer, I started educating myself. Through that education came confidence in knowing that what I was doing was right and was 100% best for them. What other people do with their dogs is what's best for them. I don't give a shit how you train your dog, as long as it works for both of you.