Is My Whole Business Built on a Lie?

I was recently listening to a podcast episode that makes the case that a harness is bad... at least in how most people use them. As a dog trainer, he says that when he's noticed that many dog behavioral issues seem to come from people who rely on harnesses without the proper training.

I'm not going to lie, when I first saw the title of the episode, and even when I first started listening, I sort of took offense- and then was a little worried that maybe my whole business was built on a lie. I mean, we all experience self-doubt and second-guess ourselves right? And as I continued to listen, I realized how much I've taken for granted with my and Niska's relationship. My baby will be 7 years old this year, and we've been in each other's lives for a little over 6 of those years. And in some ways, I was lucky- the people I adopted Niska from participated in competitive dog shows- and she was already sort of trained. And when I adopted her, I was able to really be intentional with my early days with her. Truthfully, it was a pretty magical time in our early days together because I felt like I was able to understand her in a way I had never felt possible with other dogs I'd had throughout my life. So I got lucky, yes, but also I was was intentional and was able to really set a strong foundation.

But the interesting thing is that I had researched before I adopted her and learned that harness was recommended rather than just a collar- so that's what Niska has used since the day she came home with me. And when I first thought of the design for a harness [the actual reason I started Exuberant Paws], I wanted something that was functional but also cute- because who doesn't love a miniature backpack on a dog?? The thing that I never questioned was whether a harness was bad or not. In my mind, there was no question- it was definitely good- in fact, it was THE right thing to have for your dog. And after listening to the episode, my mind hasn't changed about it- but what has changed is my perspective and thinking about how a harness actually isn't enough.

And here's my response to that: I've learned that sometimes happiness can be longer lasting and even greater when I put in the work and do things that are not the most enjoyable right away. And the way I see it, teaching Niska how to be on a leash and not to pull (even in a harness that can withstand heavy pulling) is the difference between a safe dog and an unhappy ending. My dear reader, I don't have all the answers for the right way to train your dog, because it's not my area of expertise. But what I can tell you is that for me, it has been worth putting in the really frustrating time to learn how my dog communicates, and training her dog to listen to me, and look to me for guidance on walks. Trust me, it has by no means been an easy process, either. It has taken work- and I felt so frustrated at times that I wanted to just forget it all. But it was worth it. Because now I can take it for granted that our walks really are a mutually beneficial and stress-relieving activity for both of us.