Should you take your trained dog with you to places? That is a great question that almost all dog trainers usually say, Yes! However, we don’t always say yes. While every dog trainer does want to promote their work with having their dog owner take their trained dog out in public, not all dogs should be taken out to stores or large gathering areas.
The hard truth is, just because your dog received dog training, doesn’t mean they are good enough to take out into public places. The follow up question that always comes next is, how will my dog become better if I don’t expose them to public places?
That is a great question but important factors to look at are; if your dog doesn’t listen to you in your own neighborhood, wants to chase cats when you go outside, wants to visit people you pass at the park, barks at other dogs in the neighborhood, and likes to jump on you… You should not be taking that dog out to public places.
It is not the general public and commercial stores responsibility to accommodate that behavior just because you claim they are trained. In fact, those type of dog owners and dog trainers give the dog training industry a black eye because they believe their dog’s cuteness and feelings are good enough and should be validated.
So how do you know when it is a good time to take your dog into public places? If your dog has been professionally trained for those situations or as a self trainer your dog does listen extremely well to you at home, the park, and in your neighborhood, then that is a good time to start introducing your dog into public stores and settings. Just remember it is an introduction until you have logged several hours of training with positive results before venturing into the heart of stores and public gatherings.
Good luck and remember you should strive to be the example not the lesson!
