My Training Journey
Editor’s Note: In April 2021, Christie Catan became a certified professional dog trainer, knowledge assessed (CPDT-KA). She is currently a Lead Trainer at Dog Trained. The following article was written before Christie received her certification.
I should start by saying that I am not a professional dog trainer. It was never my dream to train my dogs, and I always thought that I should leave the training to the pros.
After spending thousands of dollars on training my dog, Otis, I was frustrated. Costly training lessons left me with an obedient dog who lacked enthusiasm and was still afraid of so many things (think feathers, kids, boxes, bags, skateboards, scooters, noises, and the list goes on). I felt helpless and had no idea how to give my dog a better life.
Why I Decided to Train My Dog for Five Minutes a Day
Still determined to somehow help, I made a promise to train Otis myself for five minutes every day (I picked a goal that I could achieve even with my hectic schedule). Committing to those five minutes turned out to be the easy part. Figuring out what to do in our time together proved to be far more difficult.
Despite all the money I’d spent on training, I had no idea what to incorporate in our sessions or even what to research, and I felt incredibly overwhelmed. I bought dense books from the 1980s that invoked psychologists like B.F. Skinner and Pavlov and read articles with training terms that left my head spinning. I even watched YouTube videos about training bomb sniffing dogs (oy vey, I wish you could see my search history). A particular high point was when I ordered a four-hour training DVD set (even my determined inner-nerd didn’t finish these). Soon I also started following any living person who talked about dog training on Instagram, to the point that I was only getting served dog ads (even on my personal, non-Otis account).
Slowly - and I mean slowly - I started to notice patterns in my research. I began picking up on training terms and concepts and I finally had enough basic knowledge to identify the methodologies and trainers that I liked and respected. (I also grew frustrated with how difficult it was to find training content in a digestible format, but that is a story for another time). Interestingly, I observed dogs’ tails wagging throughout many training videos and wanted to help Otis experience the joy of training too.
How I Got Started with Daily Training
When I finally started to implement my research into training Otis for five minutes a day, I set some basic ground rules that really paid off. I vowed to listen to Otis and he became one of my greatest teachers. (I owe him a thank you for being so patient with me as I learned). I also stopped caring about perfection or compliance and no longer trained just to fix problems. Instead, I trained for joy (his and mine) and to help teach him how to thrive in this human world. To this day, I am in awe of what happened:
Increasingly, Otis started naturally choosing to do what I wanted him to do. To be fair, he does not always make the choices I want him to make, and that is okay! I find myself having fewer and fewer reasons to give commands or shout “no” because he has started to become a “thinking dog” who can make good choices on his own.
He became enthusiastic about training and working with me. He will fly over to me when I ask him if he is ready to train. He no longer looks like the pouty kid whose parent just said “it’s time to go” as he runs over to me. He is thrilled to head my way.
Otis started picking me over other things. Previously, I always played second fiddle to other dogs, but now other dogs take a back seat to me.
He grew so much more confident. He started to not only trust me, but also to trust himself to work through fears. He is a completely different dog.
I realized how much Otis (and dogs in general) need the ongoing mental stimulation that training offers. A trip to the dog park is not sufficient for a great life.
I learned to cater my sessions to Otis’ emotional and physical needs. Serving up what he needs has had a huge impact on our progress.
I found joy. Training Otis allowed me to be present, and for me, that is the ultimate gift in this crazy life.
I discovered so much about myself. That may sound crazy, but you would be surprised at how much working with your dog in a kind way has a way of telling us what we need spiritually and emotionally in our own lives.
I met so many supportive people along the way (including amazing professional trainers) who imparted wisdom and reminded me to laugh when I’m outsmarted by Otis.
Spreading the Joy of Training Now and in the Future
Most importantly, I no longer train because I have to. I train because I want to. Some days I don’t train at all because life happens, and that is okay. It has been such a gift to watch Otis, and now, Sully, transform through training. I feel lucky to get to be a part of it.
There are so many things about training that I wish I had known sooner, but chief among them is how much joy it can add to your life. Sharing this joy is what made me start Tails of Connection with Jessica, my co-founder. Our dreams far exceed what I’ve learned, and we are excited for the rest of the journey.
An Important Note
I want to be clear about something. I will always love working with (good) professional trainers! Through my journey, I learned that there is so much to be gained from also learning how to bond with your dog through your own regular training - even if it is to supplement work you’re doing with a trainer. Some of my favorite moments with my dogs have happened as I helped them learn something new or conquer a fear. I had always viewed training as some utilitarian thing, and it felt more like a big chore. I realized it could be as simple as five minutes, and if I wanted to make it a regular part of our lives, it also had to be fun.
