09/08/2026
PSA
Lately, I've seen a lot of reports of people in the animal industry being prosecuted for animal cruelty.
It should make all of us stop and think about who we trust with our dogs.
If you're looking for a trainer, behaviourist, breed specialist, professional handler, or anyone else working with your dog, look beyond the titles, ribbons, followers and polished Facebook posts.
A person can be highly successful and still use methods I would never consider acceptable.
A dog does not need a prong collar or an e-collar to learn. If your training relies on aversive equipment, ask yourself whether the dog is actually learning, or simply learning that certain behaviours result in discomfort.
And if someone guarantees you results, be suspicious.
Dogs aren't robots. There is no magic formula, no guaranteed timeframe and no one size fits all solution. Sometimes the kindest and most realistic answer is management, not trying to force a dog into becoming something it isn't.
A dog that has stopped fighting, stopped reacting or simply shuts down isn't necessarily a trained dog. Sometimes it's a dog that has learned that there is no point trying.
Don't assume that because someone is a conformation judge, professional handler, successful competitor or well known in the dog world, they automatically understand canine behaviour or welfare.
They might.
They might not.
Be your dog's advocate.
When we show dogs, compete in sports or simply expect our dogs to fit into our lives, we ask an enormous amount of them. They trust us completely. That trust should matter more than a rosette.
And yes, some professional handlers are incredibly successful.
But here's the uncomfortable question:
Does the end justify the means?
Is winning really worth it if we have to compromise the dog's welfare to get there?
We've all made mistakes. I certainly don't claim to have got everything right in the past, and I won't get everything right in the future.
But there is a difference between making a mistake and refusing to learn from one.
When we know better, we should do better.
Ultimately, everyone gets to decide what they find acceptable.
But please don't be dazzled by ribbons, titles, reputation, follower counts or a perfectly curated Facebook feed.
And definitely don't mistake an AI-generated post about "dog welfare" for evidence of actual welfare.
Look beyond the result.
Look at the methods.
Look at the dog.
Because a winning dog isn't necessarily a happy dog.
And a quiet dog isn't necessarily a well-trained dog. 🐾
