Hope is not a strategy. - General Gordon R. Sullivan US Army

"He'll let me (insert action here)"

I hear this a lot about dogs and grooming/husbandry issues.

Twice in the last 24 hours...

First about a really mouthy, gator like Lab puppy...

Then this morning I saw a person searching for a vet that's "good at ear cleanings" - because their hound mix "won't let them" clean his ears.

I also had a puppy owner say to me "I guess at some point we'll get rid of this pen and HOPE he doesn't destroy the house"...

Most of you, if you're interested enough to have gotten this far are probably thinking "yea, and"?

Now, no discredit to these owners or you if you're thinking this way. Folks don't know what they don't know.

But here's a question...

Do you let your young children simply "refuse" vaccinations, teeth cleaning, baths, having their hair brushed, clothes put on and the like?

Serious question - would you let your child simply refuse proper medical care and grooming?

If so, then you can click out of here now.

If NOT, you need to think differently about your dog.

Especially if you have a new puppy. Now's the time to teach them that they must accept restraint and grooming/veterinary handling.

They're a lot more manageable when they're little.

Hope it NOT a strategy here, or anywhere else in your puppy's life.

It's not "he'll let me" - it's HE MUST ACCEPT ME (doing X).

It's not "I hope he doesn't" - it's I'M GOING TO TEACH HIM NOT TO (do X).

This mindset shift is one of the first steps in successful puppy rearing...

Unless, of course, you don't care about your dog's health and cleanliness, or that of your home, your houseguests and maybe even your (human) kids.

Trainers sometimes complain about owners treating dogs like children. I sometimes with folks would treat them more like kids.

Hope is not a strategy in raising a puppy folks.

There are PROVEN techniques that insure success.

I'm here if you need help.

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