In response to the recently well publicized incident in which a judge was attacked and seriously bitten multiple times at an agility trial, comes a sad and unspoken truth about dog sports. My opinion on this is not popular, but that is not my goal. My goal is to advocate for the dog’s emotional and physical well being as the priority in the relationship and training. Hopefully this will make some people think, if they are honest with themselves…

Too many people fail to prioritize their dog’s emotional state, both in training and at trials. This is something that handlers need to learn early on! From the very beginning, the state of mind and emotion needs to be the priority in order for a dog to feel comfortable and safe about working with you, in whatever activity you are doing.

But people become too narrowly focused on specific skills for a sport so they can get into the ring ASAP. They cave to peer pressure to start trialing. Not prioritizing-or even recognizing-their dog’s need for comfort, security and trust in what they are asking them to do. Too often this is not even on their radar, much less an integral part of training. The human puts blinders on and neglects the peripheral aspects needed to perform in trial environments. The human pressure coupled with environmental dynamics etc. that comes with trialing, is all thrown at the dog who is now expected to perform. The method is simply throw the dog in the deep end and expect them to swim.

Dogs are not machines to be operated by a human. Emotions are in play from each side, including human expectations. Competition is addictive for many people, to the point where their human goals overshadow everything else including the dog’s best interest, both emotionally and physically.

This is when dogs are put into competition no matter their temperament or how they feel about doing it. Many dogs can, and do, fly through the motions of an activity in a negative emotional state.
This is also when bad things can happen, both to the dog and others who are directly involved.

The human is always responsible. Let me repeat. The human is always responsible. They made the choice to trial, they pay the fees, drive there with their dog and go into ring.

Do they ever consider the dog’s preference? Do they ever give their dog a choice? Are they considering the affect on their relationship if they prioritize their sport over the dog? Far too many handlers do not. Fortunately there are some who do, but it still seems far from the norm in dog sport culture. A culture that has grown exponentially in the past two decades and continues to expand.

Dog sports can be a good thing for dogs and humans. Or humans can use it in attempt to fulfill themselves to exclusion, at an emotional cost to the dog and their relationship. What kind of partner do you want to be to your dog?
Char