Funny Short Story on Choke Chains

On Saturdays we have the all-important Puppy Socialisation course where owners arrived with their new puppies. We really emphasise gentle handing and what equipment should or should not be used when training and why?

We like to think that our clients take on board what we advise and we measure whether learning occurs by monitoring the dogs progress, the owners handling skills and the results.

On Saturday a new client came to visit the centre in order to ask some questions about his new dog who had started to show some aggression when out on the lead. Laura asked him to wait until she had finished with the puppies and he waited outside.

All of the little puppies and their owners left and Laura attended to the man and his dog. She noticed that the dog was wearing a choke chain. She politely explained an alternative and how it would be best not to use the choke chain since the dog was reactive and each time he saw a dog felt a choke etc etc! The owner replied "Oh I know that now, those people from your class told me I wouldn't be allowed in here with THAT on my dog" as they were leaving!

So if you wonder whether your clients listen to the information you provide for them you can always stick a stooge owner and dog outside with some inappropriate equipment on them and listen to the advice given from one dog owner to another!

Needless to say we were very proud of our Puppy Owners and the dog in question left with a SENSE-ible harness, booked into a course and the choke chain is stuck up on our notice board to remind us all how important the information we give to clients is!