I think you need a lot of experience, a lot of wide experience and understanding of the different dogs and different ways of training as well.
SPEAKER_01Welcome to the Absolute Dog Sex in a Squirrel podcast. I'm Lauren Langman. I'm one of the world's leading dog trainers, and it's my mission to help owners become their dog's top priority. In each episode, you'll discover how to gain trust and communicate with your dog like never before, creating unbreakable bonds that make you the most exciting part of their world. We're off. We're off. And if someone was coming to you or gonna maybe chat to us about if they were to come into dog training right now, whether they're coming into dog training as an experienced ish owner, so they're coming back to dog training um today as an experienced ish owner, or maybe even a dog trainer, or someone looking to start dog training, what would we tell them? A bit of a tips tennis, a bit of a Hughes versus Lauren. What would you tell
people? I'm gonna start and I'm gonna say, put your hands on loads of dogs. And put your hands on loads of dogs. When I first started dog training, I had a lurcher. Training a lurcher, my first two breeds were a red setter, Irish setter, and a lurcher. Those two breeds teach you a lot about dog training. And I believe they taught me way more than my very motivated, driven Bernard type dogs. Like the dogs who really want to do it, who want to please, who want to be at your leg, who want to play, who already want to retrieve, they're retrieving at eight weeks old. I mean, they're fantastic, they're a joy to own. But realistically, that's not most dogs. And so the more dogs I put my hands on, particularly um I worked in rescue centres and re-home centres, Plymouth Cats and Dogs Home. Let me give you a shout out because I loved working Plymouth Gables, Cats and Dogs Home, Woodside in Plymouth also, and a couple of German Shepherd rescues and work with um Great Danes, like lots of different spaces, but you're putting your hands on dogs. And so I see so many trainers these days who've got like the Mickey Mouse qualification, or they've got the title, but actually, would you trust them with a goldfish? And I think that's really important. How good are you at handling dogs?
SPEAKER_02Well, you have to be good at handling dogs. I I mean you don't you see a lot of people set themselves up as dog walkers, and then they happen to become dog trainers. And it's a liability, isn't it? I well, they walk, they walk the easy dogs. They don't they don't all walk the difficult dogs. And I'm not dissing dog walkers here because there's some really good dog walkers out there. But for anybody wanting to become involved in dogs, I think you need a lot of experience, a lot of wide experience and understanding of what of the different dogs and different ways of training as well. Absolutely. You know, you need to be observing and observing and working with lots of different breeds and lots of different people. If you want to be a dog trainer, you're not actually training the dogs all the time. Most of the time you're with people. You're training the people. It's a people, it's a people job, more than it is a dog job.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely, it's massively a people
job. And I suppose that leads me to my next one. Um for me, tip-wise, would be absolutely say no to things that aren't for you. So actually, whether it's a person, whether it's a dog, or whether it's actually maybe an experienced or a difficult rather dog case, maybe it's something like bite case or an aggression case, or a dog who's really, really quite severe in their behaviour. I would say it's okay to say no, and it's okay to hand that to someone who's been doing it longer. I think I was working at the one of my dogs went for a blood test the other day, and the vet nurse must have uh stabbed the dog about nine times trying to get blood. And for me, the dog was very tolerant and everything was fine. Is it ideal? No, it's not ideal. And and I feel like there is a place to learn, but it's probably not on the customer's dog. And when it comes to like aggressive dogs or bike cases or difficult dogs, those are certainly not the place you need to be um experimenting or happily playing around to see what gets a result. So, as a dog trainer, in my younger days, did I take on cases or dogs that maybe I shouldn't have? I didn't ever have any really bad situations or or bad cases, but were there times when I could have probably handed it up? Yeah, I think I could. And I always did liaise with brilliant people around me. But I think there is a place sometimes for going that isn't for me, or I know someone who could do that really, really well. And I've always been happy to do that. So I've always I've always done that. How about you, Hughes? Well, in my previous life, previous as a therapist.
SPEAKER_02Absolutely, and that was such a big thing. Always know when to refer on, as we call it. When should I refer on? When is this case beyond my skill set? And be but you've got to know when it's beyond your skill set, not just be innocently uh involved in things that are far more complicated than you think they are they're going to be. So it is very, very important, even if you do one meeting with a family that's got a dog with certain problems and you realize this is beyond my skill set, you need to be able to say, Ma, I'm not the person to be helping you, but this person is and be able to refer on.
SPEAKER_01That's massive. And that takes a certain person as well, because you have to be quite happy in yourself, I think, to do that. Um, and if you're not happy in yourself, sometimes you'll take that as a self-criticism or a personal critique. No, it's not, if you're not, is actually about what's right for the dog and the person in front of you. Um and I think that's huge. Okay, coming into dog training, what else would I say to you?
Probably don't get in cliques, try and stay out of cliques, actually enjoy the dog training and enjoy the reason you're there. And so for me, I'm very happy when people say, Would you like to come to a party in the evening or do you want to get out for a social? I'm I'm good with saying no, I socialise my dogs pretty much. And I'm good with it. And that's not to say I'm I'm not a social person, but I'm a really social person, actually. I just know where to draw the line. And so for me, try not to be in the cliques and try to actually be able to get the best for your dog. So, for example, I recommend a canine supplements. I would also happily say use raw food, and I would happily say do these things. And if those things don't all agree, then actually I'd still do my own thing and ask my own questions and stay curious, not have to do the trendy thing, if that makes sense. Um, so I think in in dog training, there's a lot of cliques. There are. I think you and me are both pretty good at avoiding them.
SPEAKER_02We've yeah, well, we've both had experience of them and and now know how to avoid them.
SPEAKER_01Uh yeah, that's probably um rightly so, isn't it? And is there anything you'd advise on on the experience of them and then knowing how to avoid them? Is there anything else you'd advise there? Because without going into way too much detail, it can be really quite hard.
SPEAKER_02It can be isolating. It you know, you it's important to not get into this Billy nomades thing. You know, it's not it's not about not belonging because we all belong to some sort of tribe or group or whatever, because that's part of human nature.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, the connection's important.
SPEAKER_02Um absolutely, but it doesn't have to be exclusive, it's when it becomes exclusive that it becomes risky in terms of your mental health and well-being.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely, absolutely. And when it's that that whole someone feeling excluded or included, it can be a really um tough gig.
SPEAKER_02So I always say stay in your own lane, stay in your lane, stay in your own lane, stay in your own space.
SPEAKER_01That's just fine. No, I really like it. I really like it. Okay, top tips. If you were coming into dog training today, what other things would you like to know?
I think obviously we're online dog trainers as well as in-person dog trainers. I would say have a healthy respect for both. Both have a place, I think, in our modern world. People who are purely online, I think there is a place for in-person, and I think that you do a lot of in-person. I do a lot of in-person. Um, I think it's a really good space. I could equally online really opens up a whole new world for some people, people who are bedridden or bedbound, or people who um just aren't confident to go out, or in another country, different spaces, different. Yeah, we've we've taught in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Canada, uh, Bermuda, Barbados. Like we've taught in all different places, and sometimes it's online. So, so yeah, you get to meet them that way. Anyone coming into dog training brand spanking new? What would we tell them? Be risk aware. Nice one. Go on, clarify.
SPEAKER_02But well, be think through what it is that you are being presented with in terms of the dog and the and the owner. So, how is are you and the owner on the same page? But you know, dog training has moved and evolved and changed a lot over the years, but there are still people who have very traditional views of what dogs are and what they're about. So sometimes my way of approaching a dog training struggle may be so alien to the people I'm trying to deal with that I know it's not worth fighting for it, if you see what I mean. Let's not alienate them. Let's yeah, let's not alienate them. Let's not put myself into a place where I'm not having a nice time because I love dog training and I love working with people and helping them with their dogs. So be aware of the risks you might be taking with the person, because they might, you know, they're there that it might be that it it's it's an impossible task. That's fine. There's other people that can help them, and then with the dog, particularly massive. So it is so important, particularly when you do put in one-to-one and in-person training, that you're very aware of dogs that you don't know, that they're properly managed and properly contained, and that you don't put yourself at risk if you're particularly if you're doing how home visits.
SPEAKER_01Massive, and home visits are actually quite a difficult place, I think, for a lot of um people. And that's probably another one for me is know your boundaries, so know what you can and can't do. So, actually, if going in someone's own house isn't for you, that's okay as well. Uh, if teaching in a village hall isn't for you, if working in your own home isn't for you, I think put your own boundaries in and they are okay. Like one of my boundaries, I would say, in in teaching is I really don't do well in sand schools and dog dog sort of sand arenas, and that's actually my eyes get really irritated by the sand, and I've got an eye condition. But also, I think that's what I did 20 years ago. So, unless I was going abroad and it was the only sort of viable venue, I probably would say I'd much prefer to be outdoors on grass and or indoors on turf because I have a real dust and eye issue, and so actually it just doesn't, I don't do well in it. So I think have have something that's okay for your conditions. Next one I would say, and I think this is a really big one, is stay curious and keep learning. So even if you've started learning, you're like, I'm there, I got it, I know it. And that is definitely where I was when I first started learning. I was like, Yeah, I'm a dog trainer. I got it, I know it. Stay really curious, stay really open-minded, stay open to ideas, stay stay like ready to listen to someone's ideas. I can learn a lot just from watching and observing someone else, like good and bad and ugly. Like you get to see all of it.
SPEAKER_02I like it. I'm a lifelong learner. I mean, if I if I wasn't learning and developing, I don't know. I mean, I'd wither and die, I think. I mean, that's what it's that's what drives me forward. Learning.
SPEAKER_01It's learning. Yeah, what motivates you? I mean, it is it's learning, isn't it? It's connection and learning for me. So connection to people and their dogs and learning.
SPEAKER_02And being a better trainer, be having a better relationship with my dog or developing my dog in a in a better way. What whatever. I mean, that's what floats my boat.
If we were to come in as dog owners, so if we think dog owner level, what would you advise a new dog owner today? Uh coming into dog training in the world that we're in a little bit. For me, I'm gonna go straight off with vigilance. Actually, I think our world has changed from what it was 20, 30 years ago. Our our world was much calmer, much quieter. I'd say vigilance, vigilance from a social media point of view, vigilance from a dog training point of view, vigilance from an owning point of view, vigilance from dog in your house. The liabilities and legalities around dogs have gotten much harder. Um, and there are a lot more bike bike cases reported because of situations that dogs go into, I suppose. And there are way more dogs, way more people in the situations that evolve. So I think for me it would be really uh up there and important to consider those. How about
you?
SPEAKER_02New owner or research research, research, research, and research again, not just on what breed you might like, who's breeding it, where's it come from, has it been health tested, all of those sorts of things, and then how do you set your own home up in order to bring a new puppy into the home? So many people think they get the puppy and then they ask for help. I love this.
SPEAKER_01We get so many owners, Linda, who come here without their dog, their first lesson. I love it. I'm blown away by that as a concept. Yeah, people come here without their puppy to have their first lesson.
SPEAKER_02I'm like, Yes, yeah, winning a life. Yeah, they're all set up first. Be aware of what you're going to be doing the mo from the moment you pick the puppy up to bring it into your home. That the training should start before the puppy massive, even bull. All of the prep, all of the preparation should be.
SPEAKER_01We were talking about this a minute ago, like by nine weeks old, a puppy's life, you know exactly what you're doing, when you're doing it, how you're doing it, the order of everything. Like you've done your work. Yes. You've done your work. And if you haven't, then you need your backside kicked. Let's do the work. My last one, coming into dog training after either not being in it for a while or new to it, or from a dog training perspective.
And for me, I think this is something that everyone needs to consider, I suppose. The number one thing with everything, and that's with the people that you work with, that's with the dog trainers, that's with your dog's relationships. So I think foster all the relationships around you, foster good people like Linda in your life, so good people, uh, foster great dogs like Ulla and Skittle and the dogs that keep us really playing the games, foster good relationships and connections with your classmates. Like I watched your class earlier, just before we left you doing your competition. I realized I walked in, I was like, oh no, it's a competition. Let's say they're doing like yeah, you do a challenge with them. Why do you do it? Because they love it, they absolutely love it. But why do you do it?
SPEAKER_02Uh well, I do it because I I want them during the week to focus on achieving something and being under some pressure to achieve it. They all get terribly anxious. I was watching that I could see, and I was like, Well, the atmosphere's different in here, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Oh, it's the test. It's the test. They're doing their tests that they all get terribly. Who's next? And you are very school mom.
SPEAKER_00Well done, Emma. Next one. Well done, Jenny. Next one.
SPEAKER_01I'm like, oh my god, she's so angry. She's not angry. Anyone know Shees, she's not angry at all. It's purely that you've got that like school mom way, but they do, don't they? They get they love it and they connect really well over it and they get in teams and they want to know who's gonna win. Yeah, they love it. Yeah, they love it.
SPEAKER_02They do, they do.
SPEAKER_01Any final hack tip or trick from you in terms of new to dog training or new to the dog sort of training well.
SPEAKER_02If you're not gonna do the dog training and you're you're wanting to run a business, then think about it as a business, and always be have integrity, be honest and as open and as reliable as you can be.
SPEAKER_01You're so good at that, you're really open and honest. So, say, for example, when your dog is having a problem, you're like, This is what they're doing. Like, you never try and like um sort of make it very tinted, or no, no, you're really straight, straight talking, and you're like, Yeah, she growls at things like this. Come on, off we go. Like, you're quite let's deal with this, let's go. Okay, we're training Bobble not to bark at this. Like you'll just you'll just roll it into what you're doing. Yeah, this is real dog life. Yes.
SPEAKER_02I mean, if I'm gonna use my dogs for a demonstration, they're not perfect. I'm not perfect, none of these mistakes. I you know, we we they have as much of a laugh at me when I'm teaching them as well. Absolutely, as we do it with me.
SPEAKER_01Yes, so yeah, no, good stuff, guys. We want you to ask questions, we want you to stay curious, we want you to either be a dog trainer or be the best dog trainer you can be for your dog, or we want you to spread the world of dog training because ultimately the dog training world still needs better dog trainers or better dog owners. Dog owners like you, dog owners like me, and dog owners the that you guys here um are really the the sex and squirrel podcast listeners. We know that we can advocate for dogs in a really good way, and most of all, we get to do it together. Hey Hugh, good job.