Dog Problems? It’s Your Month!

There are never too many holidays, right? The latest addition to the calendar is the declaration of January as National Train Your Dog Month by the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT).

The year is full of days, weeks, and months that have been designated for various animal awareness causes. Some make more sense than others. So, do we need a National Train Your Dog Month?

Considering how many dogs are turned into shelters for behavior problems? I’d say yes. And considering that people not only think TV trainers can solve all of their problems, but believe that celebrity training books qualify as curriculum for public schools? Double yes.

With dogs in millions of homes, they’re an important part of our society. But they are a different species, and it’s important to understand the way our dogs think, what motivates them, why they need socialization, and why training is so crucial, even if you don’t mind sacrificing a shoe now and then in the privacy of your own home.

In honor of National Train Your Dog Month, APDT has provided a lot of great resources for trainers and for dog owners. Even with fewer great links, this initiative would have gotten my stamp of approval just based on the adorable customizable e-cards they created for the month. Have fun sending them to every distressed dog owner you know (and then direct them to Patient Pup Training for assistance)!