Post by @theveterandogtrainer

Draco came back for boarding yesterday, and a few hours later, we were already seeing some of the same behaviors that originally brought him to me as a 9 month old puppy. As I approached his crate to grab the leash, he immediately bit at the grabber hand. For a lot of trainers, this is the moment they would reach for a correction. Some would use an e-collar. Some would punish the behavior. But that’s not how I approach cases like this. Draco is a Cane Corso. He’s a powerful dog with genetic predispositions that play a significant role in how he perceives and responds to the world around him. Genetics matter. Especially when we’re talking about aggression, guarding tendencies, and defensive behaviors. One of the biggest misconceptions in dog training is that every behavior problem can be trained away. The reality is that some dogs require lifelong management. That doesn’t mean they can’t live successful lives. It just means we have to be honest about the dog in front of us. When I see behavior like this, my first question isn’t, “How do I stop it?” It’s, “Why is it happening?” Draco was just dropped into a new environment. His routine changed. His stress levels likely increased. None of that excuses the behavior, but it helps explain it. Understanding the why gives us a roadmap. Punishing the behavior only addresses what we see on the surface. A huge part of working behavior cases is knowing when to train, when to manage, and when to simply give the dog the support they need to make better decisions. This is the side of dog training that doesn’t always make it onto social media. The daily routines. The management. The setbacks. The regression. The reality of working with dogs that aren’t easy. What’s your take? When a dog shows aggression, should the focus be on correcting the behavior, or understanding what’s driving it? #DogTraining #dogtrainer #dogs #dog #dogsoftiktok