3| The #1 Mistake New Dog Owners Make (and How to Avoid It)

The #1 Mistake New Dog Owners Make (and How to Avoid It)

There’s so much more to choosing the right dog than falling in love with a cute face. In this episode, I’m unpacking the one thing that could save you years of frustration—and why it matters way more than most people realize. Whether you’re in the thick of it with a dog who’s overwhelming you, or you’re thinking about bringing one home, this is the episode I wish every owner could hear before they got started.

*I don't recommend DNA testing in this episode because of how inaccurate they can be. The other sources mentioned are just as and more reliable than a DNA test in my experience.

Resources

https://www.akc.org/breed-selector-tool/ 

Prefer to read or want a step-by-step breakdown? You can find the full blog post and any free print-ables mentioned in this episode here:

https://houndingharmony.podia.com/blog/1mistakedogownersmake

Download your training guide: 7 Day Training Foundations

https://houndingharmony.podia.com/training-foundations-guide

A simple, actionable plan to get your dog from chaos to calm.

Looking for One-on-One Support?

If you're feeling stuck or overwhelmed, I offer coaching to help you create a personalized training plan and gain clarity on your next steps. Learn more here:

https://houndingharmony.podia.com/personalized-training-plan

Stay Connected

Follow me on IG & TT @hh_dogtraining

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https://houndingharmony.podia.com/free-resources

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Hello and welcome to the Hounding Harmony Dog Training Podcast.

(00:05):
The show that helps you go from chaos to calm with your dog one episode at a time.
I'm Emily, a dog trainer in licensed veterinary technician here to give you practical tips,
real life strategies in the confidence to raise a well-behaved, obedient dog without
the overwhelm.
Let's jump in and create a calm and connected life with your dog.

(00:26):
Hello and welcome back.
Today we're talking about the number one mistake I see dog owners making and what you can do
to avoid it and/or fix it.
We've all seen an owner that looks like they're in over their head with their dog, whether
that dog is excited out of its mind and jumping and just not listening in general, or they're

(00:50):
showing anxiety and fear or worse, they're reactive and showing aggression.
Many times all of these things could have been avoided by simply doing some breed research
before they get the dog or using that research to tailor their training plan to their

(01:10):
breed's specific needs.
Over the past several hundred years, actually I don't know the exact date, but over the
past very long time, dogs have been bred and bred for different purposes than their intended
nature to be better pets, better show dogs, but that doesn't mean that their original purpose

(01:37):
or instincts have left them.
You might be looking at your couch potato dog right now and thinking there's no way this
dog ever had a job ever.
But I assure you, every dog has had a purpose bred into them, whether that's chasing cattle,
helping you hunt or literally sitting on your lap.

(01:59):
I made this big mistake when I got my Aussie.
You're going to hear a lot of stories about Coda.
His name is Coda.
Yes, I didn't know that was a popular name when I picked it.
I just gotten into the vet industry, so don't judge me.
I did not realize that though Australian shepherds pretty much across the board suck at cattle

(02:19):
working, they still have an incredibly high herd drive.
Yes, I could have learned this by quick Google search, but that's what we're talking about
today.
Even though my Aussie's herd drive is down enough to get him to actually work cattle properly,
it is plenty to get him to try to herd small children into circles or to chase after a

(02:42):
deer or to lose his mind when he sees a flock of birds.
Now why are so many people unprepared for the breed of dogs that they get?
Unfortunately, breed popularity is going to romanticize that breed.
So think back to when 101 Dalmatians came out.

(03:02):
Everyone wanted a Dalmatian.
In fact, I don't think Dalmatians have ever sold more puppies ever in all of time, but think
with me, what were Dalmatians bred for?
You may be seeing a fire truck in your head right now, and yes, they were bred to work with
firemen, but their job was to keep civilians away from the fire truck by any means necessary,

(03:29):
which means that could be biting, growling, whatever they got to do.
So these people bring home a Dalmatian puppy and wonder why it doesn't get along with
all their kids.
It is so easy to say yes to an eight week old puppy.
That teeny tiny baby is just so sweet and honestly pretty easy to take care of because they're

(03:50):
like a newborn.
And just like newborns turn into toddlers, it ain't gonna last forever.
They're going to hit their velociraptor stage, which is my favorite term for the ages four
to five months, which is hilarious because that was also the hardest time with my
son in the first year.

(04:12):
Something about four to five months, it's rough, but even worse, the longer that you have
a dog and the older that they get, the less cute that they are and the less valuable they
are to re-home to somebody else.
I'm not saying this just because I'm heartless because I am a little heartless, but I'm saying
this because it's simply true.
When you go to the shelter, you're not going to usually find an over surplus of eight to

(04:37):
twelve-week old puppies.
You're seeing older dogs that people just did not know what they were getting into and
so they gave up and sent them off.
Okay, I'll stop that tangent because I get too riled up about that.
So even if you have no clue what breed or breeds your mutt could be, and I say mutt in

(04:59):
the most loving term because let's be honest, the mutts are often the best of us.
You're going to be able to classify what type of dog they are with a little bit of help.
So whether that's you're talking to a vet professional or a dog trainer in an area or even,
I feel like Google, you can Google images.

(05:20):
I'm not saying that's accurate, but like you'll be able to tell if they're a sporting breed,
they're a hunting breed, if they're a hound, tear your toy, or even if they like 90% of
the population are par-pip-pul.
That's not a scientific number.
That's just what it feels like.
And I love the pipples.

(05:40):
Don't get me wrong.
It's so helpful to know how to tailor your training plan for your pipp-pul.
All right.
Now I'm going to help you fix this.
If you're in over your head and you don't know how to adjust course, you're going to fix
this if you've already made this mistake by tailoring your training plan and your routine
to better suit their needs.

(06:02):
This could look like more exercise time.
This could look like higher mental stimulation.
This could look like making sure that there's no distractions, no wildlife until they have
progressed to the level that they can handle that.
Now if you're wondering how you know if your dog is not getting the stimulation or training

(06:24):
needed for their breed, you're going to be seeing this come out in bad behaviors.
You're going to see it in destructive behavior, in anxiety and aggression.
You're going to see it there.
Now this isn't going to be the end all, be all for all dogs because everyone is unique,
but it is a fantastic place to start.

(06:44):
Now it's a lot of work to train your dog to be a quote-unquote good boy, but it is so
very worth it.
When I tell you the way my life changed, when I prioritized training and my dog turned
4, yes you heard that right, when he turned 4 he finally grew up.
So everyone with a sporting dog or a hurting dog or a working dog in general, you can expect

(07:08):
4 years old, 4 to 5 years old.
We'll be the time that they finally flipped the switch in their frontal lobe develops.
Okay, I keep saying research, research.
All right, this is what I want you to do.
You can go to a KC breed selector tool.
This is going to be if you don't have a dog yet.

(07:28):
And you're going to be able to take this little breed personality test, not saying it's
100% accurate, but it's going to help you narrow down where you want to be.
And if you already have a dog use the KC page, it'll it has so many useful things.
It talks you about energy, it talks you about drive.
And then from there, another great resource that cannot be underplayed is talking to a human

(07:54):
that has great experience with this dog or just a lot of experience with them.
This can be a ethical dog breeder in your area.
Someone you know that owns the dog that is well behaved or if you want to be de-influenced,
not so well behaved.
I love talking to other vet techs about dog breeds because breeds are popular in certain

(08:17):
areas and they are in the thick of it with these breeds.
And shelter staff, we love our shelter staff.
They have hearts of gold.
They are in with those dogs.
They learn their personalities very intimately.
Most people love to talk about their dogs and their experience with them because it's a
ton of work and time that they have to invest to get to the point where they are able to

(08:43):
give advice.
Now, take their words and make sure to fact check because everyone's going to have a different
experience, but many similarities are going to ring true.
Another thing I like for new and existing owners to do is to look up some people on Instagram
and take talk that have accounts for their dog.

(09:03):
That is that breed.
And you can learn so many hacks and tips.
All right, that's what you can do to research.
Now, next, I want you to have a training plan before you bring them home.
Now, if you already have your dog in the home, you're going to get a training plan,
ASAP.
The sooner you start to take action, the less bad habits they are developing.

(09:25):
So the more the sooner you put them work, the less work you're going to have later.
The best time to start is right now.
If you are new to dog ownership or just want to get a better grip on dog training, I have
a training foundations ebook that is linked in the show notes.
It goes over all of the basics that you need to get your dog off on the right.

(09:50):
Can I say POT?
Is that too cringey on the right POT?
Now, the last thing that I want to say is having a coach or a professional dog trainer
help you can really be invaluable and save you so much time.
So whether that's a local person or someone virtual like me, you're going to be getting
so much wisdom that it would take you years to clean for yourself.

(10:13):
So I really encourage people to stop working harder than they need to and get some solid
advice.
I have my coaching service to help you get a personalized training plan and to retrain
yourself so that you can communicate better with your dog.
If you're feeling unsure, if you are ready for a puppy, take your time.

(10:35):
Do your research and maybe start with a senior dog from a shelter.
Oftentimes you're going to find a dog with lower energy needs and that are a little more
eager to conform to your lifestyle.
Plus how amazing is it to think that you are giving them the second chance on life that
they had very little chance of getting?

(10:57):
Thank you so much for tuning into Hounding Harmony Dog Training.
If you found this episode helpful, it would mean the world to me if you'd follow the show
and leave a quick review.
This helps other dog owners find the support that they need too.
For more tips, training help and encouragement, follow me on TikTok and Instagram at hh_dogtraining
or you can check out the resources in the show notes.

(11:20):
Until next time, keep counting that harmony.
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