We have all seen the dog shaming pictures shared on the web where a sign is posed near a “guilty” looking dog. I will admit to having a chuckle at these, after all I do believe the dog’s owner intended on making people laugh and that’s why they shared it. Recent articles and blogs have tried to address whether or not dogs feel guilt and shame and others have tried to dissuade people from shaming all together
My thought on the matter is that shaming doesn’t foster emotions that enhance the bond between owners and dogs. Even when it is done in fun and for a laugh, there is still that lingering memory of whatever transgression the dog did that now has been memorialized in a shaming picture. Right or wrong, dog shaming will continue so what if we turn it around?
If your dog has done something worth bragging about, get a picture, share it and tag it! Start using the hash tag #dogbragging. Our clients put in so many hours of dog training and working with their dogs we want you to know it is okay to be proud of it. Share what you accomplish in group class. Delight in your achievements with your new puppy.
We love it when pictures are shared on our Facebook page. Our puppy classes already have a good number of students who share pictures of their puppies when they are out doing some fun safe socializing. Now I hope to start seeing you share your training successes with #dogbragging. Tag and share on Facebook now!
