Why Most Dog Training Fails in Austin | Legion Dog Training

Most dog owners spend money on training, only to find themselves back at square one months later. Why? Because most training skips the most important piece: the dog’s nervous system, mind and body and soul.

The Problem with Conventional Dog Training - First and foremost. This is not a call out to say all trainers outside of this approach are bad trainers. In fact. Most just don’t know any different because they were never taught any different rather by online certifications or in person formal training. What I am sharing is coming from a former in person trainee and online and offline certification holder and lots of apprenticeships combined with my own experience working in the dog world for over the past 20 years is the following. With that said there are good trainers out there whom mean the very best for your dog but just haven’t evolved in education and stepped outside of the traditional boundaries and limits created by corporate America. NOW let’s get into the good stuff.

Focus on obedience over relationship. Almost all if not the majority of trainers who focus on obedience only and not the relationship are most certainly going to give you temporary results or results that operate much like a bandaid. But what exactly are we referring to when we say “relationship”? Well… Your dog has a relationship with everything. Its leash and collar, toys and food and water or backyard or doors and cars and trucks and rides in them or even as simple as grass or sidewalks. It’s literally EVERYTHING. This is often overlooked and most importantly the human to dog and the dog to human relationship is completely skipped over and all this things that could be the root to various behaviors that need adjustment get wiped right under the rug. It’s masked with obedience and rewards and corrections. Now does that sound like a fun life? When you really dig deep and let that sit in. It doesn’t to me as the root cause can still be there and un addressed. This doesn’t address energy, environment, or the human side of the leash at all. Which often leads to short-term results that fade over time.

What Actually Works (The Holistic Way)- Teaching calmness before commands. It really is that simple. Before you can ask your dog to be the best version of themselves. You have other ask yourself. Are you being the best version of yourself? More often than not our dogs are reacting to us and our subconscious and even sometimes conscious habits while with them. If your nervous system has you tense and tight or shaky and nervous or excited or careless of whatever the emotion maybe. Your dog in some way fashion or form is going to reflect that. Teaching owners to regulate themselves and snap out of the panic or whatever it may be that is taking over their body and piloting them is crucial. Long before we can ever ask anything of our dogs. The trick here is getting back to you. Be in control of you. No matter what. Because when you're not. You're now operating in tunnel vision and then guess what…. your dog will too. The perfect recipe for disaster. Here is where the important part to change is. (Take note!) Structure, boundaries, and leadership! This doesn’t just go for you and your dogs relationship. But in your personal relationship with yourself too. When structure is introduced there is a deeper knowing of what to do and how to do it. When there are clear and concise boundaries in place there is also a deeper knowing of NOT to do and where the thresholds are that push the limits of yourself and your dog to far. The sweet spot where you both thrive together. When you step into these and fully embody them you are now taking the lead. Leadership is now in full play. You are leading yourself and your dog forward with confidence and calm cool collected control. Sounds easy right. No…it’s not. But EVERYONE is 100% capable of getting there. I see it day in and day out.

Mind body spirit approach to healing and balancing dogs. Now when you read that does it make a bit more sense why we approach the way we do? Not only is getting out of tunnel vision (or whatever it may be for you) and getting more into your mind and body and spirit freeing but its also releasing and no longer hanging onto what doesn’t serve you or your dog. It’s a very subtle break through of limited beliefs and low confidence and other various things from all walks of life. It’s healing for you both in real time. It’s balance and not a power struggle of some sort. And this is why we train both the dog and the human. One simply can not move forward without the other. This is the holistic approach. For some it’s deep and life changing. For others it’s deeper and life changing for the dog only. Everyone is different. But we all deserve to live our best lives in the best versions of our selves.

This is what Makes Legion Different. Don’t get me wrong there are other trainers doing this same work and it’s beautiful to see this world evolve over the years into something deeper and meaningful. We are the only the only trainers in Austin who go this deep and one of Austin’s only holistic dog trainers. Holistic training is real world training and not just tricks in a classroom or a mask of obedience and short sessions for money. Its deep. Its real. It’s life changing. vs temporary fixes that fade over time.

If you’re ready to go deeper than surface level training and finally understand your dog……We’re here to guide you.