To some dog owners who participate in performance sports around the world, I am considered a dog training “mentor.”
Definition: men·tor ˈmenˌtôr,-tər/
noun: mentor; plural noun: mentors
1. an experienced and trusted adviser.
Being a mentor is an honour I take very seriously.
Why would Susan Garrett be considered a mentor?
Possibly because of the national or world championships I have won in dog agility. Maybe because of my successes with both “high drive” dogs and “motivationally challenged dogs” or because of the success, I have had focusing on the manipulation of positive reinforcement in dog training rather than the consequences of various forms of punishment. Or maybe there is some other reason I haven’t even considered…
The truth is, if I had my way, what people would take notice of is not just my training, handling or performing but also of the way I share my life with my dogs, the fact that my life at home with my dogs, reflects the love and respect I have for each dog equally.
I would have people take notice of how my dogs are much-loved family pets which means I go to great lengths for the physical and mental well being. To see how my dogs sleep at my feet when I work at my desk, or see the dozens of dog beds, dog toys and dog bones scattered around our home for our dogs’ comfort, how I engage with my dogs mentally not for a prize in the performance ring but for their cognitive stimulation and to return the joy they bring to my life.
Lately, I have seen too many dog owners missing out on the nuances of the “pet ownership” part of performance sports. Yes, I wrote “Ruff Love” but I never intended any dog to have to regularly spend 10-12 hours a day without any meaningful human contact. If you work long hours or you can’t make it home during the day, invest in a dog walking service rather than pee-pee pads on the floor or dog door exiting to a humanless backyard. Sure dogs can “tolerate” just about any lifestyle . . . but they deserve better than just “any lifestyle.” It isn’t finances that makes the biggest difference in the life of a dog it is your investment of your time, your attention.
Crates are great tools for raising puppies, rehabbing injured dogs or working through behavioural issues, however, I have never recommended a crate ever be used extensively beyond these short-termed, problem solving times in a dog’s life.
You can learn more about the dog crates I have as furniture in “Built In Dog Crates For Home Decor“.
My dogs have access to open crates in my home (those “crates” have been stylishly built in to look like a piece of furniture (however that is not the focus of this blog post:)). At different times during the day, one or more of my dogs may choose to curl up in one of those crates but it is their choice. Once I have developed a strong relationship with my dog (via Recaller Games and other foundation training . . . usually by 10-11 months of age) my dogs are rarely crated around our home. Sure we use crates in the car and possibly at a trial (I prefer ex-pens) but I can’t remember the last time I actually locked a dog in a crate at home.
Being a performance dog trainer who loves my dogs means my dogs go swimming once or twice a week and we aim to do a “shaping” session weekly (obviously more often with the younger dogs). My dogs get at least one long walk a day and get taken out for shorter sessions 5-6 other times during the day (we have no “set” schedule but it goes something like; early am, after breakfast, noon, 4 pm, after supper, 8 pm and bedtime). It used to be that if on occasion I had to be away from home for a longer period of time alone . . . say 7 -8 hours, I wouldn’t worry about it, my dogs will likely just sleep in my absence. However, if I was going to be away longer than that, I would arrange for someone to stop by to exercise, talk to and engage my dog’s in something that activates their brain (even if it is as simple as a “sit for a cookie”). However today with so many geriatrics at home (3 dogs between the ages of 10 and 17 1/2 years old) I wouldn’t let them go longer than 4 hours without having a pet sitter or neighbour stop by to let them out. I think it was Oprah Winfrey who said:
Being grateful for what you have- will bring you more to be grateful for …
If it wasn’t Oprah, it should have been :).
As a performance dog sport participant, I often hear of these “AMAZING breedings” between two talented dogs that I know has the possibility to produce really cool puppies with tons of potential to win in the agility ring. But as a dog lover, I realize how difficult it would be to equally love and care for a large “pack” of dogs. . . let alone the financial responsibility of paying for quality veterinarian care when things don’t go as planned. So I resist the temptation to buy every amazing prospect that happens by, knowing that when the time is right, a special puppy will find his way into my life.
There are too many people that start off as dog lovers in dog sports and somehow turn into “dog collectors” because they just can’t bare to “miss out” on the next “superstar.” My experience has been that as much as genetics may play a role in the next world champion it is focused, quality time invested in a dog you love that plays an even bigger role.
No matter how many dogs you buy, each of us will get the dog we need at the time we need it in our lives … so why not space your dogs out so you can invest your time and love into all of the dogs in your home equally. Expect your dogs to live to be 16-18 years old and get a next puppy when your youngest dog is 3-5 years old. This means you will never have more than 5 or 6 dogs in your home to care for at any one time.
Being a dog lover means I care for my dogs because I love dogs … not just because I want to play a dog sport. I feed good quality dog food not just to my young dogs who are still performing, but also to my older dogs who have given me their all and now deserve respect and comfort in their senior years.
In 2012 I wrote a series of articles on keeping your older dogs healthy and happy. Today all of those tips have been put into a Kindle ebook you can pick up through Amazon entitled “Anti-Aging Tips for Dogs” by Susan Garrett. If you are lucky you will find it for the price of less than a dollar if you are really lucky it will be free! When you go through it I would really appreciate it if you would leave an Amazon review. Here is the Amazon* link for the ebook.
[*Amazon Links Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Susan only recommends products she uses herself, and all opinions expressed here are her own. The link above is an affiliate link that, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission if you decide to buy from it. Thank you!]
I am proud that there may be people around the world who consider me their “dog training mentor,” but it is my wish that more people would consider me their “dog-loving mentor.”
I write this post not to point fingers or judge anyone but to provoke thought in everyone. None of us lives the perfect life nor is it healthy to seek or expect perfection. However, if we take can aim for tomorrow to be better than today then our progress forward should lead to an amazing outcome for both our lives and those of our dogs . . . it is, after all a journey.
Today I am grateful to all of the amazing mentors that have influenced my life . . . some I have met personally, many others I haven’t.
To quote the late Issac Newton;
“If I have seen further . . . it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants.”
If I am considered a mentor to you . . . it is because I have been blessed with great mentors myself.
Feeling grateful in 2014!
My last 6 dogs have all been rescued dogs. Either they were owned by people who did not consider them as part of the family or they were dumped at a refuge because their owners could not cope with them. Only one dog was without a pedigree so, they were, in fact, ‘valuable’ dogs yet not loved. Every one of these dogs become wonderful, loving members of my family, My present dog was abandoned at a refuge at 6 weeks of age, not exposed to people or other dogs until I found her at 5 months of age. Scared of everything and everyone. It took me 18 months to get her more confident and trusting of others but she will, forever, bear the scars to some extent … all because nobody took the time to meet her needs.
Timeless reflections on what it means to share our lives with dogs. Thank you, Susan!
Love this ☺️
I begged my parents for a dog since I could say the word, but they knew they couldn’t devote the time necessary to have one, until I was in my teens. This taught me how to wait until the time was right to get a family companion and while my parents continued to have family dogs. I didn’t get my own first dog until I was 31. I have had to move twice for the benefit of my dog and would do so again to protect his health and well-being as I consider myself fortunate to be able to pick my doggy family and I’m aware he cannot chose for himself the situations he will encounter. Having spent much time around the conformation show rings, I’ve seen far too much of selfish dog ownership where some people are only interested in winning and will think nothing of moving on an older dog or bringing in another puppy to their kennels to feed their ambition. Dogs deserve so much more and it’s equally sad that these people will never truly know how much a dog can enrich their lives. I read and learn as much as possible to try and make my dogs the happiest they can be, so glad I found recallers and Susan as it gels so well with how I like my dogs lives to be. I hope to encourage others to follow this ethos as I become a dog training instructor.
Dogs are worth so much more than than their weight in gold ❤️
Good afternoon Susan,
My name is Rachel, im in Victoria Australia.
I own labradors and am establishing a registered breeding kennel. I am currently building a whelping shed and sleeping quarters for my dogs.
I have seen your photo on your site of your built in dog crates and absolutely LOVE this idea and want to replicate it.
Would you be willing to share with me how you built this or had it built? I think it looks like the doors lift up and push in under the benchtop. This is perfect for what i want, so that i can leave it open in the daytime. I was wondering if these doors are on hinges or just lift and slide back without hinges.
Do you have any more photos you might be willing to share with me?
Thankyou so so much in advance.
I cannot wait to build mine similar!
Kind regards Rachel
Hi All, quick question – most people can’t avoid being away from home less than 8 hours a day. Where I live i don’t have the option of someone to walk my dog. What is the right choice here – get a larger crate and put fake grass Witt puppy pad under it on one side and puppy bed on the other side ? I’m not supposed to help him be unsurprised with unlimited freedom during the day but then I can’t keep him contained with puppy pads at night. Unfortunely I don’t make enough money to work part time and no flexibility to work from home. I’d say that at least 70% f people would be in my shoes. What’s our solution that’s logical but meets all the guidelines in rough love ?
You know, I’m not into competitive dog sports or anything yet (although maybe someday I will pursue that) I was just really drawn to your training techniques because of how much you stressed making a good homelife first. I want my dog to be relaxed at home and not be driving me to tears on a weekly basis because his stress caused him to destroy something while I was gone.
Since playing critical core games with my dog I feel so much more hopeful, and it makes it so much easier to take the bad days in stride because we ARE working towards good days.
So thank you Susan Garrett! You are my dog loving mentor!! Even though we have never met…
Susan, I’d really like to design a dog cabinet similar to this one. Its exactly what i’ve been thinking about. How do you store the door and how do you lock it closed? Thanks!
Wow, you never seize to amaze us with your wonderful words of kindness. The time we spend with our dogs mostly prove to be more fruitful as they bring out the best in most of us.
That’s a great idea for ordering things around the house when it comes to pets. However, it may be a little difficult for the exploring ones. I hope I can train mine to stay on their respective places since they always go for any soft spot. 🙂
But of course, we have dogs because we love them! And that means unconditionally, and with a commitment to THEIR welfare, not our own. This is what lives mean.
I am glad to hear your dogs are beloved pets and housedogs. I have been to seminars where the presenter has advocated keeping dogs separated, no playtime with each other, crate them so they want human contact, etc. This would never work for me.
I have more dogs than you but not more dogs than I can handle. I think it was Susan Butcher (Iditarod racer, Trailbreaker Kennels) who said something like “if you can only handle 99 dogs don’t get #100”. I have 4 between the ages of 10 and 13, 3 are retired from any competition but my 11 year old is still happily competing in agility (full height), rally and barn hunts. I hear of so many retiring 7 and 8 year old dogs (of breeds who still can be active for years) and find that sad. I have 3 other dogs competing in agility at present and 2 younger dogs doing other things right now such as breed ring and hunt tests so all of my dogs have jobs. There is one day per week where they are all crated for 10 hours but everyone does well as it is part of their routine. (it used to be 3 days per week but I changed my work schedule) I don’t need a “dog walker” as they all do fine that one day. They aren’t all crated all day but love their crates (which all have beds or pads in them)and are often found lounging in them voluntarily. Of course they love my king-sized bed, too. I did like your idea for the custom built crating area but I have an Am Staff who is a “wood chipper” so those wouldn’t last long in my house I fear.
So well said, it really is the everyday activities with my dogs that I remember and cherish most.
Thanks for writing this. I’ve seen people go thru stages in dog ownership in competition and have seen the collector phase in many fashions.
I even went thru it myself for a while and decided I really would rather enjoy the dogs I have rather than keep adding in new prospects and having no time to enjoy the ones I do have.
I see this not only in dogs but in the dairy goats I used to raise and in horses and more. It is so easy to get more and forget to enjoy what we have now.
Sitting here with a young female I want to breed, I am glad to have read this, because I really am just not quite ready for a new dog and I know when I do breed I’ll want to keep one, that is the point of me breeding on my line. But I have things I want to do with the dogs I have now, part of which is flat out enjoying the time we do have together.
Thanks for once again posting something to make me think!
This blog post really spoke to my current situation. I just changed jobs this week and it shook up our household routine/schedule. I decided to hire a daily dog walker for mid-day exercise and companionship. I feel less guilty- it is unfair to be the Keeper of All Good Things, having an active, full day while my dogs sit home!
This is where being a dog-loving mentor gets controversial. A dog-walker is something I have to fit into my budget, but I feel lucky that I can provide this for my dogs. I have a few people in my neighborhood that never walk their dogs. They are yard ornaments. It is easy for me to judge them, upset that they do not treat their dogs as I would mine. This judgment gets me no where and it certainly doesn’t help the neighborhood dogs. I interpreted Susan’s blog post to mean that we should lead by example, rather than label people as bad dog owners. I should offer to walk the neighbor’s dog while out with mine, gift a food puzzle, and use play while training visibly in my neighborhood. I once heard that people are more likely to recycle/compost if their neighbors do- the same must be true of dog-loving!
Lucky dogs to have you for a mom.
I love the crates you had made to look like furniture. Beautiful.
Thankyou Susan for all your awesome blogs. That gives me fantastic time with my wonderful furry friends. God bless you.
Susan, you have it exactly right. I see you as a dog loving mentor! That is why I found your Puppy Peaks program worth joining! Training mentor, yes, that too. But the combo of excellent dog trainer and true loving dog person is what makes your advice so valuable. Thank you!
I agree totally with all of your points and comments. First, as a pet owner, I would not give less than companionship and love, positive reinforcement and free shape training, exercise, nutritious food and proper medical care for the dog(s) that fill my family. Why would I do less for a performance dog? Unfortunately, in the dog performance world, some people do select bloodline over finding the right dog and right fit. Should not the dog first be a pet and family member before you ever even consider competing with him/her? Shouldn’t agility and other dog sports be “fun” before they consume every open weekend for a $.25 ribbon to hang on the wall? As a professional dog walker and proud agility mom (mom to a junior handler and Slick Trick, NA, NAJ) I have not only researched the benefits of a dog walker as an alternative to a kennel, doggie daycare, pet door or pee pads, but also the medical benefits. Some of these benefits are not apparent until the dog is a senior. Frequent potty breaks can prevent UTI’s, crystals and perhaps kidney stones. Not to mention the bladder benefits as well. Just because a dog can hold his/her water for several hours doesn’t mean they should have to do so on a regular basis. 8 – 10 hours is too long for anyone, including dogs. I think your comments are right on the money. You’re not boasting or being self righteous, you are teaching. Thank you.
Thank you Susan for being so frank and honest. I have 6 dogs in my household: three are over 13; one 11; one 9 and the youngest 5.5. I know what it is to have a geriatric ward at my house. Luckily I have a great vet. She even gives me group rates for office visits.
All these dogs are Siberian Huskies except for a Border Collie. The 9 year old.
You planted a seed in me several years ago that basically is “your training challenges can become your strengths. So many people have told me they can’t believe the recall I have with my Siberians. There was a lot of work put into those recalls. It is much easier now that they are so old!
I remember the first time I read “Ruff Love”. I was shocked. Until I tried some of the techniques. I didn’t do so well with “Crate Games”. I was embarrassingly more like a Crate Nazi. I finally have the idea of the GAME part. My dogs are grateful.
You also taught me that it is a good idea to work with what you have instead of wishing for something more. My youngest Siberian Husky is my agility dog. When we are working together it is the most fun I have ever had. She has taught me so much. The bond I have with her is my biggest source of joy. I wouldn’t trade my experiences with her for anything.
I always enjoy your blog posts, find them so inspirational. This one is especially meaningful because it is full of love.
Thank you.
Jenny, Ruff Love hasn’t changed . . . just people’s interpretation of it! It has always been about enriching our dog’s lives by managing reinforcement. Puppy Peaks and Recaller games will give you the games to do just that!
Is there a way that you could express these sentiments and encourage people to be good pet owners without leaving it open to the inference that you are criticizing someone and as always, self-aggrandizing.?
Anne, People, like dogs, will appear how each of us chooses to see them. A “naughty puppy” that runs off with a toy can appear to be “willful & stubborn” to one person and “spunky & playful” to the next. Likewise a dog trainer who chooses to speak from the heart, sharing her insights in the hopes of improving the lives of dogs can appear to be “self-aggrandizing” to one person or “sharing experiences” to others. How you view dogs, life, people is a choice that is entirely yours to make.
“Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy. Human beings have the awesome ability to take any experience of their lives and create a meaning that disempowers them or one that can literally save their lives.”
~Tony Robbins
Yes your a mentor. You help us train our dogs but you like other great teachers guide us to change our thinking in our live, not just with our dogs but in all areas. My dogs are my respected friends because of what I learned from your courses, books and dvd’s. All my dog owning friends have been introduced to your blog and book. And I try and get them to do your online courses regardless of if they are agility people or not. Thank you for shaving your knowledge. I gained enough confidence to tackle running contacts this year
Thankyou Susan for confirming in my mind that I have made the right decision not to try a full Ruff Love with my 20 month old Welsh Springer. She spends up to 55 hours a week happily in two other dog loving homes with canine and human companionship whilst I work and that to me is more important. She lacks focus, RZ and most importantly recall, but we are doing a little every day and next time Recallers comes around we will be ready with the critical core skills.
As a first time dog owner I recently found your methods through Devon Dogs – I love the approach and it is enriching our lives, whether or not we ever make an agility ring. You should see her Zoomies!!!
Jenny and Iola.
Susan, maybe because my interests are not in dog sports a and I came to your blog and pages simply to learn as much as I could about keeping my Whippets happy healthy and safe as motorhome dogs I have always thought of you as my mentor in all things ‘dog’!
Since first reading your blogs etc my older boy has lost an eye and the other eye is losing sight, so recall games have been altered a bit for him, and he still enjoys his life a great deal!
A big giant thank you for all that you do from Clancy, Connor and me, Annie
Thank you for sharing your thoughts Susan! You have definitely been a dog loving mentor to me, almost more than a dog training mentor, in a sense. I value all the training I have learned from you, but more importantly, I value the relationship that has been built from the training I have learned. My dogs have always lived the good life, and are with me 24/7. I feel very lucky to have that lifestyle. I am appreciative of the relationship my dogs and I can have, and I am always seeking to improve their lives. Agility is an extra for us, yes my dogs are obsessed with it, but no matter how much we hope to be on the next world team, at the end of the day, it’s all about me and my dogs having a great life, a great relationship. Time to stop writing and go play with my dogs! Thank you Susan for all you do!
Susan’s dogs are a part of her family, like mine is to me. Dogs respond well to a master who shows that they care. The Border Collie I presently have is my first agility dog. I unfortunately found my love for Agility late in life, but it taught me a very important lesson. As much as I want to, I don’t have to be an excellent handler and it is OK because my dog doesn’t care and she loves doing the sport with me whether or not we double Q. I have seen many handlers pick up their dogs and carry them off a course because their dog made a mistake, but 8 times out of ten it was their fault. I enjoy competing with my dog and I have learned that she is much smarter than me and If I made no mistakes she wouldn’t either.
Preach it Mark! You’ve got the right idea! Have fun.
Great article! Very inspirational. I myself would love to take every dog home that I see, but as your article says “I know my limitations and what our household can handle. I too love my dogs and see them as part of our family and they are treated as such. Anyone who takes issue with this article truly does not understand your love for not only your dogs but all that you come in contact with. Keep up the good work you do!!!
I train in order to be able to enjoy time with my dog – not to be the next superstar. Now if super-stardom should present itself. great, if not, I still have a great well behaved dog who loves to play. He is an 20 month old “All American” We switched over to your philosophies in October from a more conventional teach and then correct mistakes methods. the change was at first a challenge as no more correction led to a perceived sense of freedom. I do see it coming around – thanks for the help.
Susan,
You have changed the way I train my dogs, I only wish I had heard of you sooner so my heart dog could have benefited from your kind training methods. I can say from experience that your training methods are hard work, this being said, it is so worth it, my pup is learning things that my heart dog never had the opertunity to learn. Thank you for being not only a great trainer but also a wonderful person.
Very nicely written. I agree with everything you said and I have used you as a mentor and followed you on puppy peaks while training and loving my Shiba Inu puppy. He is amazing and can do tricks that awe people – all because of the positive training I learned from you. Thank you for helping me get on the road to training a spectacular puppy!
( I also have two 10 year old and one 13 year old shiba, one with an OTCH, AGCH and two with MOTCH’s and AGCH’s. One also has 7 pairs towards her GMOTCH)
Very well said, I especially liked your comment about how some people who get into dog sports become “dog collectors.” Absolutely true, and very sad. One does not need to keep spending tons of money or breed a huge number of litters—with time and love, any dog can be a star. Thanks so much for your thoughts, Susan!
I did not see anything controversial about this blog. A mentor imparts their knowledge and experience to benefit others. I believe you do that by sharing your training methods. The extra love you have for your pack and their treatment in your home is a bonus example of who you are as a person. I hope there are not many who take issue with what you have written because sadly your mentorship is lost on those who do.
Well said!
I essentially agree with the thoughts reflected in your post. Pet owners should never forget that the animals they have adopted are living creatures that have their own needs, wants, and fears, and generally can rely only upon their humans to make sure that these motivators are addressed. You are very fortunuate to have a lifestyle that allows you to spend so much time with and caring for your dogs, and it seems as though you appreciate that, but a person could read into your post subtle criticisms of those of us who don’t have that luxury of time. I agree that a “pack” should be limited to what the leader can handle, and that a crate-bound life is not much of a life, but it is possible to give dogs an enriching life with less attention than you outlined.
Yes Julie, it maybe be easy to read the wrong thing into what I have written . . . and the truth is people often do that with anything I write. I bet Ruff Love has been the most misinterpreted book in dog training. However it will only take reading a few of my blogposts here or become a member of one of my on line classes to know what the intention of this blog post is…just to remind people of what I think, deep down, they already know for themselves.
Susan you have changed the life I live with my 2 beloved Kelpies. They are getting fitter, smarter and communicate more intentionally every day thanks to your training methods.
My relationship with them has blossomed and I can say that I can see things very easily from their point of view. If agility does not become our thing, we have so many fun games to keep playing to keep us all happy. My 3 year old pup recalling away from a crocodile on a beach in Darwin Australia was the highlight of the holiday season and a testament of your great program. You are an inspiration not just the way you are with your dogs but your positive spin on life.
You have helped me not only become a better dog owner but also a better Occupational Therapist working with children with special needs ‘Do land” with kids is better than “don’t land” and relationship based therapy is how we build the connection between the child and the parent. Lots of fun 5 minute games to build on the relationship and develop the child’s skills. if only I could combine my work with my dogs … something to work towards 🙂
A wonderful blog! You can definitely be a dog-loving mentor!
Dear Susan,
Thank you very much for your blog. It says everything that I believe in. Our dogs are family pets who would do absolutely anything for a cuddle or play.
Regards,
Wendy, Australia
Aloha Susan,
I am so very thankful for you! You are kind and generous, and you make this world a beautiful place to be for dogs and dog lovers. You are my inspiration and you show me the path to success in life. God bless you. Lots of love to you and your family (John & dogs) Thank you so much! Today and everyday I am grateful for Susan Garrett!
Loved the blog post! As with every thigh you present, it’s well written and full of great information!
*thigh = thing…thank you auto correct…
Wonderful sentiments, Susan. I have shared your blog with all my class members as an inspiration for us all.
Susan – I find your tips very helpful & appreciate your
sharing them. Hey! When you’re good, you’re good &
the rest of us are so happy to learn from you what we
can apply to our own training!!
What a wonderful blog! You are generous in everything you share and we are blessed to have you as a mentor and friend. Look at all the people and dogs lives you have changed, and continue to change. Thank You
Your words are very kind and I wish all dog owners were as considerate of their animals as you. Like life, you get out of your animals what you put into them, whether that is food, time or your heart and soul.
Since the first time I met You I have always admired You, not only as a dog trainer but as a spiritual human being. I saw myself in You as far as what You wanted from Your students as well as our pets. You have high expectations for yourself as well as us, that is what make me see myself in You. You are also, very kind in sharing what You know and giving us so much freebies, that is why You are so blessed. Keep doing what You do!! You will always be my mentor and “Sista” Remember: When we are successful we are doing what we are suppose to be doing in life, when we start to fail, then we know that we are on the wrong path that “He” has for us.
Love you Mary Cain, you are my role model to how to live a happy life!