The vacant buildings and burned out cars did not help the way I was feeling.
I was nervous and not sure how things were going to turn out.
It was 7:00AM and I was in the North End of Hartford CT waiting to see what was going to happen next.
Little did I know this would be my first official experience with the world’s oldest profession.
It was a chilly October morning as I sat in car waiting. I was told her name was Diana and she was no nonsense. I had asked if I needed to bring anything. I was assured that she would bring everything. I just needed to be there on time.
When she showed up I could see she was indeed all business and we got started right away. She was dressed casual and had a no nonsense attitude. Doing this as long as she had I think made her a little calloused.
Diana was from New Jersey and had been in the profession for a long time.
Wikipedia states farmers, cattle drovers, horticulturalists, engineers, landscape gardeners, military, doctors, nurses, teacher, priests and lawyers claim to be the oldest professions. There is one other profession which also makes the list but I can’t remember what it is.
Anyway, I would argue (and be correct) the oldest profession on the planet is dog training.
I had been hired as a K-9 handler and this was my first day of training.
Way before any of these professions came around hunter gatherers on the open plain where making friends and training wolf pups to help with survival. For 15,000 years dogs and humans have been living together.
A relationship for this long lasts for one reason.
Cooperation.
If the relationship was contentious and difficult dogs would not be a part of our lives. Dogs had to learn one huge, important lesson. They had to learn how to live with humans.
Humans had to learn how to teach dogs to live with us. Training is the glue which has kept the relationship long and strong. And if you were to ask me, training is more important today than ever before. The last 100 years have been the toughest on dogs.
For 14,900 years dogs spent the majority of their lives off leash, did the activities they were bred for and had much more freedom.
This changed as cars came onto the scene and the nation went from farming to industry. Now dogs must spend their lives in a house, crates and on leash. This has had an effect on dogs. Breed ban laws, lawsuits, dog bites, overcrowded shelters are now a normal part of our lives.
There is one solution to the problems with dogs.
Training.
Training is no longer an expense. It truly is an investment in your dog. Much like proper vet care, grooming and nutrition. Your job as the dog owner is to teach your dog which behaviors they can and CAN’T do.
This requires you to teach your dog the words YES and NO. Once your dog learns these two words you are on your way to developing a good relationship based on cooperation.
Once people realize this as the first step to having a dog we’ll see much less breed ban laws, dog bites and nuisance problems.
And if you’d like to get started I can help you for just $1.00. The Dog Training Inner Circle is ready and waiting to help you train your dog. See for yourself here:
Best,
Eric