Trainer Shares Common Dog-Owner Habits That Make Her ‘Cringe’

While most people think they know their dog best, trainer Ingrid Jungferman has gone viral after saying how owners could be having a negative impact on their pup’s behavior.

Jungferman, from Sonoma County, California, posted a video on TikTok (@ingridatlasandarlo) listing the three things owners do that make her “internally cringe.” The common habits she said include owners talking to their pet when they are feeling a negative emotion; getting a second dog because they think it will resolve behavioral issues; and finally, not doing proper leash training.

The comments weren’t shared to pass judgment, however. Jungferman told Newsweek that her goal was to give owners “insight into how their behaviors may be negatively affecting their dogs.” For example, if a pup is nervous about loud noises, owners may be tempted to comfort them, but, according to Jungferman, this could make it worse.

Since the video was posted on January 10, it has been viewed more than 428,000 times and gained over 16,200 likes in a matter of days.

“I often see owners using unconditioned words that add stress to an already stressful situation for their dog. For example, if a dog’s having a tough emotional response, the owner is unintentionally making the situation worse by baby-talking at them,” Jungferman said.

“Talking to your dog too much with unconditioned words can cause them to tune you out. So, I encourage owners to talk less and be more meaningful with the words they use because dogs pick up on individual words and phrases better than sentences.”

In her viral video, Jungferman, a behavior and relationship-based dog trainer, also said that owners should get a second dog only if it is the best option, not because they believe it will fix any problems they are having with their first pup.

The third point, which a lot of owners could relate to, was about “struggling with your dog on a leash.” Allowing them to pull on the leash or harness won’t suffice, as the trainer says that owners should use treats to emphasize better walking habits.

“I encourage a high-value reinforcer, like a yummy treat and rewarding your dog for walking at your side,” Jungferman told Newsweek. “Use directional changes to discourage pulling on the leash, which teaches them that tension on the leash means they should come back to the human, rather than tension equals continue forward.”

What Do Other People Think?

Jungferman isn’t the only person who feels this way, as Heather Gillihan, the head trainer at Zoom Room, told Newsweek that, while owners clearly love their dogs, there is a “lack of education in how dogs feel and communicate,” which can hinder their progress.

Gillihan, the director of learning and development for Zoom Room, said: “We have a tendency to anthropomorphize our dogs, which means that we often treat them as if they have the same feelings, emotions, attributes, and behaviors as humans.

“Dogs often look to us when something happens that they’re unsure of to see how we react, and to determine if this is something to be concerned about. If we don’t react, they usually conclude that they don’t need to either,” Gillihan added.

When it comes to using a dog harness, she said that training and management are key to avoiding bad habits, such as leash pulling.

How Did Social Media React?

Jungferman has been amazed by the response to her video as she never expected it to gain so much attention. She said she hopes that her advice will help deter any cringeworthy behavior for owners who may be “struggling with their dog and don’t know what to do.”

Jungferman added: “There has been a huge positive outpouring of comments thanking me for the content as well as asking questions. My key advice to any owner is to embrace training as a lifestyle, rather than keeping it to organized training sessions. Mark good behaviors with food or verbal praise in all aspects of their life, from good decisions throughout the day at home, to good decisions out in the world.”

Among the 1,000 comments on the viral TikTok post, many people were keen to ask Jungferman for more advice when training their unruly pup. One comment reads: “Love the first one! We are working on our golden’s fear of storms. Any suggestions for in the house big feelings or fear?”

Another TikTok user wrote: “what do you suggest about the dogs that are having big emotions but won’t move?”

A third commenter posted: “Perfectly said – no bashing but explaining the reasoning and solutions.”

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