A service dog trainer went viral on TikTok after sharing five things she allegedly did wrong as a first-time handler and owner.
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“You live, you learn,” user @papitheservicepug, who is training a pug, said in her clip. As of Thursday afternoon, her clip had more than 3,380 views and counting.
Where did the service trainer go wrong?
User @papitheservicepug was blunt in her self-assessment of her work as a first-time dog trainer and owner. In fact, she was able to name five things that she allegedly did wrong in her earliest days.
“We all start somewhere,” she wrote in her TikTok’s accompanying video caption. But to ensure that other service dog trainers avoid her mistakes, she shared her errors with viewers.
The first mistake, she said, was not “doing proper research” and bringing her dog into non-pet friendly places, including certain restaurants.
“A lady at one of the restaurants who trained service dogs for vets came up to me and called me out as her friend in the background was giving me the stink eye,” the content creator admitted.
Other errors, she said, were rushing through important obedience training and comparing his progress to that of other service dogs. The content creator said she also regretted using certain training tools “without knowing how or when to properly use them,” including a prong collar, which are designed to stop dogs from pulling while on walks.
The content creator added that she bought an expensive service dog course and expected a registration and ID. But she said she was able to learn from this particular mistake.
“I’m actually not too upset about it because it actually taught me step-by-step on where to start with basic obedience,” she explained.
And the last error, she said, was not prioritizing fun or play.
“You live, you learn,” she concluded. “I did more research. I educated myself and I will never forget that lady who called me out at the restaurant.”
Science says that dogs are evolving
According to researchers at Linköping University in Sweden, which was cited in a recent article by the Daily Mail, dogs are entering a new phase of evolution. They said that this is driven by human’s desire for pets that are calm, friendly, and domesticated.
Given that companionship is a high priority for pet owners, the article stated, scientists have discovered that “increased levels of a hormone responsible for social bonding.” They noted that this was especially prevalent in service dogs.
Other outlets have cited this study, too. They noted that while dogs have historically worked as herders and protectors, their roles have shifted over time. The shift in human expectations has resulted in dogs becoming more socially attuned to their owners.
According to the researchers, who conducted a study involving 60 Golden Retrievers, dogs were tested on their ability to ask for help when trying to open a sealed jar. It noted that dogs who received an oxytocin nasal spray were more likely to turn to their owners for assistance. Service dogs, however, which are bred and trained to assist humans, display the clearest example of this evolutionary shift.
“Increasing friendliness seems to have changed these dogs’ biology, just as it did thousands of years ago,” two researchers from Duke University wrote in a recent article for The Atlantic.
Viewers react
In response to @papitheservicepug’s TikTok, many users applauded her openness to sharing her mistakes.
“I had to learn myself as a first time handler in 2017 now in 2024 I have definitely changed my views,” one user admitted.
@papitheservicepug You live you learn , and we all start somewhere 🤷🏻♀️😭 But those first three months were filled with embarrassing moments and educational ones that we recovered from really well and proud of how far we have come 🐾🖤🐕🦺 #psychiatricservicedog #pugsoftiktok #trainingfails #embarassingmoments #fypシ #fy #pug #servicedogintraining #educational #youliveyoulearn #proud #fyp #servicedogsoftiktok #servicedogteam #bestfriend ♬ Calm background music with acoustic guitar and saxophone(1288148) – ame
“The fact that you’re open to learning is amazing,” another viewer marveled. “I always try to view things in the aspect of learning something new every time. And you guys are doing amazing now.”
“We are always learning! Thank you for sharing this and others will learn from it as well,” a third commenter added.
The Daily Dot has reached out to @papitheservicepug via TikTok comment.
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