1) What caused Marley to be 'Marley'?
If Marley had been temperament tested, I can imagine his scores would have been all over the place. I found myself thinking Marley as super similar to my dog, Kimber, before she was trained. Of course, Kimber was far less destructive, but had (and sometimes still has) the same mindset. Having a dog somewhat similar to Marley, I am extremely grateful that we trained her.
What caused Marley to be Marley was his extreme disbelief of his owners. That dog did not believe anyone who tried to control him because the owners believed that his behavior could not be changed, and that Marley was ‘just Marley’. But Marley was only Marley because they allowed him to be. That dog had no restraint, no Alpha(s), and did not respond to his owners halfhearted corrections because they did not think they could fix it. Marley was only unruly because his owners did not take charge and show leadership. They did not believe that Marley could be different, and so, Marley wasn’t, earning him the title of ‘The worst dog in the world.’
2) Think about the owners (see clip above), what were their mindsets about Marley?
They did not believe that Marley could be different, and, because of that, he wasn’t. The world today seems to be more convinced that dogs should be treated like children, but this isn’t how the dog’s brain works. They are pack animals and need to be put in their place. Marley’s owners did not know or believe this, so they believed that Marley was happy being destructive and crazy. I honestly don’t understand why those owners even attend dog training classes if they aren’t willing to control their dog. Those owners treated Marley as if he would get better himself, but he obviously didn’t.
3) What lessons or observations would you make about what you saw in this movie given your history of training KMODT with me?
First, this story makes getting a puppy seem quick, easy, and temperament wise, randomly given. No research went into the dog breed or supplies, and no one considered the fact that they might not be ready. But, in order to (attempt) to avoid having kids, John gets the dog right after his friend suggests the idea. Having some experience with raising puppies, both with and without Roxanne, never would I imagine getting a dog without some research. And after seeing the huge difference of preparing and temperament testing, never again will I get a dog without taking these extra precautions. These people did not know what to expect, what to do, and on top of that just went off the idea that a ‘Labradoodle’ sounds weird. They ending up getting way too much dog to handle, because of their lack of preparation.
Second, that dog trainer does not know what she is doing. Getting knocked over, and letting that dog drag her all over the place does not seem like a very professional thing to do. Everyone has to start somewhere, but the fact she has so many decent clients makes me wonder how in the world those dogs got anywhere. I have met a lot of dogs worse than Marley, and those are usually the dogs that get put into training. After watching Roxanne’s expertise, and Calm Cool and Collected ness. It is easy to see how Koehler’s methods give you more control. No way I would pay for that movie’s dog class after experiencing a ‘Good dog’ under Koehler’s method.
Third, it is so, so easy, without experience, to have the exact same mindset as Marley’s owners. Many people fall into this trap of thinking that their dog can’t improve. But, even if it is hard, if you have the will, you can still train your dog. One of my favorite quotes by Koehler is. “In the beginning, God created Heaven and Earth. Man, a bit later, created the fable that “the dog, when he understands, always wants to please.” I think Marley understood, but did not want to please, which is why he did not obey anyone. Had Marley’s owners understood this, they could’ve had a much better dog.
I am super grateful for the opportunity I have had to learn about the Koehler method, and I honestly can’t imagine life without it now. Me and Mabel are super excited for this new course! Good luck to all, and Roxanne, thank you so much for putting this together.
-Alice Christensen
Excellent and thoughtful answers Alice!
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