Dogs And Karens

If you train dogs in public, you will eventually encounter a Karen. You know, a Karen... a busybody who butts into things that are none of their business, in situations where you are doing nothing wrong, driven by puffing up their facade of superiority and a need to control others to protect their insecurities, and then seeking to somehow punish you (even calling the authorities) to force you to live in their bubble-wrapped and paranoid world. 

I remember when I first started training dogs, that my students encountered Karens while doing their homework at a park. I had a student with a new puppy, and she was using treats and luring to teach her dog how to Sit, Come, Down, and Heel. A Karen saw her training her dog, parked her car, and went over and accused my student: "You're turning that dog into a robot!" My student called me in tears, wondering what she had done wrong. I told her, absolutely nothing. I've had similar experiences over the years, and so have my students. 

I can't imagine what it must be like to live in Great Britain right now. I think they should rename the country to be Great Karen. Have you seen the videos of the police showing up at someone's home, to then haul them away on unannounced charges, with the basis that the accused has somehow hurt someone's feelings, free speech be damned. It would be very difficult to properly train a dog in Great Karen. They are already meddling with how to train and breed dogs, and it is only going to get worse. The same is going on in the European Union, which should also be renamed to be the Karen Union. I follow a number of dog trainers in Great Karen and the Karen Union, spouting every politically correct trope about dog training. Whereas here in the US, we have people that shouldn't be training dogs, and doing and promoting absurd and harsh methods, in the Karens, they have just the opposite. Yes, there are some Karens here, too, but fortunately they haven't gained political and police powers. Whether you are stuck in a ditch on the left or right side of the road, you are still stuck. And the dogs and owner suffer. 

In the Karen countries, the good trainers just have to go underground, or get the training they need by going outside the country to finish what needs to be done. In the US, we fortunately have a mostly free press and have the free speech to call out either side. But you can easily end up in a ditch here because novice dog owners often don't know how to separate fact from fiction (slick marketing)... easily solved by getting references. I think the Karens are worse, however, since they get the backing of the authorities to enforce their delusions. There are attempts by Karens in the US to make us like Great Karen.

Keep and eye out for the Karens. Don't give up your liberties to satisfy those with this personality disorder. 

Plan accordingly.