This is an accountability letter for you, sent with love, by me.
Your dog is ONE dog, amongst millions. Your dog has it's own personality, looks, genetics, needs, frustrations, tolerances.
STOP COMPARING YOUR DOG TO OTHERS.
Stop watching TikTok dog trainers parade their perfect dogs around. You will not get this perfect dog; you have a pet.
Unless your dog's lifestyle is 100% perfect, your training routine is 100% perfect, their genetic makeup is 100% perfect, your training skill is 100% perfect, the environment is 100% perfect, your dog WILL NOT BE 100% perfect. That is okay!! That is normal.
Just because you have trained them from 8 weeks old does not mean that by 6 months you will have a perfect dog. If you have, you are damn lucky so cherish it.
You may be able to achieve what LOOKS like perfection with harsh correction methods. Not with me. Find another trainer.
MANAGE YOUR EXPECTATIONS.
Your dog doesn't have any concept of what you want.
You may have got your dog as a self-therapy dog and found that your dog is anything but therapeutic. Maybe even they need a 'therapist.'
You may have got your dog to take everywhere with you, but they can't cope so you're stuck at home.
You may have got your dog to go on long walks with, but they pull you everywhere.
Work with the dog you HAVE, not the dog you WANTED. These are very different. Accept that.
Accept your dog like you would want to be accepted for all of your quirks, flaws and character traits. Train them yes, but don't try and change them.
LET YOUR DOG LIVE A LITTLE.
For Fido's sake, let them run.
You may want your dog walking perfectly on a short lead by 20 weeks, but I doubt your dog feels the same.
Do not expect a highly energetic rambunctious dog to be okay with their only form of exercise being walking by your side.
This is FRUSTRATING.
Let them run. DAILY. Sometimes twice or three times daily. Let them sniff. Let them explore. Get a long line. Hire a field.
If you don't let them in the name of 'obedience', you are doing them a disservice. You are indirectly encouraging frustration and reactivity to build.
Lastly...
LISTEN TO YOUR TRAINER.
They mean well, honestly. If the methods don't sit right with you, then talk to them.
Don't just stop using their advice because you can't be bothered or it hasn't worked in the first 5 minutes. This is honestly... lazy.
I can't count the amount of times I have given advice and then watched it blatantly ignored or tried twice and then disregarded.
The advice works. What's not working is your patience.
BE PATIENT.
Be kind. Be calm. Be human, by all means, we all have bad days. But listen, educate, grow, expect failure, celebrate success and give your dog a damn break.