Safety Net
We all know what a safety net is, right? It’s that giant net that they stretch out under flying trapeze artists. It’s there in case they fall accidentally and they also use it when they dismount from the bars at the end of the show.
Side Note: Once upon a time I actually took a flying trapeze course. It was a gift from my wife for my 40th birthday. It was a lot of fun and the net was very springy, kind of like an extra soft trampoline.
Hammock
We all know what a hammock is, right? It’s that net that is typically hanging between two trees with someone resting in it, napping, reading a book, sipping on a tropical drink with an ocean view, you get the picture. If you’ve never tried a hammock before, I highly recommend it, they are very comfortable.
Safety Net vs Hammock
I can tell you from my personal trapeze experience that the safety net was also very comfortable to just lay back on, kind of like a giant hammock. I know this because, after attempting a flip, messing it up and falling into the net, I took a moment to just lay there and gather myself. Just a moment mind you, I had to get up quickly because there was a man hanging upside down waiting for the next person to try it. You know, the really strong guy who has to catch the people who do the flipping around. He was like, “Dude, get off the net!”
The moral of our story is that, as comfortable as it may be, a safety net is not a hammock, it’s not there for the sake of relaxing, it’s there for the sake of doing things that would otherwise be too risky to do.
Ideally, trapeze artists never fall during a show. They might even be so daring as to do performances “live without a net” but, to be sure, they fall and they fall a lot when they are first learning. They also fall a lot when they are developing risky new moves to keep their audience spellbound. Hence, they absolutely need a safety net most of the time but the goal is to land the performance, not to land in the net.
What The Heck Does This Have To Do With Dogs?
For those of us not interested in joining the circus, the term “safety net” also applies to anything that provides safety during the development of potentially dangerous or risky endeavors such as becoming an athlete, growing a business or training and doing behavior modification with dogs.
An example of a safety net could be financial, such as a savings account or a day job that helps “keep the lights on” while developing a new career path or starting a new business. I personally kept my day job for three years before going full time as a dog trainer. It was a lot of work but having that reliable income was a good “safety net” for me while I built up my dog training clientele.
In the case of dog training and behavior modification we use many safety nets such as:
- Leashes
- Crates/Kennels
- Long Lines
- Muzzles
Dog training tools, such as those listed above, are used as safety nets to keep dogs and people safe while we teach, develop and practice various skills. I’m not only talking about safety from injury, I’m also talking about keeping our training safe from sloppy mistakes, which can be behaviorally costly in the long run. Ideally, the goal is to get so good that we can perform “without a net” but, in the meantime, we would be wise to think of dog training safety nets as invaluable assets for building behavioral wealth.
A Word of Caution
A safety net only provides some safety. It only allows enough safety to make the small mistakes that come with systematically pushing your abilities to the max. Injuries or misfortunes can and do still happen. In other words, you can’t be reckless, you still need to be on your game, even with a safety net.
For Example:
Trapeze Net: During my birthday trapeze adventure, one guy let go of the bar before the instructor told him to and fell face first into the safety net. It kind of bent his neck backwards and everyone winced when it happened. Fortunately, he was ok but it shows how, even with a safety net, someone could still get injured by not being on their game. It’s not a hammock.
Long Lines: While the long line is a great safety net for keeping dogs from running away, it does not stop them from taking off at full speed before hitting the end of the line. I have suffered a couple of severe rope burns from using the long line with super high energy dogs. I have also received many reports from clients regarding various injuries they suffered from the long line. You can’t get too relaxed, it’s a safety net, not a hammock.
Muzzles: While a muzzle is a great safety net for stopping a dog from biting, it does not stop them from attacking. I once had an extremely human aggressive German shepherd attack me during a training session while wearing a muzzle. Even with the muzzle, I still had bruises all up and down my arm as well as scratches that drew blood on my arm, neck and chest from his claws. This was a very dramatic session, it could have gone horribly wrong and, obviously, I would have been hospitalized without the muzzle. If I had not had a lot of experience with physically handling dogs, the situation could have escalated and/or the muzzle could have come off. So, again, I just want to stress that a muzzle is a safety net, not a hammock.
Crates and Kennels: While confinement in a crate or kennel can be a good safety net to keep dogs from fighting with each other or from escaping the yard or from destroying your house, it does not keep a dog safe from themselves. Many dogs have suffered broken teeth, nails and even broken legs from trying to escape from crates and kennels. Then, of course, there is also the emotional trauma and psychological damage that can occur from the misuse or abuse of crates and kennels. Let me just put it this way, mental-emotional damage can take far longer to heal than a broken leg. The long term goal should be to train the dog to behave properly and make better choices so that the need for crates and kennels becomes obsolete, or at least very minimal. So, at the risk of sounding redundant, a kennel is a safety net, not a hammock.
Money: While having some money set aside as a safety net can give you the confidence to try new things or push yourself in ways that you might not be willing or able to do if you were broke, it can also reduce your motivation to get out there and make things happen. Sometimes a little hunger can be good for motivation but it really depends on the individual. I heard a quote from Warren Buffet (net worth 132 billion) that went something like this, “I will give my children enough money that they can do anything but not enough for them to do nothing.” That’s paraphrased, I don’t remember the exact quote but, basically, what he is saying is that he is willing to give them money for a safety net, not a hammock.
Use Your Safety Net to Max Out!!!
A safety net is there to reduce fear, to allow you to make radical improvements, to work harder, to push boundaries, to catapult you towards peak performance, to allow you to max out!
A safety net is not there to make it easy for you to stop trying. It is not there to take away your motivation. It is not there to provide rest and comfort. The safety net is not there to become a hammock for you to take a nap in.
Not that there’s anything wrong with a hammock. A hammock is a great tool for rest and recovery. Just don’t let your safety net become a hammock.
Happy Training and Max Out!
Chad Culp – Certified Dog Trainer, Canine Behavior Consultant, Owner of Thriving Canine.
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