Dog trainer Camilla Gray-Nelson didn’t set out to specialize in helping women teach their dogs to be obedient. But when she realized the majority of her clients were ladies struggling with disobedient dogs, Gray-Nelson found her calling.
“If I had a dime for every time a woman said to me, ‘The dog is fine with my husband, but he just doesn’t listen to me,’ I could have retired by now,” Gray-Nelson says.
Her new book, Lipstick and the Leash: Dog Training a Woman’s Way, teaches women how to use female traits to get their dog’s attention, as well as what mistakes women should avoid when attempting to show the dog who’s boss. Gray-Nelson will be signing her book in two locations on Saturday, March 31st.
“Loss of emotional control is the mark of a faux leader. Yelling reveals a woman’s weakness, not her strength,” Gray-Nelson says. “Once a dog believes you’re weak, they’re dismissive of you.”
Instead, Gray-Nelson suggests that women call on their natural strengths, such as persistence, patience, and empathy to gain their pup’s respect.
“I always tell women it’s not how fast you get a response from your dog but the fact that you actually get a response. Women can be really good at persistence. We need to use that to compensate for the fact that we’re not big and strong.”
Lipstick and the Leash also addresses specific methods women can use to encourage their dogs to sit, lie down, walk on a leash, and other basic skills.
Booksignings by Camilla Gray-Nelson, Saturday, March 31st, at Three Dog Bakery (2136 West Poplar, Collierville) at 10 a.m. and the Booksellers at Laurelwood at 1 p.m.
