5 Things We Learned from a Dog Trainer

By Anne Buchanan and Emily DiTomo

We are big believers in training and development for our staff. That commitment also extends to our canine workers. When Anne adopted a timid shelter dog named Lacey, her early visits to the office often resulted in chaos. Emily’s dog Romeo became very protective of his turf; Lacey disintegrated into a puddle of nerves – sometimes literally. The combination of a very confident, outgoing poodle and a fearful Rottweiler / cattle dog blend created tension for dogs and humans alike.

And so we called upon Wendy Young of Progressive Dog Training to pay us a house…errr, office…call. 

She spent nearly three hours with us. We can happily report that there is a new doggie equilibrium in the office. We also were struck by how many canine lessons can also be applied to PR.

Boundaries can be a good thing. One of the first suggestions Wendy made was that Emily install a baby gate at her office door. This wasn’t about punishing or banning Romeo; it was about helping Lacey to feel safer in the office. That reminded us that clarity around roles and expectations helps to put everyone at ease. When we know what we’re supposed to be doing, we can get there faster, with greater accuracy and, ultimately, better results.

You’re never too old to learn. At the ripe old age of 8, Romeo has been roaming the halls of Buchanan PR since sometime in 2005. When Lacey entered the picture, we were all convinced it would take weeks – if not months – to instill a new version of canine normalcy. Amazingly, both dogs took almost immediately to the tips and techniques Wendy taught them. The PR lesson learned? No matter how experienced a client is at working with PR firms, or how many years a firm has been in business, we all have something to learn from each other.

When you’re trying to solve a problem, forget about good guys and bad guys. We were both determined in our goal of creating a safe and friendly office for our dogs, not in assigning blame. A great reminder for us that once you identify a common goal, you are on your way to achieving success. The power of the agency-client relationship lies in collaboration, not conflict, with mutual respect for each other’s unique strengths and talents.

The power of messaging. Wendy quickly sized Romeo up as “the office cheerleader” and Lacey as “a sweet dog lacking confidence.” She identified so many nice traits in our dogs that we were 100 percent receptive when she started making suggestions. Similarly, we find that clients and media are more open to ideas when we go out of our way to create a positive environment.

Reinforce good behavior. For years, Romeo ruled over our morning staff meeting, staked out under the conference room table and audibly demanding the attention of his human colleagues. To keep him quiet, Emily resorted to feeding him various and sundry treats, but the behavior kept getting worse. Wendy’s advice? Only reinforce and reward positive behavior. In the agency-client relationship, it’s important to appreciate when things go right. That media pitch that resulted in an Op-Ed placement? Showcase it as a case study in in your next new business presentation. The glowing client recommendation on LinkedIn? Consider asking to use it as a testimonial on your firm’s website. Now Romeo only gets a treat when he sits quietly by Emily’s side during our morning meetings. It’s amazing what reinforcing positive behavior can do!

After spending time with Wendy, we learned that canines get along best in an environment that encourages room to roam, but with firm boundaries and expectations set in place. In the world of PR, the most successful agency-client relationships operate in much the same way. Thanks to our Buchanan PR canine mascots, we all continue to learn and grow every day.