Chapter 121: Not Worried About the Dog, but Worried About the People

"I'm done, I'm done. Can I just stop training this dog?"

As she spoke, Yan Shuang’s mother began to cry again.

After much back-and-forth, it became clear that the reason for her emotional breakdown was that she had seen the Bully dog be perfectly obedient in Zhang Congwen’s hands, only to act disobediently when she tried to handle it herself. This sparked a wave of jealousy; she even remarked that the dog didn't seem like her pet anymore, but rather like it belonged to Zhang Congwen.

Although her sudden outburst seemed inexplicable to Zhang Congwen, he soon grasped the underlying logic. It was evident from how she raised Yan Shuang that she was a woman with an intense need for control and possession. Otherwise, Yan Shuang would not still be living under her parents' rigid supervision at the age of thirty.

The same logic applied to the Bully dog. Before Zhang Congwen appeared, the dog was entirely under her control; even if it did things that didn't suit her, she would simply ignore them. But ever since Zhang Congwen arrived, the dog's defiance of her wishes had been magnified. Watching the dog listen more to Zhang Congwen than to her caused her psychological defenses to collapse.

Zhang Congwen felt helpless. He was a dog trainer, not a psychologist, and had no idea how to handle such a complex situation. Yet, if he couldn't convince her, the training couldn't continue. Meanwhile, Yan Shuang wore an expression of "whatever, let it all burn, I’m exhausted," while her father, looking as though he had foreseen this all along, kept his distance, making no effort to comfort his wife.

Ultimately, Zhang Congwen decided to try his own approach to communicate with her and stabilize her emotions.

"Do you think it's normal for Meatball to be so dependent on people that it has kept you from leaving the house for three years?"

At first, she was unwilling to answer, but under Zhang Congwen’s persistent questioning, she finally admitted, "I know it’s not normal, but I have no choice. That’s why I agreed to let you come here to train him."

Seeing that they had reached a preliminary consensus, Zhang Congwen recalled some communication techniques he had learned from Song Jiawei. "Since you know it's not normal and you want my help, it means you actually want to change this situation, right?"

Without waiting for her to respond, he guided her thought process. "Training a dog isn't easy, and setbacks are normal. I face them all the time. But to get results, my first instinct is to change my methods and find what works better. Besides, Meatball has been doing well; you’ve seen the progress yourself."

"Your dog’s problem isn't catastrophic; it’s just separation anxiety. I’ve trained many dogs like this, but this is the first time I’ve encountered a situation where both the dog and the owner suffer from it. I’m not saying this to highlight how difficult my job is, but to tell you that your dog’s case is quite serious."

"Loving a dog doesn't mean maintaining the status quo or letting it do whatever it wants; it means raising a dog that is healthy in both body and mind. I can fix Meatball’s issues quickly, but he isn't my dog—he has to live with you. That’s why the owner needs to be patient during training."

"I understand why you’re upset. You see the dog listening to me and not you. But that isn't my fault—it’s yours. He is so dependent on you that when you’re around, his attention is entirely fixed on you, which causes him to ignore your commands. The training I just did was meant to shift his focus away from you."

"If you truly want me to stop, we can go back to how things were. But you admitted yourself that this state isn't normal. The choice is yours. Dogs aren't human; they won't live entirely according to our wishes, and you have to accept that. Even humans don't live exactly as others want them to."

"So, setbacks are inevitable. The key is for the owner to regroup and use great patience to help the dog become healthy. I don’t know what you think, but in my view, this is the only way to truly love your dog. I believe others would agree."

After saying all this, Zhang Congwen felt parched. Despite his heartfelt advice, Yan Shuang’s mother didn't fully calm down. Seeing Zhang Congwen look ready to quit and witnessing her mother’s attitude, Yan Shuang also reached a breaking point.

"Mom!"

She didn't end up arguing with her mother, though; she just slammed the door and walked out. Zhang Congwen felt his head spinning, unsure whether to comfort the elder or the younger. He quickly made a wise decision: he went out to comfort Yan Shuang. After all, she was on his side, making her much easier to handle.

After a long while, he managed to soothe her. He had hoped Yan Shuang would talk some sense into her mother, but the two of them ended up arguing as soon as they spoke. Standing there as an outsider, Zhang Congwen felt incredibly awkward.

What surprised him most, however, was that despite their heated argument—where neither side seemingly conceded—Yan Shuang's mother eventually agreed to continue the training.

Once she was finally calm, Zhang Congwen resumed the session. Perhaps the dog sensed the shift in her mood, or perhaps the argument between the two women had frightened it; either way, the Bully dog was far more obedient this time. It completed the tasks within just two or three tries.

Zhang Congwen then increased the difficulty, moving from a three-second wait for a treat to ten seconds. Although the progress wasn't lightning-fast, every step brought a smile to the mother’s face. Eventually, the wait time stretched to a full minute.

Once that goal was achieved, Zhang Congwen introduced a new twist. He had her repeat the previous exercises, but this time in the entryway. For the dog, the entryway was where people disappeared—the source of its anxiety. By choosing this spot, Zhang Congwen aimed to desensitize the dog, using treats and play to slowly associate the area with relaxation and positive memories.

With the foundation already laid, the training moved quickly. Seeing that the dog was handling the exercises with ease, Zhang Congwen decided it was time to address the root of the separation anxiety. No matter the method, you eventually have to face the separation itself.

With the previous training as a buffer, Zhang Congwen wasn't worried about the dog; he was only worried that the owner wouldn't have the heart to go through with it.