I am a dog obedience trainer/instructor by passion and by trade. In the past 35 years I have been snapped at, snarled at, growled at, charged at, and bitten, all by dogs whose owners were standing there saying "Oh, but he/she just wants to play." I call this denial, and it is something I see quite often in my human students.

Not accepting your dog's issues for what they really are...sometimes not even accepting that the dog is a dog (think about that for a minute, does is fit?) It is difficult for us to not apply human traits to our beloved companions, but the truth of it is that they are not little humans in fur coats. They are dogs with dog instincts. They think like dogs, not like humans, even the smallest little guys that we like to cuddle up with on the couch. They view situations differently than we do, they communicate differently than we do, and they learn somewhat differently than we do.

A huge part of dog training, either for competition or for shaping a well mannered pet, is to accept your dog for what he/she really is. For example, if you have chosen one of the aloof Oriental breeds (they are wonderful, loyal companions), don't expect them to always be outgoing and gregarious like a Golden Retriever tends to be. Don't try to change them into something they can't be. It's not in their nature, they were designed to be cautious and watchful around people they don't know. That's what makes them good at what they were bred to do. If your dog is exhibiting shy, fearful, or aggressive behavior (towards people or dogs), don't ignore it or pretend it is something else....get help to fix it. Most behaviors are fixable or at least improvable if you acknowledge what the problem really is.