For many families, Christmas is one of the most wonderful times of the year—but also one of the most hectic. Children look forward to presents, family and friends come to visit, and the kitchen smells of cookies and chocolate. But for your dog, this time of year can quickly become a challenge.

I grew up in the tough world of professional sport. In this world, one thing counts above all else: performance. Even as a child, I learned that if you're good, you get recognition. If you play badly, you don't get it. This conditioning shaped me for a long time - and deeply. I looked at everything through this lens: myself, my work, my fellow human beings. I evaluated, compared, measured - always in terms of performance. That was my metric. And I was convinced that this was the only way it worked.

Many people want their dog to take them seriously at crucial moments - for example, when a dog encounter escalates, when the recall doesn't work or when the dog goes completely crazy. But that's not how it works. You can't choose when you are taken seriously - you are always taken seriously, or never.

The path to a reliable and relaxed dog. When I accompany people with their dogs—in Zurich, throughout Switzerland, or online worldwide—I always focus on more than just exercises or technique. It's about a mindset that determines whether a dog will truly become reliable or not. A mindset based on acceptance, clarity, and genuine leadership. Because a relaxed dog always starts with a clear-minded person.

We live in a world where everything should work immediately. One click - and the food is there. One swipe - and the conversation begins. But that's not how it works with a dog. Many people want their dog to walk calmly on the lead after 1-2 days of training, to be able to be called off or to remain relaxed when visitors arrive. But real change - real, lasting change - takes time, patience and repetition.

Many people believe that their dog is "provoking" them or "testing boundaries". But the truth is that they are trying to find out something completely different: Whether he can rely on you. Dogs are highly refined observers. They read you - not by your words, but by your energy, your attitude and your reactions. And they test to understand who is leading.

We live in a world where everything should work immediately. One click - and the food is there. One swipe - and the conversation begins. But that's not how it works with a dog. Many people want their dog to walk calmly on the lead after 1-2 days of training, to be able to be called off or to remain relaxed when visitors arrive. But real change - real, lasting change - takes time, patience and repetition.

Sometimes people ask me: "Marc, why do you do what you do?" Why do I work with dogs and their people every day - and why do I love this work so much? The answer is simple - and at the same time profound: I believe that it doesn't really matter what you do in life. What matters is how you do it - and with what attitude.

Many people have a misunderstanding when it comes to freedom. They believe that freedom means having no limits - being able to do whatever you want. That sounds tempting, almost romantic. But this idea is an illusion.

The most common reason why people fail in training their dog is mental blocks and deeply rooted beliefs. These invisible beliefs not only prevent us from being successful in dog training - they also hold us back in life itself.

From professional ice hockey player to dog trainer - experience Marc Welti in person in this podcast. In this interview, Marc Welti talks about discipline, excuses, injuries, spiritual detours - and why dog training is ultimately always human training too.

You hear it again and again. The so-called flexi lead or pull-out lead is an absolute no-go for ambitious dog owners. But is a flexi lead really as bad as everyone says? As always, we need to take a more differentiated view and approach the issue logically and soberly.

I am occasionally asked why I don't offer individual lessons and only a complete coaching program.

I am well aware that it is quite common in the coaching world that you can simply book an hour. However, it depends very much on the industry and the respective goal.

Most of my clients have already been to a dog training school before they come to me for coaching. There it is usually the case that you train in a group with other dog owners. Most of the time you just stand around and wait for your turn. As a rule, not much knowledge is imparted. And the groups are put together randomly, regardless of the level of knowledge of the person or the developmental stage of the dog.

There is no general answer to this question. Nevertheless, I think it's important for dog owners to have a certain point of reference. What is too much or too little?