It Took a Literal Dog Trainer to Teach My Dad How to Behave

A young woman's strained relationship with her father found an unexpected resolution through the intervention of a dog trainer. This is the story of Emily, known on TikTok as AuntieEmack, who shared a transformative experience that dramatically changed her father's behavior.

In April 2023, Emily took to TikTok to reveal the years of verbal abuse she endured from her father. During a candid two-minute video recorded on a walk, she divulged a unique turn of events that led to the cessation of her father's hurtful treatment.

"It took a literal dog trainer coming into my home to help me with my DOG, for my DAD to stop being verbally abusive to me," Emily recounted at the outset. Her father, she said, was "incredibly emotionally immature and is just limited in his ways," adhering strictly to a script of expected behaviors and responses from her. Deviating from this script meant facing criticism, mockery, or worse. She explained:

"Everything I did was criticized or made fun of or put down or name called."

The pivotal moment came when a dog trainer, initially invited to address the family pet's issues, witnessed the toxic dynamic firsthand. Emily's father, in a display of anger, turned his ire towards her and the trainer, loudly declaring to Emily, "You're not special! There's nothing about you that's special!" he said.

This public denouncement shocked Emily into silence. Her father doubled down, reiterating his statement, saying, "You're not special! This happens to everyone."

However, the situation took an unexpected turn when the dog trainer countered this negativity with affirmation, directly telling Emily, "You are special, Emily." Emily said she used that opportunity to reveal something vulnerable and used it as an excuse to cry not for the fact that the man called out her dad for being cruel to her. She divulged:

"And from that moment on, my father was kind, patient, compassionate, generous and lovely the rest of the visit. But it took a literal dog trainer."

The support she got from the trainer marked a turning point; Emily's father exhibited kindness, patience, and compassion for the remainder of his visit, a significant shift from his prior behavior.

The impact of this encounter was profound, not just for the immediate change in her father's demeanor but for the ripple effect it had on Emily's life. This encounter had happened after a year of estrangement, when her father has stayed with her for a week.

She shared that the negative experience with her dad affected her mental health. Every time that she attempted to communicate with her father how painful his behavior toward her made her feel, he would call her names, gaslight her, put her down, project, and even threaten her.

The video detailing this experience resonated with over 100,000 people, eliciting reactions of comfort and shared experiences from Emily's followers. Many praised the dog trainer's intervention, highlighting the importance of bystander action in abusive situations. Comments flooded in, affirming Emily's specialness and the bravery required to share her story.

"What a beautiful human being that trainer is. You are SO special," wrote one follower alongside a heart emoji. Another said, "That's why bystanders need to speak up more. He was safe to do so and it helped so much."

"It sounds like a dog trainer is exactly what was needed. I am incredibly sorry that you went through this," commented one person. Someone else expressed, "I would have started sobbing the second the trainer said that. You are special Emily."

Emily's followers echoed the sentiment of the dog trainer, with many emphasizing the transformative power of self-assurance. "Affirmation is everything. You ARE special and it's painful that this was the first time you heard your father reflect that," one user commented.

Another added, "You are special Emily. To be spoken to like that your entire life yet speak compassionately like you do and not continue the cycle." The thread became a space for others to share their own longing for validation and the profound impact of witnessing or experiencing similar affirmations.

Emily's story, marked by vulnerability and resilience, offers a reminder of the complex dynamics within familial relationships and the capacity for change, often from the most unforeseen sources.

Read more about a mother who got emotional after a supermarket cashier shamed her for allowing her toddler to eat snacks before paying.