Dog Training & Behavior

Dog behavior and training shape each other.

Dogs are not just passive observers in our everyday life.

They're masters of body language and they know our habits better than we give them credit for.

The relationship between; a dog’s behaviors, levels of training and the differences between dogs and humans as a species are all intertwined.

Dogs are persistent, pushy, and they are consistent, especially with behaviors that yield some type of reward.

Ex) getting into the trash, jumping, chewing, pulling on the leash.

Does this mean dominant? No, this is simply a normal dog temperament.

The problem is that often some dogs are wrongly labelled as “dominant” and therefore treated for that incorrectly diagnosed issue.

Unlike dogs, we the handlers, are inconsistent, “easy” to push and we tend to easily give up.

This is one of the main reasons that we have problems dealing with dogs, for some people more than others.

Being persistent, patient and consistent is as much of a challenge for us, as altering a “bad habit” is demanding for our dog.

From bad behaviors to good behaviors, it all starts with us.

This is where the understanding of the relationship between dog behavior and training goes into action.

Expecting a dog to make changes on his own (like “growing out of it” or “he will calm down when he becomes more comfortable'') is a waste of time and is ignorant to the root of the problem.

Before getting your dog, arm yourself with knowledge.

Knowledge is the most important part; you are bringing an animal into your life and you need to understand how to successfully communicate and how to recognize symptoms before they become an issue.

In addition to that, you will need patience, persistence and consistency; not to mention that you will need to rearrange your life habits and rituals regardless if you are just getting a dog or if you are dealing with some dog issues down the road.

Change is inevitable and every dog needs a leader.