Think Like a Dog!
Do you sometimes feel like your dog thinks you sound like Charlie Brown’s teacher? Does your dog know certain skills but only does them when he or she feels
like it? When we learn how to think like a dog, we can gain their respect and all of those annoying things fall into place. There is one phrase I hear over and over – why does my dog do things for you but not me? Here are my three “F’s” in training: fun, fair,
and firm. When I make learning a new skill fun and happy like a game, most dogs pick up on it pretty quickly. Training has to be fair. Just like we wouldn’t give a kindergartener an algebra test we shouldn’t expect our dogs to do something they haven’t been
trained appropriately on. A good example is when they are prancy-dancy and bouncy at the door when someone comes over. I hear the owners shouting off off off! And then to ice the cake, the visitor leans down and pets the dog! Poor dog never appropriately learned
the word off and is only doing what it’s being praised in doing by getting petted for pummeling the guest. Now that’s not fair is it? Lastly, being firm doesn’t mean swatting with a rolled up newspaper. It’s just a low decisive tone, devoid of hype and emotion
that conveys I say what I mean and I mean what I say.. No ooey gooey baby talk. Give it a try and tell us your results.