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Sunday September 29, 2007

This is a complete and objective overview of dog training.  I found this to be very informative.

Dog training is the process of teaching a dog (Canis lupus familiaris) to perform certain behaviors under various circumstances and in certain roles on command. It is a general term not describing by itself either what or how the dog is taught.

There are as many areas in which to train a dog as there are methods. Most often certain methods, or combinations of methods are applied to any area of training. Obedience, herding, agility, tracking, retrieving, hunting, guard, and schutzhund are common areas of dog training.

• Teaching a dog basic obedience commands (part of obedience training)
• Teaching a dog to perform tricks casually or for circus acts
• Teaching a guide dog to lead the blind
• Teaching a rescue dog to find victims of a disaster
• Teaching a hunting dog to perform its instinctive behaviors at appropriate times

The specific behaviors taught in each case are different, but the underlying principles are similar.

As pack animals, wild dogs have natural instincts that favor cooperation with their fellow dogs. These instincts have been refined and exaggerated through years of selective breeding by humans, and are manifested in the domestic dog’s adeptness at correctly interpreting and responding to signals given by a human handler. The handler is simply whoever is working with a dog at the time.

Basic training

Most dogs, no matter their eventual advanced training or intended purpose, live with people and therefore must behave in a way that makes them pleasant to be around, keeps them safe, and provides for the safety of other people and pets. Dogs do not figure out basic obedience on their own; they must be trained.

The hardest part of training is communicating with the dog in a humane way that he understands. However, the underlying principle of all communication is simple: reward desired behavior while ignoring or correcting undesired behavior.

Basic pet obedience training usually consists of 5 behaviors:

• Sit
• Down
• Stay
• Recall (”come” or “here”)
• Heel (or loose-leash walking)

The recall command is arguably the most important of all training commands. It is critical to never punish a dog if they respond to a recall. Punishing a dog upon recall quickly teaches the dog that if he returns he will be punished. If the dog requires a correction, the handler should go to the dog - the dog should not be asked to come and then punished. The dog will attribute the punishment to whatever behavior he was doing directly before receiving it, and if that behavior was responding (correctly) to a recall, then the handler has just inadvertently taught the dog to run away from the recall command.

“Corrections” should never include harmful physical force or violence. Using force while training is controversial and should not be taken lightly, because even if it ends the behavior, when applied inappropriately with some dogs it may lead to a loss of drive (enthusiasm for the given task), stress, and in extreme cases even aggression. It is up to the handler to decide what amount of force (if any) is appropriate. However, the standard used by most trainers is the minimum amount necessary to inhibit the unwanted behavior. A common technique is to quickly jerk an attached collar and “lead” (another term for a leash) as a consequence for ignoring a command. (i.e., Sparky is jumping up on a guest, say “off” if he’s already jumped up, or if you see he’s thinking about it say, “down” and if the command is ignored then “correct” Sparky by “snapping” the lead to make his collar rattle.) A common alternative to physical corrections is a time-out from a preferred location or activity. (i.e., Sparky jumps up on a guest and is immediately given a 5-minute time-out in a separate room - away from the guests he wants to interact with.)

Puppies and learning

The prenatal period is a recent addition to the developmental periods of puppies. It is thought that “long-term effects on behavioral development may also be produced in some mammals by events occurring in utero.” (Serpell, 1995, p. 80) Previous studies tended to overlook the existence of this period, since the puppy’s behavior could not be observed. With the development of the ultrasound machine, a puppy could be observed within the mother as early as the fourth week of gestation.

It was found that puppies would react to touch and/or pressure from the outside of the mother’s abdomen. In addition, it is theorized that since puppies have such a well-developed sense of touch at birth, the sense of touch would also be well-developed before birth. Puppies may be sensitive to touch received by the mother while still unborn. Studies have found that “when a pregnant animal is petted her litter is more docile (Denenberg and Whimbey 1963, in Fox 1978).” According to Fox (1975, in Fox 1978) this facilitates relaxation, emotional attachment, and socialization as well. Other studies have indicated that puppies that receive outside contact (petting of the mother) while in utero have a higher tolerance for touching than puppies who receive no contact at all. One could deduce that gentle petting of the mother’s abdomen could help to facilitate positive, beneficial puppy socialization with people.

During the first two weeks of a puppy’s life, also known as the neonate period, puppies can learn simple associations. (Serpell, 1995) However, early experience events are unlikely to carry over into later periods. Studies indicate that puppies in the neonate period do not seem to learn by experience. (Scott and Fuller, 1965) It is theorized that this is due to the fact that the puppy’s brain, sense, and motor organs are still undeveloped. Based on its limited capacity to sense and learn it would be difficult to affect the puppy psychologically, either in a positive or negative sense. (Scott and Fuller, 1965)

The next period of development is known as the socialization period. This is arguably the most important developmental period, beginning around 3 weeks (21 days) old, and ending around 12 weeks old. (Beaver, 1999) The biggest aspect of this period is social play. Social investigation (curiosity), playful fighting and playful sexual behavior (body contact) is very important to developing social relationships during its life. (Scott and Fuller, 1965) New behavior patterns are directly influenced by the puppy’s interaction with its mother and other puppies in the litter.

This is a time for developing social relationships, both among other puppies as well as with people. These behaviors are relatively easy for any individual who stays with the puppies during this period. However, there is a point where the puppies can develop a fear of strangers. At 3-5 weeks of age, puppies will actively approach strangers. Shortly thereafter stranger avoidance begins and slowly escalates until it peaks around 12-14 weeks of age. (Beaver, 1999) While this natural fear of strangers could serve as a way to keep a curious puppy away from predators, it can also hinder normal relationships with people.

During this period, startle reactions to sudden movement and sounds is now present. This serves to help the puppy learn to differentiate between which events are dangerous, and which events are safe or insignificant. (Scott and Fuller, 1965) During the socialization period, the development of attachment to certain locations occurs. This is displayed by an extreme disturbance in the puppy whenever a change in location occurs. This is known as “localization”. (Serpell, 1995) “Localization” often peaks in puppies between 6-7 weeks old (Scott and Fuller, 1965), and then tapers off after that time to the point where a change in location is no longer distressing to the puppy.

Dogs that are handled and petted by humans regularly during the first eight weeks of life are generally much more amenable to being trained and living in human households. Ideally, puppies should be placed in their permanent homes between about 8 and 10 weeks of age. In some places it is against the law to take puppies away from their mothers before the age of 8 weeks. Before this age, puppies are still learning tremendous amounts of socialization skills from their mother. Puppies are innately more fearful of new things during the period from 10 to 12 weeks, which makes it harder for them to adapt to a new home.

Puppies can begin learning tricks and commands as early as 8 weeks of age; the only limitations are the pup’s stamina, concentration, and physical coordination. It is much easier to live with young dogs that have already learned basic commands such as sit. Waiting until the puppy is older and has already learned undesirable habits makes the training much more challenging. (Beaver, 1999; Lindsay, 2000; Scott and Fuller 1965; Serpell 1995)

 Basic training classes

Professional “dog trainers” usually do not train the dogs, but actually train the owners on how to train their own dogs. Although it is also possible to send a dog away to a training school, the owner still must at some point learn what the dog has learned and how to use and reinforce the techniques. Some call this a shortcut, but plenty of work is still required and training must continue over the course of the dog’s life. Owners and dogs who attend training sessions together have an opportunity to learn more about each other and how to work together under a trainer’s guidance. Training is most effective if everyone who handles the dog takes part in the training to ensure consistent commands, methods, and enforcement. Group dog training classes help socialize your dog to other people and dogs. Training classes are offered by many kennels,  vey hospitals, pet stores, and independent trainers.

Formal training in classes is not always available until the puppy has completed all its vaccinations at around 4 months; however, some trainers offer puppy socialization classes in which puppies can enroll immediately after being placed in their permanent homes as long as disease risk is minimal and puppies have received initial vaccinations. In most cases, basic training classes accept only puppies who are at least 3 to 6 months old.

The addition of a family member is a significant change in any home, but what if that addition has needle-sharp teeth and a rebellious curiosity that ruined valuables and can result in household chaos? A puppy requires discipline, consistency, and patience of its owner. To avoid a domestic fiasco, owners should take time to train their puppies and take steps to make their home safe for each family member, from animals to children. The puppy training phase is integral in raising a healthy and happy dog and keeping a safe and fun home environment.

Puppies need consistency from their owners more than anything else. A stable diet and clear guidance of expectations will help the puppy learn what it is supposed to do and where to do it. Knowing exactly what your puppy wants is a difficult, if not impossible, aspect of training. Dogs are expressive but they will not get any discernible messages across to an inexperienced owner. Puppies communicate needs by biting, whining, and getting fidgety. The way the owner responds can make the difference between a healthy, obedient puppy and an unstable mess.

If a puppy is caught chewing on something he or she should not be, the best reaction is to shout at the object in front of the dog, rather than yelling at or punishing the dog. If hit or directly scolded, the dog will not understand and the owner will only harm their relationship. The chewing problem can be solved by supplying and encouraging use of appropriate chew toys and monitoring the puppy. The owner should take care to buy few and similar toys as too many toys can confuse the dog, especially if the toys are diverse. An important principle many people don’t know, or act on, is that the best way to change a puppy’s behavior is to modify one’s own conduct.

Another tip that will facilitate easier puppy training is to give the dog toys that are similar to household items he or she likes to chew. If the puppy is keen on shoes, purchasing a rubber toy similar to a shoe sole might be helpful. Never designate old shoes as fair game for a shoe-chomping puppy, as the puppy will not know the difference between appropriate and inappropriate shoes on which to snack, and may break off and choke on a piece of the shoe.

An integral puppy training issue is house training. As there is no one right or wrong way, various methods of housetraining will work. The key is to be consistent. With regularly enforced rules, litter box, crate, or paper training can be successful. Also make sure all members of the household enforce the rules whenever possible. Accidents happen, so have a procedure for clean-up.

Puppies require time, energy, and money. Their food alone averages about ten dollars a month and trips to the vet for check-ups and shots can get costly. But effective puppy training can reward a person with a loyal companion. Exceptional puppy training is imperative for giving puppies their best opportunity to live a fun, healthy, and loving life.

 Communicating with the dog

Fundamentally, dog training is about communication. From the human perspective the handler is communicating to the dog what behaviors are correct, desired, or preferred in what circumstances and what behaviours are undesirable. From the canine perspective the handler must learn what motivates the dog if the optimum result is desired.

A successful handler must also understand the communication that the dog sends to the handler. The dog can signal that he is unsure, confused, nervous, happy, excited, and so on. The emotional state of the dog is an important consideration in directing the training, as a dog that is stressed or distracted will not learn efficiently.

According to Learning Theory there are four important messages that the handler can send the dog:

Reward or release marker

Correct behavior. You have earned a reward. For example, “Free” or “Okay” followed by a reward.

Keep going signal

Correct behavior. Continue and you will earn a reward. For example, “Good” or “Come on”.

No reward marker

Incorrect behavior. Try something else. For example, “Uh-oh” or “Try again”.

Punishment marker

Incorrect behavior. You have earned punishment. For example, “No” or more specific commands like “off,” “out,” or “leave it.”

Using consistent signals or words for these messages enables the dog to understand them more quickly. If the handler sometimes says “good” as a reward marker and sometimes as a keep going signal, it is difficult for the dog to know when he has earned a reward.

It is important to note that the dog’s reward is not the same as the reward marker. The reward marker is a signal that tell the dog that he has earned the reward. Many novice dog owners make the mistake of using effusive verbal praise as both a reward marker and a reward, which can confuse dog and owner.

Rewards can be praise, treats, play, or anything that the dog finds rewarding. Failure to reward after the reward marker diminishes the value of the reward marker and makes training more difficult.

These four messages do not have to be communicated only with words, but also with nonverbal signals. In particular, mechanical clickers are frequently used for the reward marker. Hand signals and body language also play an important part in learning for dogs. The meanings of the four signals are taught to the dog through repetition, so that he may form an association by classical conditioning. For example, if the handler consistently gives the dog a reward marker immediately before he gives the dog a food treat, the dog soon will learn to associate the reward marker with receiving something pleasant (clicker trainers call forming this association “charging up” the clicker). Likewise, if the dog is always given a punishment marker before he is scolded or put outside for bad behaviour, he will soon learn to associate the punishment marker with the punishment itself.

Dogs usually do not generalize commands easily; that is, a dog who has learned a command in a particular location and situation may not immediately recognize the command to other situations. A dog who knows how to “down” in the living room may suffer genuine confusion if asked to “down” at the park or in the car. The command will need to be retaught in each new situation, though it may be substantially easier after being taught at home where there are fewer distractions. This is sometimes called “cross-contextualization,” meaning the dog has to apply what’s been learned to many different contexts.

 Reward and punishment

Most training revolves around giving the dog consequences for his behaviour, in the hope of influencing the behaviour the dog will exhibit in the future. Operant conditioning defines four types of consequences:

Positive reinforcement adds something to the situation to increase the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again (for example, giving a dog a treat when he sits.)

Negative reinforcement removes something from the situation to increase the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again (for example, releasing the tension on a training collar when the dog stops pulling on the leash).

Positive punishment adds something to the situation to decrease the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again (for example, verbally growling at a dog to make it stop jumping up).

Negative punishment removes something from the situation to decrease the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again (for example, walking away from a dog who jumps up).

Most modern trainers say that they use “positive training methods”, which is a different meaning of the word “positive” from that in operant conditioning. “Positive training methods” generally means preferring the use of reward-based training to increase good behavior over that of physical punishment to decrease bad behavior. However, a good trainer understands all four methods, whether or not they can put operant-conditioning terminology to them, and applies them as appropriate for the dog, the breed, the handler, and the situation.

 Rewards

Positive reinforcers can be anything that the dog finds rewarding - special food treats, the chance to play with a tug toy, social interaction with other dogs, or the owner’s attention. The more rewarding a dog finds a particular reinforcer, the more work he will be prepared to do in order to obtain the reinforcer.

It is important that the dog is not “bribed” to perform. In dog training, the term “bribery” means that the dog is aware of the presence of the reward before he is asked to complete the command. The risk with bribery is that the dog will refuse to comply with commands when he cannot see the reward, since he knows from experience that he will only be rewarded when he can see the reward. Experienced trainers will hide the reward from the dog, and only produce the reward once the dog has already complied with the command. The goal is to produce a dog who will perform even on occasions that the handler has no reward to offer, since the dog’s training has taught him that the handler may have a reward even if the dog cannot see it.

Some trainers go through a process of teaching a puppy to strongly desire a particular toy, in order to make the toy a more powerful positive reinforcer for good behaviour. This process is called “building prey drive”, and is commonly used in the training of Narcotics Detection and Police Service dogs. The goal is to produce a dog who will work independently for long periods of time, in the hopes of earning access to its special toy reward.

Positive Punsihment.  A dog is generally only given this type of punishment if it is willfully disobeying the owner. Punishing a dog who does not understand what is being asked of him is not only unfair to the dog, but can make the dog a fearful or unwilling worker.

Punishments are administered only as appropriate for the dog’s personality, age, and experience. A sharp “No” works for many dogs, but some dogs even show signs of fear or anxiety with harsh verbal corrections. On the other hand, certain dogs with ‘harder’ temperaments may ignore a verbal reprimand, and may need a physical punishment such as a quick tug on a training collar. Trainers generally advise keeping hand contact with the dog to positive interactions; if hands are used to threaten or hurt, some dogs may begin to behave defensively when stroked or handled.

Punishment should only be used if the dog performs something unwanted and you catch the dog in the act or within a very short time of it. A dog who ate the remote in the morning, will not understand why it is being punished at night. Punishment avoidance techniques can be used to control the dog’s behavior while unsupervised.

 Avoiding punishment

Keeping a puppy on a leash in challenging situations or in his crate or pen when not closely supervised prevents the puppy from getting into situations that might otherwise invite an owner’s harsh reaction (such as chewing up a favorite pair of shoes).

It is easy for them to disregard commands amongst the babble.

To reinforce the command, the dog always gets some kind of reward or reinforcement (praise and usually a treat or toy) when it performs the action correctly. This helps the dog to understand that he has done a good thing. It is important not to give treats every time, because the dog will only learn to complete a command when you have a treat in hand and will not be reliable when no treat is present.

Note that not all dogs are trained to voice command. Many working breeds of dog are not trained to a voice command at all; they are taught to obey a combination of whistles and hand signals. Deaf dogs are perfectly capable of learning to obey visual signals alone. Many obedience classes teach hand signals for common commands in addition to voice signals; these signals can be useful in quiet situations, at a distance, and in advanced obedience competitions.

The specific command words are not important, although common words in English include sit, down, come, and stay. Short, clear words that are easily understood by other humans are generally recommended; that way, people will understand what a handler is telling his dog to do and other handlers have a good chance of controlling someone else’s dog if necessary. In fact, dogs can learn commands in any language or other communications medium, including whistles, mouth sounds, hand gestures, and so forth.

 Training tricks

Many dog owners teach their dogs tricks. This serves several purposes: it develops a stronger relationship between the dog and human, it provides entertainment, and it engages the dog’s mind, which can help to alleviate problems caused by boredom. For example, the shake hands trick involves the dog raising its paw and placing it into an outstretched hand. An example of a useful trick is teaching a dog to ring a bell to go outside. This helps prevent the stress placed on an owner when trying to recognize whether the dog needs to relieve itself. For more information, see clicker training or bridge and target training.

Many habits can come up with different dogs. Begging at dinner should not be seen. Don’t pay attention to your dog at dinner time, and your dog will notice that you won’t give them food.

Training Tools

Choke Collar: The choke collar is a length of material (most often chain links) with a large circular ring on either end. The chain is slid through one of these rings and it is slid over the dog’s head. When the dog displays an undesirable behavior the collar is “jerked” or “checked.” This is primarily used in traditional dog training.

Prong (or Pinch) Collar: The prong collar is made of metal links that fit together by connecting through long teeth that point inward toward the dog’s neck. A section of this collar is made of a loop of chain links that tighten the collar when pulled, thus creating a poking sensation on the dog’s neck.

Electronic Collars: These collars include the electronic shock, Citronella, and audio collars. These are electronic collars that are generally controlled via remote. The shock collar sends an electronic stimulus to the dog’s neck at the will of the trainer. The intensity of the stimulus can usually be changed from very slight to a more extreme sensation. The Citronella and audio collars are similar except the Citronella collar sprays an odor that most dogs find offensive and the audio collar emits a sound so high pitched that humans cannot hear it and most dogs do not like the sound. These collars are most often employed in traditional dog training. (See bellow for more details.)

Martingale Collar: The martingale collar is a collar that has only a section on it that will tighten when pulled. This is different from the choke collar that will tighten indefinitely.

Treat: The treat is anything food given to your dog, that your dog likes, while training is being done. This is often the primary tool for those doing positive reinforcement training.

Clicker: The clicker is a plastic box with a metal tongue inside of it. When the tongue is depressed and then released, a “clicking” noise is made. This tool is a way of marking a behavior as a desirable one and is generally used in positive reinforcement dog training.

Head Collar: The head collar is very similar in idea and structure to a halter on a horse. The theory behind it is that if you have control of the head, you have control of the body. The head collar generally consists of two loops. One loop goes behind the ears and the other goes over the dog’s nose and hey meet somewhere below the dog’s jaw. This tool will not teach the dog to not pull on the leash, but rather make it more difficult for the dog to do so while it is wearing the head collar. This tool is usually employed during positive reinforcement training.

No Pull Harness: The no-pull harness, like any harness is worn on the body of the animal. The no-pull harness can be made several different ways. The focus here will not be put on the construction of the harness but on the purpose behind it. The no-pull harness differs significantly from the standard harness in one very fundamental way; it stops the pulling (or makes it harder for the dog to pull) where as the standard harness facilitates pulling and actually allows the dog to pull harder because it more evenly distributes the weight the dog is pulling over it’s back and shoulders, in comparison to the standard neck collar that concentrates all of the weight on the dog’s neck. The no-pull harness will restrict the movement of the dog’s body when the dog pulls on the leash. Like the head collar, the no pull harness does not teach the dog from pulling on the leash; it only makes it harder for the dog to pull while the dog is wearing the harness. This harness is generally used during positive reinforcement training.

 Electronic training

One of the most controversial training methods involves using a remote collar, otherwise known as a “e-collar“. Despite the name, no manufacturer refers to their product as a “shock collar”. This term is used almost primarily by the detractors of the tool. It is commonly referred to as a “remote training collar”, or “remote dog training”, as in the ability to communicate remotely with a dog. This tool was once used primarily as a corrective device only, but is no longer the case.

As with other training methods, whether this tool is cruel or humane generally depends on the user. Modern remote collars have many different settings, ranging from so low that it is difficult to perceive the sensation at all, to uncomfortably or even painfully high. Which settings are used depends on the goal of the trainer for the particular dog. Human perception varies greatly in individuals, so is very difficult if not impossible to monitor proper level usage, as would be the same for standardizing a proper ‘leash tug’. These remote electronic collars are very similar to a chiropractors ‘tens unit’, which are used to aid pain, and not cause it.

There are several different ways to use a remote collar in training, depending on the goal of the exercise. The most common method is to use the collar as an operant conditioning tool to encourage rapid and reliable response to commands the dog has already learned, especially when the trainer is a substantial distance away from the dog. The collar is set at a fairly low level. When the command is given, the collar button is pressed either immediately or after a very short delay. As soon as the dog completes the command, the collar button is released. From the dog’s perspective, the dog’s own actions (performing the command or ignoring the command) turn the collar on and off. Some believe that once a dog forms negative associations with the training process itself, any further progress becomes quite difficult, however problem solving and a trainers skill level and knowledge, are very appropriate in any form of dog training.

The collar can also be used as a classical conditioningtool. By pairing the aversive stimulus with another stimulus, a conditioned aversive stimulus is formed. The collar can also be used by pairing positive stimulus such as food, or reward as well.

Remote collars can also be used for other purposes besides normal behavior modification. Some trainers use very low settings as a way of getting the attention of deaf dogs, when the dog is at a distance or not facing the handler. In this case, the stimulation is not used as a punishment to modify behavior, but as a substitute for verbally calling the dog’s name. Many newer collars include a vibrate feature (like a cell phone vibrator) or an audio pager which can be used for this purpose. These features can be classically associated with the “come” command so the dog can be called back to the handler from a great distance without verbal communication.

Remote collar training is especially popular for working dogs involved in retrieving, search and rescue, and other activities where the dog is off-leash and far from the handler. The collar is very useful in these circumstances because it can completely replace the use of a leash in the training process, allowing the handler to work from a long distance while still delivering instant feedback to the dog. This type of long-distance obedience training is normally quite difficult to achieve, but becomes much easier with the collar. The collar can also function as an “emergency stop button” for an off-leash working dog who may be tempted to wander into traffic, cacti, skunks, or other danger — though this is purely a backup and should not be relied upon as a substitute for solid obedience training.

 Pros

Supporters of electronic training devices believe that the highly effective training device can help save the eighty percent of dogs relinquished to shelters because of behavioral problems. Supporters of this tool also understand that like any tool, the results will vary upon the operator of the device and it is best to seek out professional advice from those that have been successful with it.

Pro-electronic training activists believe that the public is misinformed about the actual strength of the static pulses. Most collars deliver between 0.000005 to 0.0003 joules compared to a human muscle stimulation machine delivering 6.0 joules.

 Cons

Anti-electronic training activists protest against the use of electronic training devices believing that static correction is inhumane.

Anti-electronic training campaigns highlight the danger of static stimulation in the hands of irresponsible pet owners resulting in an aggressive or severely stressed animal.

 Teething

At anywhere from three to six months of age, a puppy begins to get its adult set of teeth. This period can be quite painful and many owners do not recognize the natural need to chew. By providing specific chew toys designed to ease the pain of teething (such as a frozen nylon bone), attention can be diverted from table legs and other furniture. Many people also use a bad-tasting, bad-smelling spray on favorite items, such as shoes, furniture, or even wallpaper, to discourage chewing. Bitter apple is a commonly used spray, but there are several commercial sprays available. Different sprays work better for different applications, owners, or puppies.

 Recommended Training Methods

The following are recommended principles to achieve successful dog training.

• All dog training must be founded upon educating the dog, that is, developing instincts and drawing out accidental and acquired habits.

• Situations and contacts must be interpreted entirely from the dog’s reactions and abilities, and not the human’s.

• The dog is not to be fooled. It has a sense of humiliation as well as a sense of pride. If the dog has been taught to do certain acts, do not give it the command and then trifle with it. At all times you must let the dog see what you are doing. Always is the dog to understand that when you say certain things, it is to do certain things.

• Success must be at the completion of an act of training. The dog is to understand that at the end, a certain thing will take place. For instance, if it is tracking, it must find the person tracked.

• Commands always should be given in the same words and with the same tone of voice and speed of speaking.

• Anticipate the dog’s actions. Think ahead of time and give your command before the dog acts or moves.

• If the dog goes one step wrongly, do not repeat this step but return at the beginning, for the dog must be taught to consider only successful acts in their entirety.

• Reward or punishment should follow quickly after every act. To punish a dog at any other time than instantly after the wrong act is cruelty rather than a part of training, for the dog does not connect the punishment to the act.

• The dog has a single-track mind. Teach one specific thing at a time. This does not mean that a training period cannot include a half-dozen different tasks.

• Give the dog a moment’s time for carrying out your command. To demand instant obedience is to confuse the dog.

• Have patience. The dog is not a human being.

• Develop a bond. All future training depends upon this.

• Remember that a dog cannot ask questions, neither can it understand all you say. It knows only the words, the commands and the names you teach it.

• The success of a handler depends on being able to make a dog understand what it has to do and then to instill that into its brain until it becomes instinctive.

• Always use kindness.

• Be decisive, firm, and most of all, be sure that you know exactly what you want and how it should be done.

• Never try to teach a dog anything until you yourself have a thorough knowledge of how to teach it, and a clear mental picture of each stage.

• As far as possible, always have your dog with you. You cannot train it all the time, but it will become accustomed to your actions, words, and surroundings which will help to make the training easier.

• Never allow other people to pet and fuss over your dog unnecessarily. You are the dog’s handler and it must look to you for everything.

• Your first thought is your dog.

• You must always finish a training period on a good note. Never leave off if the dog has done something wrong. Correction is essential.

• Never put your dog away for the night with a cross word. End the training period on a happy note and see that the dog has mastered the obstacle - and knows that it has done so - before you “good night”.

• Do not punish the dog while you are angry or lack control of yourself.

• Do not lose your temper while training the dog. If you do, the dog will lose some of its respect for you.

• Do not chase the dog to catch it; it must come to you or follow after you.

• Do not coax the dog to you and then turn upon it with punishment. You will regret the deception.

• Do not nag the dog; do not give orders to it constantly; do not pester it with your shoutings.

• Do not punish the dog for failure to obey unless you are certain that it understood fully what you commanded.

• Do not praise the dog for doing a certain act, then at a later time, scold it for doing the same act.

• Do not permit anyone to give commands to the dog while you are training it

Wednesday September 26, 2007

Although a far fetched concept for most of us as humans to grasp, energy is the universal languge that all living things communicate by.  Whether you are a dog, human, bird, or plant, everything operates on the concept of energy.  To simplify this idea I will first give an overview of what energy is, and then I will continue with an explanation of its relationship and use in how we communicate with our dogs.  As stated above, energy is the universal language of all living beings.  So how does it work? 

At the molecular level everything is made up of free floating energy particles.  How this energy comes together is what makes one bundle of energy become a fish, and the other become a human for example.  Regardless of its configuration, energy is still the same at its basic level and free floating by nature.  What this means is that it can be transferred, shared, and passed on.  Of course not on a level we can see with our eyes, but we can definately feel it.  For example, have you ever had that feeling that the phone was going to ring or have you ever met a person that gave you a positive/negative vibe?  That is energy at work!  This isn’t some mystical force, it actually is that “free floating” energy passing through the environment on a subatomic level that we, as its natural “receptor”, pick up as feelings or “sixth senses”.   Now we as humans who once operated on these principles, have evolved quite a bit and have developed language as our primary method of communicating.  Dogs, who use minimal vocalizations to communicate, utilize their sixth sense abilites first and foremost.  This is the means by which our dogs can do amazing things such as telling when their owner is coming home regardless of schedule or time of day (I’ve seen the special on TV too!) or sensing subtle changes in one’s body chemistry to detect disease or seizures before doctors can.  Although magical in its concept, it is this “feeling energy” that makes dogs instantly be able to size up another dog without even seeing them.  Sure, dogs use body language, scent, and other means to communicate.  These things are only secondary and tertiary while energy is number one.  All dogs carry an “energy fingerprint” that is constantly being projected into their environment.  The body language we see is just the reaction many steps after the actual signal was received by either dog.   

What is The Energy of Understanding?

The Energy of Understanding as I call it, is the energy given out by dogs who are the most experienced and best leaders.  What this energy says, using literally no words, is “I am soo good at my job as leader, you don’t have to worry about anything.  I’ve got everything covered for my pack”  This means you are their protector, provider of food & shelter, travel agent, and so on which gives the dog(s) who are under them a strong sense of security by not having to be concerned with all these things.  As is the theme of all that I do, this is the energy we are trying to project to our dogs.  Especially when dealing with problem behavior or dominant dogs who have all these burdens of life on them which causes an unbalanced energy to occur.  This is the root of most problem behaviors we experience with our dogs.  The problem behaviors we see are the symptoms of the unbalanced energy associated with too much responsibility for the dogs that try to assume a different role in the pack than they best are suited to.  Once we take over that role, we put an Energy of Understanding into our environment we share with our dogs.  When I work with my clients I spend a great deal of time doing owner education instead of just dog education.  Reason being is that if the owner knows exactly what their dog is thinking and sees their misguided agenda, it is then that they can be one step ahead of their dog, by seeing their every move as having meaning…and actually understanding it!  This earns respect rather quickly in the dog world, which is an easy way to create the correct energy in our dog’s environment.  The energy of understanding.  So without the owner knowing how to work a leash and collar or how to give a dog endless treats, they can learn how to get their dog to listen to them just by understanding the concept of energy.   

by: Brett Endes  

How to know when to move on

By: Nish Nalbandian owner; Comet Canine

This is a great article by a respected colleague of mine.  It really tells it like it is…Enjoy!

I have a current client who owns a German Shepherd. She called me because her dog was acting aggressive toward men. During our initial interview my client told me that she had been working with another trainer for about a year, to teach her dog obedience and protection skills. After about a year of training, that trainer told her that she should euthanize her dog because it was too aggressive.

I should know better by now, but I am still shocked when I hear stories like this and I am faced with the realization that people in the dog training world can be so unprofessional, incompetent, and ineffective in their chosen profession. I guess I should learn.

Seeing this situation made me decide to write an article about how to know when you need a new dog trainer, using this as an example. Let me start by highlighting what was really going on. This client had worked with the other trainer weekly for about a year. When I arrived, she was having difficulty keeping the dog from biting people. After assessing the dog and the situation, it was a fairly easy fix. The dog needed some basic control work, and needed to have limits set very clearly. ONce the dog knew what he was supposed to be doing, he responded very well.

The other trainer had used some questionable techniques during the dog’s protection training, not even following basic, well-known strategies to ensure the dog’s stability and ability to turn off the aggression once turned on. By making the dog ‘defensive’ and threatening the dog to bring out aggression, she seriously damaged teh dog’s trust in humans. Any good protection trainer knows that for a typical family protection dog, or for any dog starting a career in the sport or police k9 fields, you must start with prey drive, and work into defense drive. This trainers incompetence damaged the dog. Since she could not deal with the results of what she had created, she counselled her client to kill her dog. That’s really unprofessional. She caused the problem, then couldn’t fix it, so she blamed the dog. After having the client pay her for a year!

I hear stories like this all the time. They really make me angry. That is partially why i started Comet Canine. To provide real, professional, comprehensive dog training and behavior modificaiton services to the general public. I saw too many instances where people learn one technique, or make one up, and then claim to be professionals, without realizing the responsibility they hold. In the case of this client, her incompetence and inability to see her own limitations made her unable to see what was really going on, and could have led another person to euthanize a perfectly healthy and psychologicially normal dog.

You may be thinking that this does not apply to you, if you are not doing protection training. But I see it day in and day out with family pet dogs. People take their beloved dogs to see people who claim to be dog trainers, pay them lots of money, and are often given incomplete or even dangerous advice about how to deal with the problem they face. So how do you as a consumer know how to pick a trainer, or how to move on and find a new one? Here are a few guidelines:

Results. Are you getting results? Not in a year, but now? Has the trainer given you not only a plan for how to get to some future point where your dog might respond, but ALSO given you the tools you need to deal with the problem AS IT HAPPENS? Any good professional dog trainer can get a dog responding within a few sessions, and most problems require less then 10 sessions. Sometimes it takes longer, but in most cases if you have not seen a big change very quickly, it’s time to find someone who is better equipped to help you.

Responsibility. Does the trainer blame the dog? A good trainer can deal with most dogs, and can switch gears if their initial plan isn’t working. A real professional takes responsibility for their actions. They can recognize if they make a mistake. This doesn’t mean that you are free of responsibilty, though. As the dog’s owner, you need to consistently practice the skills and management techniques your trainer gives you.

Realistic Expectations. A true professional will set realistic goals to work towards. They will help you understand what you need to do, what the dog will be able to do, and help you work together as a team.

Ethics. A professional trainer will not mess your dog up, then tell you to euthanize it. A real professional can sometimes make mistakes, but they will help you get through it. A real professional will not charge you money and then not provide the expected results. A real professional will do their best to make sure you get what you pay for.

Skills. A real professional knows what he or she is doing. Everyone has their limits, no one knows everything, and there is not a right answer to every question. But being professional means keeping an open mind, observing what is really going on, and responding to the realities confronting you. Being professional means being open to using all the tools of the trade. Being professional means having read the scientific literature about your profession. Being professional means being able to apply that knowledge in a practical way.

Sometimes when I write these things I realize that I am not getting across what I truly want to say. The bottom line is this, my client spent a lot of money with a person who claimed to be an expert, but who provided sub-standard services, put the blame elsewhere, and almost cost her her dog’s life. Dealing with beahvior problems such as aggression is serious business. Being deluded about your skills, or not knowing enough about how to deal with aggression can be dangerous. I find it offensive that people charge money for something they are not qualified to handle. And there’s the final mark of a real professional. They know when they are in over their heads, and are not afraid to admit it. I work with other trainers on a regular basis, and I make referrals if I do not feel like I can deal with the issue at hand.

There’s one more aspect to consider. And that is, does your trainer think that there is only one way to deal with things, their way? There are many different training tools, techniques, and methods out there. If a trainer is stuck using only one, they are limited. From people who only use click and treat, to people who only use electric collars, to people who only do clinical consultations, there are tons of trainers who apply only one method. If your dog does not respond, they blame the dog, they blame you, isntead of expanding their repertoire and openign their minds.

A note to the ‘positive only’ folks, read Lindsey’s ‘Handbook of Applied Dog Behavior and Training, Vols I-III’. If you think that the science backs your position, you’re in for a surprise. Much of what is being taught as dog training ‘fact’ today is little more than dogma. Repeating something does not make it true. Believing something does not make it true. To consumers: Choose a trainer who is not dogmatic, but who is flexible, experienced, and has a big toolbox, not just one tool.

Every once in a while I take a trip to the various shelters and humane society locations throughout Colorado.  I look for dogs that no one wants to adopt because of their behaviors and then work with the shelter to help develop a dog rehabilitation program for them.  The reason I do this is because the number one reason dogs are euthanized in shelters is because of bad behavior(s), with agressive behavior being the most common.  Because agression is also the most preventable, I feel if there is something that can be done, then why not do it before we end a life because we didn’t even want to try?   I am sure most people will agree with this statement.  I think the real reason why more dogs aren’t “repaired” is just a genral misunderstanding of how to approach these type of dogs.  It is my experience that many shelters, animal rescue organizations, and humane societies are not given the education and tools necessary to handle and rehabilitate these types of dogs effectively so they can get a chance at a new lease on life.  Believe me, if I could, I would personally rehabilitate every dog on the planet that was in a shelter!  I would even create a safe haven for dogs that may not be suitable for most people, but can still find some level of contentment in their lives and can live with professional handlers that can accomodate thier needs.  Fortunately, these dogs are far fewer than most would expect.  The majority of dogs with agression can make a complete turnaround with some understanding, paitience, and time. 

I have found that by giving case studies of dogs I have helped rehabilitate, it instills hope in people who may be experiencing a similar situation but dont know how to go about  handling it or for those who have seen a “professional dog trainer” and think nothing else can be done…these stories are for you!

A dog named killer:

     OK, with a name like that, you would think he already had 2 strikes against him…Try like ten!  Killer was a large male German Shepherd Dog who was born in puppy mill and wasn’t adopted until he was nearly one year old.  All that time he lived in a 4×8 pen with limited access to humans and other dogs that would have provided the socilization at the most important stages of his development.  In addition, he was separated from his littermates at an early stage (as per the breeders confirmation) he also was sprayed with a squirt bottle as an attempt to curb his excvessive barking.  As I have mentioned, and will continue to, this is a terrible way to train dogs.  It breeds agression.  Once Killer was bought by his original owner, the real nightmare began!  He was timid but tolerant when he first met the owner so he felt he wouldn’t be too difficult to train.  Once they got home, it was a different story.  Killer immediately wanted to claim his new owner’s home as “his”.  He instantly showed aggression in numerous situations including, mealtimes, greetings at door, any time the owner tried to control him on a leash, on beds/couches, and whenever he was cornered.  Killer was not inherantly aggressive, he was just insecure by not being able to socialize properly when he was a puppy.  This would have given him a sample of the world while he was a puppy so as an adult he was better acquainted with life and its events.  On top of the lack of socialization, Killer was also a dominant dog.  As I have stated before, dominance is not synonomous with a “bad dog” or “agressive dog”.  It just means the dog is wired genetically to be a leader, that with the right development would make an easy to train, confident, and sound dog.  Unfortunately, with no exposure to any stimulus along with the squirt bottle to fuel the fire, it was now not in Killers mind to see that submitting to a human owner would keep him safe in his insecure state of mind.  The contrary is actually true.  By him “letting go” and letting us take over his life for him, he can now feel an instant sense of security by us being able to play the role of protector for him.  Once the dog senses our ability to establish this role, his mind will relax enough for him to now start learning about the things he didn’t get a chance to when he was a puppy.  Now the socialization process begins.

Back to Killer.  So, as you would expect the first owner decides to send the dog back to the breeder because he didn’t want to deal with it and was downright scared of the dog.  A few months went by and he was adopted by my clients.  There was nothing they wouldn’t do for Killer.  If he barked, they asked “how high?”  He never got leashed because “he didn’t want to”, if he didn’t like a guest who came over, they simply put him out on in the yard, he always got to sleep on the bed, and when his owner wanted to get in the bed, all he had to do was growl a little, and it was another night on the couch for his owner.  The funny thing is, that is the most they saw out of Killer in terms of aggressive behavior.  Why is this?  Simple.  They fit within Killer’s “bubble of control”.  He did not find a need to display the type of aggression he showed to his first owner when he challenged him because his new owners played slave to his issues. To call me it finally took him severly biting a friend of their teenage daughter when she tried to engage him into a play activity, Killer did not like being told what to do, even in a play context, and he decided to let her know it!  When I first met Killer he immediately went after me even though I was at least 20 ft. from him.  Because I do what I do, my energy is slightly different than an average person to a dog.  For the most part, this energy relaxes and makes a dog respond to me positively.  Every once in a while, the dog feels it as a challenging energy as it would be perceived by another dominant dog.  Since I was in no way close enough to pose a “challenge” to him,  this told me he was an extremely insecure dog.  I took him in and began working with him using a modified version of one of those poles animal control uses to handle difficult dogs.  Like the ones on Animal Cops, except I use a leash material instead of the wire cord animal control uses so I can train the dogs while still keepins myself safe. I began the leadership establishment process.  At first he fought me, but as he learned two things: 1) I wasn’t going to run away from his aggression, in fact, the more aggressive he became, the more I worked him and the calmer I got.  This was a much needed counter-approach to the emotional and excited “retreat” response most gave him.  2) Because he saw not only that I wouldn’t back down, but also I did it well, he relaxed within minutes and began to trust I “knew what I was doing”.  After a couple of sessions with him he began to see me as his new leader.  The first true leader this dog has ever had in his life.  What a difference a change in opinions makes!  He now wagged his tail whenever I would approach his kennel, he couldn’t get close enough to me for affection, he learned commands lightning fast as if he knew it would only please me more and gain more acceptance into my new pack I have created for him.  Why this 180 degree turn?  Because I handled him according to his needs.  It took that initial power struggle for him to see that I knew his game better than he did.  Once I established this he respected me.  Becasue of this respect, I took over his role as leader.  He now didn’t feel the overwhelming burden of controlling anything and everything in his world.  This simplified his life dramatically and allowed him to relax in my presence.  Not once after the intial resistance did I ever see an agressive behavior in Killer the dog.  After a week or so of leadership training I began the re-socialization proces.  Again, by re-introducing once nervewracking experiences to him with me as his leader/protector, he opened his eyes to the fact that dogs, people, and new experiences were not actually a threat to his well being!  By giving him steady exposure to these things with a calm mindset, he actually began to see new things as something to look forward to and not something to constantly be anxious about.  Eventuall, he didn’t even need my presence to help him with this transition, he obtained enough social skills to handle new and previously scary situations on his own.  As is usually the case, the aggression, which was really just a symptom of his insecurity and fear disappeared.  If a dog that at first wanted to “kill me” (no pun intended) could become my best friend, then so can yours, or the dog at the shelter who just doesn’t understand what a great leader someone can be to them yet.  

Killer’s owners were now able to trust him around strangers, (and they got their bed back).  They also decided to change his name to Chance to reflect the second chance he received in life.

by: Brett Endes

Friday, September 21 2007

What is Doggie racism you ask?  Ok, it is not an actual term (I made it up) but what it means is how some people believe that a dog “acts a certain way because of their particular breed”.  Indeed, certain breeds have genetic predispositions to perform certain working tasks, but in most cases these innate drives take a second stage to the actual behaviors many dog owners observe which can occur regardless of breed, age, or size.  OK, your Boxer may be jumping because “thats what Boxers do”, but with further examination, we can see that a majority of behaviors we associate with breed, are just behaviors that dogs display based on factors other than what kind of dog they are.   For example:  You have a Jack Russell Terrier that barks excessively.  Now of course many will say “terriers are feisty and they just like to bark” that all makes sense, until you look at the amount of non-terrier breeds that see a professional like myself for “problem barking”.  So why blame the breed?  It gives us humans an easy explanation for what is a far more complex issue that has more to do with our relationship with our dogs than what they look like to us.  Heres what I mean…

People think small dogs are yappy, ankle biters by nature.  Actually the reason why we see many small dogs act this way is because people who tend to get a smaller pocket breed of dog get these dogs for far different reasons than another person would own let’s say, a Rottweiller or German Shepherd Dog.  Although the packaging is different, a dog is a dog no matter how they look to us as humans.  Dogs don’t discriminate!  The person who tends to own a smaller neonate breed is looking for something to nurture and care for as if they were a child.  Very good intentions of couse!  But in many cases this type of approach to dog ownership will create a Napolean complex regardless of the dog’s breed.  If everywhere you went people carried you and fussed over you and treated like a King or Queen, wouldn’t you develop an attitude too?  Contrarily, I have seen countless Malteses, Yorkies, Poodles, etc.  that acted completely content, happy, calm, (and quiet) when treated like a dog despite the way we as humans (me included) want to act towards them initially.  This is at the core of what I do.  It is to be able to teach owners how to recognize “The Dog Within” and not act on the external perceptions of how our dogs look to us.  This helps us differentiate what is breed and what is the individual dog acting on their instincts and way of being.  By doing this we can all work together to end Doggie Racism…

 by: Brett Endes

Wednesday September 17, 2007

     After spending  a good amount of time here in Colorado, I began to think of what Colorado is like from a dog’s point of view.  Compared to let’s say California or New York.  The first thing that came to mind….Mountains!  It is like dogs and the colorado mountains go hand in hand.  C’mon, would you ever take a hike without your best friend?    Me neither!   I find that when dogs get out in “the wild” it opens up many intstincts within them that otherwise would not have the opportunity to come to the surface in a more urban environment.  It truly does give dogs a level of contenment that regular walks cannot compare to.  In future newsletters I will review different hikes that are dog friendly and convenient to the Front Range that you can enjoy with your dog.

 Another perk of being a dog in Colorado is the amount of dogs parks in the Denver / Boulder metro area.  They have big dog parks, small dog parks, open dog parks with streams and lakes for dogs to swim in, agility parks, and more.  You don’t have to go far in Colorado to find a good dog park and they are all maintained by who else?…Dog Lovers!  So they are always working to provide a clean, safe, and fun dog park environment for all dogs. 

OK, now one thing that is not only a great invention, but convenient as well…poop bag dispensers in many of the neighborhoods…If that doesn’t make Colorado the most “Dog Friendly” state, I don’t know what does?  The choices of veterinarians is endless.  Not to mention the various pet-related businesses that are abundant here in Colorado   a.k.a “Dog Land”.   You can take your dog to a spa for the full treatment, or get them cookies at a dog bakery.  Specialty Veterinarians are endless and pet sitters and dog daycare facilities are everywhere.  Yes, there are many trainers as well, but we wont talk about them here LOL!   

So, getting back to my original point of how it must feel to be a Colorado dog?  After doing the research I can only come to one conclusion…Unbelievable!  It would be like a child having a toy store and disneyland on every corner!  Now that has to be the ultimate….or maybe even “Dog-Topia!”

Look for future posts with reviews and guides to different activities, services, and events in Colorado that you can do with your dog.  If you have or know of a pet-related event, service, or business that you would like to see listed and reviewed let us know.

by: Brett Endes

Great Article by  Karla Gardner Hamlin

Is Your Dog Addicted?

Wednesday September 12, 2007:

I wanted to provide a link to a list of all the dog parks in Colorado from Ft. Collins to Colorado Springs.  It is called ColoradoDogParks.com
On the website you will find directions and brief descriptions about each colorado dog park.  Since we are on the topic of dog parks, here is a brief overview of Dog Park Etiquette as described by their website:

Here are some general suggestions about how to get along well in a dog park. 

Wednesday, September 12 2007

Time and time again I get calls from people who are so intent that they “understand their dogs” and cant comprehend why they are dealing with the problems they are experiencing. I then will ask if the dog has had any training, and it never fails…”yes, we had them in petsmart/petco/clicker classes. That is all I need to know! Ok, here’s the deal: Operant conditioning and training(A.K.A. clicker/positive reward training) is a wonderful teaching tool and is a useful tool we can use when training our dogs. However, just as a carpenter doesn’t come to work with just a screwdriver, we as trainers and handlers must come equipped with a “full tool box” as well.

Don’t get me wrong, I think any dog can stand to benefit from any type of training, it is just that dogs with a more complex personality who see the world as if everything is there’s when they want it, including food, (this is about 99% of my clients!).  Dogs with this personality type are expecting a treat, so basically you are “rewarding” a dog who sees the world through these eyes for a desired physical response(ie: Sit) but in their mind, they only see that you are allowing them to snatch food from you, which by instinct, they would never due to real dog who was a leader they respected. So basically, the dog feels it is being rewarded for a dominant behavior. This is where it gets tricky… Because the act of taking a treat from our hand is innocent by nature to us as humans, plus we think we are rewarding the dog for listening to our commands, when all the dog sees is you are encouraging a behavior that would never slide in the dog world.

Now this doesn’t mean treats are off limits for any dog, and some dogs even benefit from this training tool. But we must see it as a tool that compliments a deeper understanding of the nature of dogs. Especially dogs with higher training requirements.

OK, so what do we use then to get our dogs to respect us and stop the problem behaviors? Three words: Energy of Understanding What is this? Energy of Understanding is a sixth sense energy that all living things communicate by. You ever get a feeling about something? Your “gut instinct”? That is sixth sense energy. Most animals use this first and foremost when communicating with one another and with other species as well. (How else does the cat know when the dog is about to chase them before the dog even bats an eye?) So, dogs constantly receiving our signals, good bad or indifferent. They in turn, are sending us signals back. Which if read correctly, can be the most powerful training tool you can use when communicating with your dog. Unfortunately, most humans are not in touch with this energy, or at least not when it comes to projecting it towards their dogs. This is what I teach people, because techniques, tools, or methods only go so far. We must put our “leader energy” into the environment to effectively communicate with our dogs that we have things figured out better than them and they can relax, knowing that we are in charge. Once our dogs believe in our energy, the problem behaviors associated with too much responsibility goes away and our dogs are content and receptive to you, no matter what method you use.

Here’s the debate.  Hence the title of this article, many think that “if you aren’t being positive, and treating dogs like “little humans” you are being mean to the dog”.  Have you ever seen dogs interact in an environment where humans aren’t present? It is a 24-7 play on status. Do they bribe each other to show who’s in charge? Do they play in a way or interact in a way that is anything like humans? Not even close. They operate on principles of acceptance and rejection into the pack whether dominant, submissive, or neutral. Why would it be any different when they are trying to communicate with us? Dogs have no understanding of the differentiation of species and to them, everyone speaks dog and follows the laws of the dog world.  Again, I cannot stress enough that we should love our dogs, treat them humanely, and cherish them, we do not use outdated forceful methods.  We create a mutually beneficial relationship based on respect and communication only because of one simple fact: Dogs just don’t see things the way our human psychology wishes it would.  That is just it, because dogs have been living in such close quarters with us for so long, they have become part of the human experience.  This makes it difficult for us to see things the way they do because they fulfill a need within us for companionship and of course, you wouldn’t act dominant towards your best friend…would you?  Once we become proficient actors and create a personality within us that is for the sole purpose of communicating with our dog, and no one else, we now can put our human-ness to the side for a while and be on their level.  Just as a great actor puts their off-screen persona aside while they become their role.  It is difficult at first, but this ability is within all of us as energy projecting beings, so why not use it.

by: Brett Endes