MY PHILOSOPHY
There are many training methods out there and all of them can teach you and your dog the basic commands. Commands are easy, no matter how you teach them; dogs will learn that when you say a certain word, they need to take a certain position. (You say “sit” the rear end folds up and the butt touches the floor). What is missing in many training programs is the relationship factor.
I believe in training people how to be Leader, so that the dog wants to follow. Leadership is gained by establishing trust in your dog. I think that when the dog trusts you as his leader…you can trust his behavior. A good leader can get the follower to want to do what the leader asks…even if the follower didn’t want to do it in the first place! I know that concept can be hard to understand, but in my program I work very hard to show you how to do this. I want you to be the kind of person your dog would love to listen to and have respect for.
I have seen many dogs come out of a show ring where they have just won a ribbon and outside of the ring they are ill-behaved. I have been contacted by clients who have been to other training programs and their dog will sit, lay down and even in some cases do a few other fancy parlor tricks, but the dog doesn’t have the loving and adoring relationship with the owners and when off lead, outside or off the e-collar, the dog is unfocused and sometimes even wild.
We all know someone who has that dog who adores their owner, goes everywhere with them, can get right out of the car and be calm and happy and doesn’t run off. Many times this person has never had formal training and the dog does not know any fancy commands. This is what I mean by relationship. It is a good buddy sort of thing.
Without this type of relationship, obedience commands are nothing more than a bag of tricks.
I personally would rather see my clients have the dog’s trust, adoration, and attention, than to see the dog perform like a circus animal and do a series of patterned trained tricks.
In my program you will learn reality training. I will teach you how to use the commands in situations that you need. I do not like protection training either, I feel you should be the protector and provider for your dog. When you have your dog’s trust he will step in to protect you if needed, without that, he won’t care what happens to you. Some people think their dog is protecting them…when the dog is really just acting out in self defense or possessiveness.
I want you to be happy…but I also want you to learn what it takes to make your dog happy. Some people only look at what they want from their dogs, and will go to any length to get it, without thinking about the emotional cost to the dog.
Here at A Promised Friend LLC dog training I take a holistic approach to pet ownership for healthy, happy, stable dogs!