Time and time again I get calls from people who are so focused on “understanding their dogs” that they can’t understand why they are dealing with the issues they are experiencing. Then I’ll ask if the dog has had any training, and it never fails…”yeah, we had them in smart pet/petco/clicker classes. That’s all I need to know! Ok, here’s the deal: operant conditioning and Training (also known as 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 coaches and trainers, we should come equipped with a “complete toolbox” as well.
Don’t get me wrong, I believe that any dog can benefit from any type of training, just dogs with a more complex personality who see the world as if everything is there when they want it, including food, (This is about 99%! of my clients!). Dogs with this personality type expect a treat, so you’re essentially “rewarding” a dog who sees the world through these eyes for a desired physical response (ie, sit), but in their mind, they just see that you are allowing them to take food from you, which by instinct, they would never do because of a real dog who was a leader they respected. Basically, the dog feels that he is being rewarded for 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 that you are encouraging a behavior that would never slip into the world of dogs.
Now, this does not mean that 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 complements a deeper understanding of the nature of dogs. Especially dogs with higher training requirements.
Ok, so what do we use to get our dogs to respect us and stop problem behaviors? Three words: Understanding Energy What is this? The Energy of Understanding is a sixth sense energy through which all living beings communicate. Do you ever feel anything? Your “instinct”? That is the energy of the sixth sense. Most animals use this first and foremost when communicating with each other and also with other species. (How else does the cat know when the dog is about to chase it before the dog bows?) So dogs are constantly getting our cues, good, bad, or indifferent. They, in turn, are sending us signals back. Which, if read correctly, may be the most powerful training tool you can use when communicating with your dog. Unfortunately, most humans are not in contact with this energy, or at least not when it comes to projecting it onto 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 to our dogs that we have things figured out better than they do and that they can relax, knowing we are in charge. Once our dogs believe in our energy, the problem behaviors associated with too much responsibility disappear and our dogs are happy and receptive to you, no matter what method you use.
Here is the discussion. Hence the title of this article, many think that “if you are not positive and treat dogs like ‘little humans’, you are being mean to the dog.” Have you ever seen dogs interact in an environment where humans are not present? It’s a 24-7 state game. Do they bribe each other to show who’s boss? Do they play in a way or interact in a way similar to humans? Not even close. They operate on the principles of acceptance and rejection in the pack, whether dominant, submissive, or neutral. Why would it be any different when they try to communicate with us? Dogs do not understand the differentiation of species and for them, everyone speaks dog and follows the laws of the canine world. Again, I cannot stress enough that we should love our dogs, treat them humanely and cherish them, not use forceful outdated methods. We create a mutually beneficial relationship based on respect and communication just because of one simple fact: dogs just don’t see things the way our human psychology wants them to. That’s it, because dogs have been living so close to us for so long that they’ve become a part of the human experience. This makes it hard for us to see things the way they do because they fill a need within us for companionship and of course you wouldn’t act domineering around your best friend…would you? Once we become competent actors and create a personality within ourselves for the sole purpose of communicating with our dog, and no one else, we can now put aside our humanity for a while and be on his level. Just as a great actor sets aside his off-screen personality as he becomes his role. It’s hard at first, but this ability is within all of us as beings that project energy, so why not use it?