Category: Getting Started ¤
  Author: Janet Smith ¤
   Title: Working on the Relationship ¤

Many of our training problems are in fact not training problems but
relationship problems.  My dogs improved with positive/clicker training 
methods but they improved even more when I paid attention to my 
relationship to my dogs.  The following advice came from my trainer.

Tips:
-decide what behaviors you do and don't want.  Prioritize them.
-focus on desired behaviors. C/T most heavily those behaviors most 
important to you, maybe every time they occur.
-eliminate all negative reinforcement (Ed. note: not everyone would agree
 with this one)
-lead by example.  If you want a calm dog be calm.  
-set your dog up to succeed.  Pre-plan and TRAIN ONLY when you can 
control the variables.
-spend quality time with the dog daily.  Train,play,excercise,quiet 
time.
-acknowledge your dog many times throughout the day.  Eye contact, 
smile, a gentle touch-stop ignoring the dog when he isn't demanding 
attention.
-appreciate good behavior.  Always acknowledge it.
-know your dogs likes and dislikes.
-understand and accept your dog's breed characteristics.
-include your dog in as much of your life as possible.
-REINFORCE EYE CONTACT AND ATTENTION IN EVERYDAY LIFE
-don't wait for problems to develope.  Apply positive reinforcement 
during or immediately following desired behavior.

I spend most of my time now working on my relationship with my dogs and 
rewarding attention and attitude and the progress the dogs have made 
lately has been phenomenal.  We can train our dogs to do anything they 
can physically do but maybe we should really consider the affect that 
training will have on the dog and the dog/owner relationship.

In my humble opinion (and I'm no expert)it would be a bit silly to train 
my Belgian not to bark when inside at a strange dog outside the window 
and just as silly it seems to me to train my golden to act aggressively 
although I am sure a good trainer could do both.  I think one should 
focus more on being able to stop or re-direct a behavior (be the dog's 
leader) if one isn't the leader then it seems a relationship problem is 
very clear and you can train all day and never have a reliable dog.

Janet, Walden and Luna