The Power Of Positive Thinking

Dog training – a subject likely to stimulate heated discussions in any gathering of dog owners as to the best or most effective approach. Now I don’t profess to be an expert by any means and certainly have no formal training in dog education, but over the years I’ve seen a lot of dogs and owners, so this is just based on observation and personal experience. Inevitably, in a short article, there are a lot of generalisations and yes, I understand that there are always exceptions. The key message is, keep it positive. The idea is for your dog to want to do what is being asked of it, not to be forced or feel it has to or suffer unpleasant consequences. And in broad terms, dogs do want to please. They are pack animals so they want to be with their pack where they feel safe and supported. Dog are not actively naughty or bad. Those are just our labels for actions that do not suit us at a particular moment. Their reactions to situations they find themselves in may not be exactly how we’d like every time, but they are individuals and we may not be sensitive to the vibes they are receiving from other dogs or people.