It’s amazing how something can be overused as a marketing slogan and yet overlooked at the same time. I’m talking about “relationship” and how important it is to have a strong one with your dog.
While patting and cuddles are great, an important aspect of dog training is building a true relationship.
Relationship comes about from understanding, from communication and trust.
A lot of dog training methods almost ignore this very important aspect. (often basing the relationship on a treat, and not between the owner and the dog)
Part of a good relationship is building trust. Trust is built by doing what you say you will, being consistent and also letting the other party know when they are doing the right thing, and the wrong thing.
It is also building an understanding of how things work within the relationship, and respecting this understanding. Sometimes respecting the fact that the dog is another species is just as important as following through with training techniques.
It is often said a good friend lets you know when you are doing something wrong, just as much as they should be your cheerleader when you do something right. This should be a foundation of any dog training program. Have you ever been in the situation where you think you have done something wrong to a friend or loved one, but they won’t tell you what it was ? – did this confuse and/or frustrate you? Did you feel bad about it, but didn’t know what to do ?
On the other side of the coin, how good does it feel to KNOW you have done something good and get the praise and recognition for it ?
Establishing communication, spending time and getting a real understanding of how your dog operates is very important in developing a real and meaningful relationship.
While talking about this subject, let me ask you a question. Do you feel more comfortable around someone who is consistent and predictable or someone who is unpredictable and sketchy ? – sure the later may be fun to be around, but would you really trust them in a serious situation ? Would you follow them ?
This how a dog thinks – why would they follow your leadership if you are inconsistent and they are unsure of how you will react in a situation.
Relationship is developed and strengthened when you communicate clearly and in understandable way with your dog. For this you need a language which you can use to establish and build the relationship. Spending time developing and strengthening this over time is a key requirement. Being choosey with your words, yourself understanding them and using the correct and consistent tone is paramount to achieving this communication. Again this is an aspect often overlooked or under estimated in dog training.
Many times when a dog does not seem to be co-operating, or the dog will do a command or behavior for one person, but not for another, very often it is the relationship that is a t the heart of the problem. Hence why it can sometimes be referred to as the missing link or aspect. The dog understands what you are saying and asking, it just does not trust and respect you enough at that point in time. Luckily if you start to exhibit the signs of a good leader dogs often will be happy to please. (remember they live in the “present” tense, so if you shape up, they are very forgiving based on a patchy past record)
In situations where a trainer does the groundwork or the lion’s share of the training with little input from the owner, lack of relationship can be a real issue. There should be a plan in place to teach the owner how to establish and build a proper relationship, not just run through the commands that have been taught.
One of the noticeable differences when training a dog and working with one or two people in the household is that the dogs tend to follow the people around that understand them, and they have an established relationship with. In other words the dog likes and respects the person(s) that “gets” them.
SO….if you really do want a great, well trained, well behaved dog that respects and loves being around you, then a good relationship is key.
These are some of the areas we provide dog training for in Sydney – if you are not listed, please still contact us ! The Hills – Annangrove, Baulkham Hills, Beaumont Hills, Bella Vista, Box Hill, Carlingford, Castle Hill, Cherrybrook, Dural, Glenhaven, Glenorie, Kellyville, Kenthurst, Maraylya, Maroota, Nelson, Northmead, North Rocks, Rouse Hill, West Pennant Hills Blacktown and surrounding areas – Acacia Gardens, Dean Park, Doonside, Glendenning, Glenwood, Kellyville Ridge, Kings Langley, Kings Park, Lalor Park, Marayong, Marsden Park, Oakhurst, Parklea, Quakers Hill, Schofields, Seven Hills, Stanhope Gardens, The Ponds, Toongabbie, Vineyard, Riverstone
