Discipline

Now, there is a scary word. Especially when discussing what is called “modern dog training techniques”. It could be that harsh methods had given ‘discipline” a negative connotation, or its just a sign of the times, so let’s change that to read “guidance”.

There is a whole continuum of thought on dog training out there. It goes from one extreme of using brute force to the other of ignoring unwanted behavior even if it’s a growl, or a bite. In each extreme case even if using the same dog the results would be different. You would come out with a different dog.

Let us give you an example. You are given an assignment of walking across a village blind folded and you are given an assistant. In the first extreme, every time you went in the wrong direction you got hit across the head (don’t try this at home). In the other extreme case the assistant is only allowed to tell you when you are going in the right direction and nothing in the wrong direction. Following these two examples you end up having two completely different learning experiences. The first method would cause you to be afraid to try any direction for fear of being hit, but you eventually made it. The second method would cause frustration to the point of begging the assistant for guidance and you may never make it across town. Applying those principles to the dog, we think that you would agree that there must be a happy medium.

The amount of guidance required will depend on the temperament of the dog and the temperament (personality) of the owner. Here is where the “art of dog training” comes in. Knowing what guidance is required, how much and what kind. Just like raising children you need to decide what methods work for you. What works for one child may not work for another. It is the job of the Dog Training Instructor to guide you through the process.

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