Balanced Dogs

Today we are going to talk about having a well balanced dog. I see so many people making so many mistakes when it comes to handling their dogs. People spend their time trying to relate to their dog like a typical primate would. They throw their hands around, talk louder, and when the dog does not listen they talk even louder. You are not going to have a well balanced dog acting like that. We have to learn to relate to our dogs in a way that they can understand from their point of view. Dogs do not rationalize! When they are not trained, all they have is instinct. When I am training my dogs, I never hit or yell at them. I want to build a loving relationship that is based on trust. I try to use as much positive reinforcement as I can. We can think of our relationship with our dogs like a bank account. Picture a black board with a line down the center, with plus signs on one side, and minus signs on the other side. Every time we use negative reinforcement, we are making a withdrawal, and we put a minus sign on the board. Every time we use positive reinforcement, we are making a deposit, and we add a plus sign on that side. At the end of the day, we should have far more plus signs than minus signs. Find out what motivates your dog and use it. It will never be violence or abusive behavior!