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Why Do We Correct Our Dogs
from: Kyle BesserWhat are we trying to accomplish when we correct a dog? Do we want to make the dog submissive to us? Are we trying to show the dog that we are displeased with his behavior? Do we want the dog to feel guilty or ashamed over what he has done or how he is behaving? When we strip away all of the emotional considerations, whether it be anger, disappointment, or embarrassment, involved in any incident where we feel the dog deserves a correction, what we want is to stop the dog from doing something that isn't appropriate.
Unfortunately, this kind of thinking simply won't work because dogs don't learn not to do things. Dogs can only learn to do things. I'm not suggesting that a dog can't learn to be still. The point is that a dog can learn to be still only by learning to be calm. So while we may think that we want inaction from our dog to accomplish our aim of settling the dog down, we really want the action of calming down.
What gets dogs into trouble with their human companions are the dog's natural tendencies and inclinations. Their natural tendencies and instincts would be completely appropriate and normal if the dog were living in the wild. Keeping a dog's natural tendencies in mind, it is to be expected that dogs become excited at the arrival of strangers or at the return of their owners. It is natural behavior for a dog to be destructive when left alone. It is natural behavior for a dog to pull on the leash when being walked.
When dogs do these behaviors, the problem isn't that our dogs are acting abnormally or that the dog is being bad. These behaviors are inborn traits.
The real problem is how we humans perceive a dog's behavior and how our perception influences our dog training methods and the way we present training to our dogs. Rather than saying to the dog, "Don't pull on your leash," we need to talk in terms of an instinctual message: "Pay attention to me even though there are distractions around you." Rather than commanding a dog not to jump on strangers, train your dog how to make contact with strangers.
We can't tell a dog not to bark or stop being a pest, but we can train a dog to have an unswerving focus on an objective. Through training a dog to have focus, a dog can be commanded to settle down. Ultimately, the dog can develop so much patience that whenever he wants something, calmness rather than excitement will be his habit for success.
If we analyze what we're trying to accomplish in those everyday situations that require manners from our dog, we'll find that we actually can train a dog to do the things we want. Our dog training methods and the way we present training to our dogs makes all the difference in training dog behavior.
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