Some of you think you are not training your dog unless you have enrolled them in a class. Or you are not training them unless you have treats in your hand and are teaching them tricks.
You could not be more misinformed. EVERY moment of your dog’s life is training. EVERY interaction you have with your dog is teaching them. You do not have the luxury of just “being friends” with your furry pup.
The picture included with this article is of Navi. He is a beautiful 3 year old husky and I could not be more proud of the work his owner is doing with him. They are incredibly dedicated and it is such an honor to watch Navi’s transformation.
There was a time in Navi’s life where his anxiety was inadvertently being reinforced every day. His owner was unknowingly feeding Navi’s insecurity. Not by doing anything wrong, but just by normal, every day interactions this was happening.
And this is happening in your home as well. You love your dog and want to give them all the good things in life…and that is great! That is always our goal here at Be the Boss Dog Training.
However, your dog is an animal. And as such, their brains are very simplistic. It feels good, they keep doing it…it doesn’t feel good, they stop doing it.
That petting and reassuring you do when your dog is barking at other dogs? That is reinforcing unhealthy habits. The action of trying to use treats to stop your dog’s aggression regarding bones or toys…that is reinforcing the behavior. EVERY time you interact with your dog you are training them.
People sometimes tell me that they haven’t had the time to train their dog yet. My response is always “You’ve been training them for years!”
Your dog is an animal that does not have the skills for a human world. Guide them and teach them how to be successful in your home. BOTH of your lives will be the better for it!
