"Pearl
is my best friend. I can't even begin to explain it. I take care of her
every physical need and in return she loves me unconditionally and is
always there for emotional support." -Zoe Kindall"Mutual respect and admiration." -Emily Hurt
"One based on trust and respect. I never want my dogs to be afraid of making mistakes. I want them to see me as their safe place especially since they give me so much emotional support and love. They deserve nothing less in return." -Meghan McMillan
"A loving one!" -Diane Aramian
"One where we're not only teammates but best friends and know we can always count on eachother without worry." -Meaghan Darling
Answers like this likely resonate with most of us and make sense because we care about our dogs. Because the relationship we want is one based on trust, admiration, respect and support, it's safe to say that correcting our dogs and expecting perfection is less than ideal. Dogs are living creatures like humans and make mistakes just as we do. Mistakes are what helps the learning process move forward and teaching anyone, whether it is a child or a dog, that failure is a part of life is vital to their success.
Many people beg the question, well, why treat your dog if they can do it without a cookie? No one works for free, right? Most people don't go to work without expecting a paycheck from their boss, so why do we expect our dogs to do it without reward? Eventually, we create what is called an extinguished behavior. If no reward is given, or no paycheck is received, eventually your dog quits. And, rightfully so!
The wonderful bit about positive training is that there are a plethora of reinforcers available for us to use! The main thing we have to do is figure out what your dog's cookie is. What makes your dog jump for joy? What makes her tail wag? What gets him excited? Whether it's cheese, a squeaky toy, hot dogs, a frisbee, chicken, a ball, turkey, a walk around the block or a good game of tug, our dogs are giving us valuable feedback about what we can use as a paycheck. Make a list of these food items, toys and activities and vary what you use. You'll be surprised in which ways you can get your dog to respond. Remember, you are the one with the opposable thumbs. You are the one with the car keys. You are the one in charge of the wallet. You control the resources and everything good in your dog's life so there is no need to establish yourself as the boss. Use your resources wisely and you can get your dog to do just about anything you wish!
