Philosophy

My thoughts about training and living with dogs.

Balanced training is the method of teaching a dog through the use of both positive reinforcement and punishment. As mentioned before, a dog does NOT innately know what behaviors are “good” or “bad”, and it is our job to teach them these ideas. While most owners have rewarded dogs with a “good boy/girl” and some treats and pets, not many of us have ever followed up a “no” or “bad dog”. This leads to the continuation of some simple unwanted behaviors like jumping on people and excessive barking to more serious unwanted behaviors like biting and aggression.

Many owners and their dogs struggle because of negative behavior patterns that have built themselves over many months or years. The only way to break old patterns is to teach dogs and their owners new patterns for better lifestyles with a balanced style approach. During the board and train I offer, the dogs are put through a strict structured lifestyle. This gives me the opportunity to both phase out the old negative behaviors and patterns, and to introduce and reinforce the new positive behaviors. The board and train for struggling dogs is only a means to reset the relationship between the owner and dog so that both sides can start over with a better understanding of each other’s needs.

The most important rule about living with dogs, especially ones with a history of negative behaviors, is balancing affection, engagement, and food. Giving a dog limitless physical affection, treats, toys, and freedom leads to entitlement, which can eventually lead to aggression if left unchecked. For a healthy relationship with your dog, it is important to establish a balance based on an equal give and take of respect and affection.