The best dog breeds, for most people, boil down to the physical characteristics
in dog breeds which appeal to each individual. The second ingredient if you will
is personality. The inherited tendencies of specific breeds play a part in any
dog’s personality, but the shaping of the dogs character as a whole is the most
important factor in finding the best dog breed for any individual. The same goes
for the best family dog. Training and Handling become the tell all in realizing
the potential of any dog breed. In cruising around the web, the number of Dog
Trainers entering the market is staggering. Every where you turn more and more
people are entering the field. As usual in the U.S. dog training academies and
organizations with very official names are cropping up to certify and test
trainers and to help the public figure out the good from the bad. There are no
state licenses yet, though I am sure the future will bring State boards and
bureaucracy into the field. There is a change sweeping the industry. The
training styles are undergoing a makeover. People see dog breeds more as a style
and look for their companion animals, as the reasons for those different breeds
fade away in modern society. We no longer need cart dogs, ratters, coursing
dogs, working animals built for specific jobs. We hold contests for herding
dogs, retrievers, racing dogs; protection dogs its all sport and entertainment.
Yes there are still job dogs; police K9’s, S.A.R. dogs, dogs for the blind and
handicapped but jobs are fewer and advanced training way less necessary. Dog
training is beginning to change. The demanding harshness of older methods is
giving way to softer methods. In the past a Trainer did not bond with a dog,
that job was separated out for the Handler. Trainers typically used harsh
methods; many of these methods were negative reinforcements to shorten the
training time. Forcing a dog to quickly adapt to behaviors needed for a job, the
dog would be expected to perform. A Handler would then take over using positive
reinforcement and bonding techniques to normalize the dog from the training
environment. This two person system is very effective in producing a dog for a
job. As I mentioned earlier Companion dogs are now the vogue. In today’s
scenario, Handler style techniques have become more dominate. A dog is normally
bought as a puppy, and then handled by its owner. Dog consultants give advice
and show Owners how to problem solve and communicate. This is a longer process
for the dog and owner, but Handling has always been the technique for getting a
dog to excel in it’s behavior and command structures such as heel, sit, stay and
any other command or sport (agility, obedience trials, Etc…).. Dogs have been
domesticated a long time, there is pretty much nothing new under the sun. The
“new” techniques like clicker training, animal behaviorism, dog therapy have
been around since year one. Shock collar training is now called the electric
touch method clicker training has replaced the silent dog whistle technique.
commands combined with any Pavlov style method (known as conditional reflex
training and animal behaviorism) work great with any dog, and are better than an
owner using harsh negative training methods. I have always believed in owners
using handling methods and bonding with their dog. Decision training will bring
out the best in your pet. Come by and see me, and together we can achieve the
behavior you’ve always wanted from your K-9 best friend.
Steven
Johnson
Director of Training |
