Obedience Training Doesn’t Matter
What’s wrong with an obedience-focused training program?
Most of my training clients need help with challenging behavior problems. They might have dogs who are anxious and nervous; who might attack other dogs, growl and bark at strangers, jump on guests, or pull their owners on walks.
If I were to focus solely on flashy obedience and what the dog can do for a treat or toy, I never really address the underlying issue causing the behavior problems. I never actually address the dog’s overall state of mind. In the end, I never actually change the behavior or “fix” the real problem that clients call me for in the first place! They might end up with a dog who knows a few tricks, but still can’t actually function in public.
WE NEED TO FOCUS ON CALM.
We can teach the dog how to be calm in every aspect of life, no matter the amount of chaos around them. We CAN utilize the obedience to help us get there, but we do not actually need the obedience command to ask for “calm.”
Calmness is the by-product when we remove the arousal that causes the majority of behavior problems, and I ask for “calm” over and over again during training.
Now, when I ask the dog to “down” at my feet at a local shop, they are down and CALM. They aren’t scanning the environment and keeping an eye out for other dogs to bark at or worry about. They aren’t getting out of the down anytime they hear a strange sound or a person walks by.