My first experience with dog training was as a teenager when I failed the obedience class I took with my German Shepard. Yes, we failed the class! I wasn't willing to use the traditional methods being taught in the 1970s. Even then I didn't believe you should force your dog - or any animal - to do something she wasn't comfortable doing.
I'm happy to say that today animal training no longer requires aversive methods. Today with clicker training and positive reinforcement to train our animals we develop a healthier relationship with our dog while we have fun! I like a dog who can think and is creative. I like being able to see her joy when she does what I ask. I like knowing that a dog does what I ask of her because she wants to - not because she is afraid of the consequences if she doesn't do what I ask of her. Clicker training and positive reinforcement do that for your dog while strengthening your relationship.
I believe that animals enrich our lives. It is our responsibility to be their voice and advocate. At The Confident Dog I work with you and your dog to find
ways to enhance your relationship. Choice builds confidence. When we get to choose we feel empowered. The same is true for our dogs. At first it might feel scary to give a dog a choice about whether or not to "obey" you, but if you think about it, dominance is a human desire, not one that dogs really want. If you watch a group of dogs they do everything they can to avoid a fight. It is our responsibility to give our dogs the tools and confidence they need to make the right choice.
One of the many things that truly inspires me about our four-legged friends is that even when they are faced with adversity they don't wallow in self-pity. Dogs share many of our emotions - happiness, joy, sadness, fear, but they don't share self-pity. For that I am grateful. I have been given the opportunity to work with many "disadvantaged" dogs - those who have lost their sight, are deaf, or have 3 legs. However, I have yet to find one who feels less then whole because of what they have to had "overcome."
My work with these dogs led me to Tellington TTouch. I found that not only does TTouch help with dogs who need healing for medical reasons, it helps ALL animals. TTouch is very gentle and one of the sayings rings so very true - less is more. It is the simplicity of TTouch that opens our hearts to the wonders of the magic. The magic touches not only our animals but also those who are doing the work. It really is a powerful and beautiful tool. TTouch helps dogs because it looks at the entire animal not just a single aspect of them and that is part of what makes TTouch so special. The picture to the left is an example of a TTouch ground work exercise that helps dogs think while they are walking with you.
