What kind of relationship do you want with your dog? Most people want their dog to be a happy, healthy, member of the family who is fun to be around, can be independent sometimes, doesn't drag them down the street on a walk, doesn't jump on friends and family, doesn't steal food off the counter, doesn't destroy things, is nice to friends and neighbors and is able to listen to instructions and do behaviors when asked.
Sound about right?
I can show you all of that. Notice that I did not say, "Most people want their dog to act like a robot without a personality." Sometimes the concept of obedience gets all jumbled up to mean that a dog does whatever he or she is told "no matter what" or he is stubborn, a "bad dog", willful, or broken in some way.
Is Your Dog Actually Stubborn?
Why should a dog just magically listen to every "command" thrown his way? I really don't like the word "stubborn" when describing a dog's personality or behavior. I often watch someone work with their "stubborn" dog and see a person repeating cues, ("sit, sit, sit"), moving around so much that is it impossible for the dog to know where to look, trying to ask a dog to do something when they are noticeably distracted or nervous, or other training miscues that are then blamed on the dog for being "stubborn".
I am an excellent teacher and pride myself on making the concepts easy-to-follow for both you and your dog during my sessions. It is not easy for a person to learn how to train a dog. Dogs are complex, amazing animals with their own needs, desires, instincts and physical and mental limitations. I have been practicing for more than 20 years and have worked with more than 7000 dogs and I am still learning. Every dog is different, every situation is different, and it is the trainer's responsibility (me and you) to make it as clear and stress-free for your dog.
Dogs Need Mental Stimulation?
I use obedience training as a way to improve the relationship with the dog and their family. Every dog needs mental stimulation every day. I suggest working for short training sessions throughout the day to keep your dog wanting more instead of burning your dog out. I will teach you how to train in such a way where it feels fun for you and your dog, your dog will learn quickly and at the end of the day he will be tired and happy. The amount of time it will take to achieve this depends on the type of dog you have. A Doberman, German Shepherd, Border Collie or Poodle will need a lot more time each day than an English Bulldog or a Greyhound.
I can help you devise a schedule and training plan to ensure that you are reaching your training goals and having fun in the process. The process is the same whether you want your dog to walk nicely or you want to have the best behaved dog in the neighbohood. The more you teach, the more your dog will learn!
