TAKE THE LEAD
DOG TRAINING
If you don't lead... your dog can't follow
Trainer Talk
When you and your dog are together, there is always training going on. If you’re not training the dog, the dog is training you.
Upcoming Appearances
TAKE THE LEAD DOG TRAINING
Blacks School House Road
Taneytown, Maryland
443-255-7814
Training methods
Training methods are as many and varied as there are trainers. Many trainers believe that their way is the ONLY way. I believe that each trainer may offer something, but to think that there is only one way to train a dog is not quite right. A house or a building is not built using just one tool. There are many different tools to use in the construction of a house to finish many different parts. I believe that we should use the right tool for the job at hand. All dogs and handlers are not created equally and are not the same when they show up for training. I tailor my methods to fit both the handler and the dog.
I once heard a trainer say that there is no such thing as positive
training, because the dog doesn’t really want to do it in the first place. We are trying to get the dog to do whatever it is we want them to do and when we want it done, not necessarily when they want it done. I agree with that. I don’t believe that we have to be unnecessarily harsh with a dog to get them to comply with our commands, but I do believe we have to be firm, clear and consistent with our canine pupil. For instance, it can’t be OK for the dog to get up on the bed with me today and then when my girl comes in the dog is then banished from the bed. The dog does not understand that and the situation will undoubtedly foster jealousy between the dog and my girl, right? We cannot train a dog with aggression without having some kind of immediate negative consequence to deter the dog from performing the undesired behavior on its own at the next opportune moment. All of this, however, must be appropriately and fairly administered in a way that will give you the results you desire and still finish with a well-adjusted, controllable, and more socially-confident canine.
To answer the often-asked question of what my training methods are (are they positive? do I use negative reinforcement? do I use a pinch collar? electronic collar? clicker?). The answer to all the above is – Yes! It depends. Every dog and handler is different, beliefs are different, and people personalities and dog personalities are different. Indeed, every situation is different and is assessed from the outset and monitored throughout your training experience. Always remember it is not the tool, but how it is used. Used properly and with instruction from a professional handler, the right tool can work wonders and have great results. Remember, we can use microwave technology to cook our food or kill a man. It is not the technology, but how it is used. That applies equally to all of the tools mentioned in this paragraph. Training is, for us, a very individual thing – the means, approaches, and tools vary with every handler and dog team.
I am very clear that what I’m doing as an instructor is training the handler more so than the dog. I know I must tailor my methods to your individual style of learning in order to have you accept and use the lessons as your own. I believe in plenty of praise for the dog, so I praise you also for your efforts and progress. I’m here to help you - not degrade you - and I definitely believe the training experience should be fun. So, as we often do, I invite you to come by and watch a class, talk freely to our other handlers on the field about their experiences, and find out how much you can learn and how much fun you can have working with Take the Lead Dog Training.