I raise my human children; I raise my dogs as well.  I teach them how to interact with the world as opposed to watching from a distance… I incorporate obedience commands so if I really need them to sit down and stay then they know what to do; but really they need to problem solve how to interact as opposed to being treated like a robot.

Obedience training is great.  It is psychologically challenging and gives the dog something to learn.  However; once its learned it has to be applied.  That’s the 24 hour application needed to raise a dog; not just taking out some treats or practicing only 30 minutes a day then doing it again the next day.  I don’t raise my children only 30 minutes a day.  It is a 24 hour process that takes opportunistic moments to really teach the world to my children (both 4 leg and 2 leg).

Have you ever wondered why your dog walks on the left?  Probably because you and your dog were taught by an obedience trainer.  Now ask again why your dog walks on the left.  Because those are the rules of the obedience ring; not the world.  There is no reason your dog should walk on the left all the time in real world application.  Only in the obedience ring you will get score lower; not in life.  As long as your dog is aware of your energy walking down the street; as long as whenever you stop… your dogs stop; your all good.  If you don’t have that; regardless of what side they are walking on, that’s what needs to be achieved.  We need to stop thinking about the style and start thinking more about substance.  I love obedience training; just for the ring though.

We need to remember that dogs communicate differently than our human counterparts and  to properly teach them whats going on we can’t parent from the couch anymore.  We need to get up and show an energy that is serious and assertive.  When we see dogs correct each other it is very quick and concise.  They don’t wait until they are frustrated or angry… They correct in the moment and without hesitation, and then go back to a relaxed state of mind.  Stop giving them the benefit of the doubt when you know they are just escalating and you want them to stop; usually we as the human just escalate in anger every time we ask them to stop and they don’t.  If we have escalated to the point of anger or aggression then we will not be teaching the proper lesson and now it is almost impossible to go back to that relaxed state of mind needed to teach in the moment.  Stop communicating in that manner.  They will never follow an aggressive leader; only in fear; and they will never follow a passive leader; ever.  It is a fine line that we must walk when dealing with dogs on a corrective basis.

Blair Diamond                                                                                                                                 Primal Needs Dog Training                                                                                   Sacramento Dog Psychology

Exercise needs to be thought of both as physical and psychological.  Going to work behind a desk 8 hours a day is not physically demanding but one is still tired because they put in a hard days work mentally.  We need to exhaust our dogs properly by both physically wearing them out and making them problem solve the day.  With my dogs and what I teach; the rules are not consistent, the rule-maker is.

My dogs need to ask permission to get on the couch or in bed with me; they don’t expect it.  There is a big difference in that mindset.  My dogs are not in a sit-stay when guests arrive; I teach them how to properly interact with everyone.  This again is mentally stimulating because they watch me to see whats appropriate and whats not.  They are not going through the day on cruise control.

Getting your dog off leash reliable is crucial to burning their energy properly.  They were bred to do the work of ten wo-man; so a three mile walk once a day still doesn’t do it; even if your dog is walking by your side, loose leash, not on their own activity but yours… they still need to be a dog.  They need to run around and use that nose that is more than half their brain at work.  But they still need to be aware of who is leading the journey; us.  Feral dogs running around don’t walk in a linear direction; but when the dog making the rules stops and looks at something, they all stop and look.  The lead dog gets to decide what we run after and what we don’t.  We have now accomplished both physically and psychologically exhausting our dogs.

Exercise has a direct affect on your dogs well being, attitude and health.  Its easy to come home and give your dog a food treat as opposed to going for a nice walk or to the park to play ball (only if they have earned the privilege of being off leash).  Our behavior needs to change before our dogs start to follow.  It takes anywhere from 21 to 30 days to change any type of habit for a human, so it is easy to rely on our old habits and look for that silver bullet.  Well; there is no werewolf, which means probably no silver bullet.

This part of the equation in the Exercise, Discipline, and Affection puzzle is usually the hardest to achieve for us humans.  We burn our energy working all day so coming home and burning more is not always the most appealing thing to do.  We have however signed up for this responsibility when we took home our dogs regardless of signing anything or not.

The easiest way to burn their energy properly is going to get them off leash.  I can’t stress this enough.  If  you walked around the park (1 mile) while they ran around the park using their nose sniffing scents, running to catch up, running to catch the ball you just threw, going off to smell again, doing a recall just to check in and then getting to go off and play again; they just did 4 miles when you did 1.  Life is good when your dog is exhausted.  A backyard is just a bowl to a goldfish.

Blair Diamond                                                                                                                                 Primal Needs Dog Training and Behavioral Solutions                                                     Sacramento Dog Psychology

Behaviorally speaking I was fine with my first dog Roosevelt by only giving him treats and love…  So I know a few of you out there don’t believe all is needed and that dogs only need love to come around; but I know first hand that isn’t true.  Ziggy was my boxer and best friend for the last ten years.  He passed away about five months ago and it still hurts, but the lessons he taught me are hard wired in me now.

When Ziggy came to me he showed me very quickly that treats and love were not the only things he needed for a calm mind set.  He went out of control almost from day one and I didn’t know what to do.  I did everything I did with my last dog but he was different.  I went through dozens of dog trainers and so called behaviorists but didn’t have any luck.  I finally learned that my own behavior needed to change before my dogs was going too as well.  I needed to learn how to properly show him the rules of the world; what is and isn’t appropriate behavior to really and truly calm his mindset so he wouldn’t go to the equivalent of a mental institution or jail for that matter.

I realized that true love is providing for your dog.  Not just giving them what you want; but what they need.  This aha moment was applied when I stopped giving treats because I was guilty for not walking him; and I started walking him.  I stopped managing the household by dog proofing everything before I left and started to teach him the rules of the house.  I stopped putting him away when guests would come over because he was too rambunctious and would jump all over them and I started to teach him how to properly greet and hang out with us.  His and my life changed because I wanted to give him what he needed because I loved him so much; and still do.

Now everyday I got down on the floor and gave Ziggy big “squishy love”.  He was allowed to take naps with me in my bed and sometimes I would share my food with him.  The household did not become some sort of totalitarian regime or a dog obedience ring.  Once true dog psychology is applied all of these things can be given; at appropriate times.

Love is the reason we brought these animals in our lives and homes, and they will always be there for us with unconditional love regardless of how we treat them.  Now that we have what we want (unconditional love and companionship) lets provide them with what they need.

Love is providing rules, boundaries and limitations.  Ask any adult that is the product of a divorce;  children, just like dogs push the limits trying to find them.  If there are no limits they will keep pushing until one is found.

Lets try to redefine what affection means in dog language.  Affection isn’t only treats and rub downs.  Love is going for a walk and sharing a calm mind set.  Sharing the rules of the world and giving them boundaries is love.  I know my dogs love, love.  I love my dogs.  I will do anything for them so they get what they want as well as what they need.  Ahhhhhhh   Love………………………

Blair Diamond                                                                                                                           Primal Needs Dog Training and Behavioral Solutions                                                     Sacramento Dog Psychology

We need to start thinking of our relationships with dogs similiar to how we view our relationship between parents and children.  Dominance and submission have a negative connotation in our society but really at the heart of that relationship is one who makes the rules and one who follows the rules; boss, employee; teacher, student; mom, child.  When we say we are our dogs parent; we really are, and we need to start acting like that by providing discipline.  We need to teach the rules of the world we live in to our dogs.  Often we think of discipline as punishment but thats not what it is…  our dogs are our students and we have become the teacher.

Whenever I go into a home and notice they have human children as well as four leggers,  (dogs) I ask them if the children get away with the same stuff.  I’m not referring to the same actions such as pooping on the floor or biting people or even pulling on the leash, even though there are jokes they should put their children on a leash;  I’m referring to the core of the relationship… Do they get away with not listening?  “Absolutely Not” is usually the answer with a chuckle every now and again.  They start to get it.  We say our dogs are our children but really we treat them like spoiled prince’s and princesses.  We wouldn’t allow our human children to get away with half the stuff our dogs get away with.

We need to start treating our human children and dogs the same; we just need to communicate with them in a different manner.  With our human children we can talk to them because they are human, and with our dogs we need to communicate the way they communicate with each other; through physical and psychological pressure. Touching them is not the way to correct a dog.  It is only used to get their attention; once you have their attention, the correction begins.  What usually goes on is that we are distracting our dogs, not teaching them the lesson that what they just did was inappropriate.  What most need to learn is how to correct correctly.

Blair Diamond                                                                                                                                 Primal Needs Behavioral Solutions and Dog Training                                                   Sacramento Dog Psychology