Of course, when you need canine obedience training and related services, you’re thinking of the outcomes in terms of the dog’s impact on his or her environment.
But the quality of life for the dog ties in, too. At least, it can.
So many behaviors are based on habits that are learned in particular situations, and that has to do with what the dog encounters, from puppyhood on up.
Traditional Mindsets
The old way of thinking was that a dog's quality of life simply didn't factor in.
That way of thinking was that curbing behavior meant using a carrot and stick approach to force a dog to adapt to a desired outcome.
This was reinforced by the idea that animals were seen as lesser beings, and properly controlled by human handlers.
The new way to look at it is that quality of life and behavior modification can be symbiotic - they're not mutually exclusive.
In fact, a lot of dog owners can get better results by trying to combine these two things.
Harness Control
Think about it in this sentence – in the old days, the typical equipment was a collar and leash.
But the collar was creating all sorts of throat problems for dogs, and the modern harness emerged. The harness distributes weight better, and everybody wins. That’s a physical example, but it sort of connects to training, too. More sympathetic methods and systems are how we make progress in working with dogs or any other animals.
Crating?
Then there's the process of crating the dog, and how it’s used to control behavior when owners are away from the home.
But crating can be traumatic to a dog and should really be pursued as the last resort.
We can consult on other alternatives for canine training and keeping a dog in your home.
What people find, again and again, is that they have more alternatives than what they had originally thought. They thought they were confined to a couple of simple choices, but with the promise of modern training, they see their options multiply.
The bottom line is that having this type of training in place can make you more confident about your relationship with your canine and your dog's future in your household.
That's part of why we enjoy this type of work – it's rewarding, because it solves problems and helps humans and animals to live in harmony.
That's part of the original philosophy behind this business and something that we hold to be important in how we work! Call us for help with your furry friend.