Rascal Romp, January, 2011

Check out the photos from our latest Rascal Romp!

I'm very proud of all our wonderful puppies!

Rascal Romp 2011

What Exactly is Positive Reinforcement Dog Training?

A client of mine recently told me she met someone on the street that said they were a Positive Reinforcement Dog Trainer. However, this statement didn't ring true to my client (coming from this trainer), as the Trainer had a PRONG collar on a 12 week old Golden Retriever.

This got me thinking of the question....

"What EXACTLY is Positive Reinforcement Dog Training?"

This is my answer ~

Positive Reinforcement Dog Training is when we Reward your dog for doing the right thing, by using treats and praise (or whatever pleases your dog). Our goal is to teach your dog to do what you Request because they trust you and KNOW what to do. They understand the world they live in, thanks to our guidance. PR trainers never use force (physical or emotional) to train your dog. That will break down your relationship in a second! If your dog does something "wrong," we do not punish, we redirect your dog, and show them the Correct thing to do. If they have made a mistake, it's simply because we humans have not successfully shown/taught them the correct thing to do. So how unfair is it to punish them?! True PR Dog Trainers never use Prong, Choke or Shock Collars. Never. If they do, they are kicked out of the "Club." The trainer my client was speaking of is NOT a Positive Reinforcement Dog Trainer, no matter what he/she says!

*Can you imagine putting a Prong Collar on sweet Chloe below?

Dog's Best Friend's Daily Training Tip ~ January 9, 2011

Dog's Best Friend's Daily Training Tip ~

No more COMMANDS. I've recently dropped the word Command from my vocabulary when it comes to training dogs, and replaced it with the word, CUE. Why have I done such a silly thing? Well, because I don't Command my dogs to do anything. I give them a CUE. I ask and request (not to be confused with beg or plead). In other words, I ask them to sit, they do, and they get a yummy treat or praise. The word Command is just too harsh. It's easy to be "angry" and/or "terse," when you are Commanding a dog (or a person, for that matter) to do something for you, and I never want to be harsh with my dog. I want to stay centered and be the Calm Parent, guiding my dog. Not the harsh Commander ordering my dog around. I am not the Great Santini (the old folks will get that reference). So, I'm giving you the Cue, to give up the word, Command. Please. Your reward will be a dog that trusts you, and is happy to comply with your Request!