Recently, a friend of mine posted that her Husky escaped her yard and disappeared for days! She was seriously sleep deprived as she searched for her errant Husky. Comments on her post ranged from “Well, what can you do?” to “That’s just the way Husky’s are.” I think we often use the “Breed Card” as a way to make ourselves feel better when our dogs are acting in an uncivilized way. Dogs can act badly for a variety of reasons like poor health, pain, improper socialization, unhealthy environment to name a few. However, for the average dog owner and pooch, uncivilized behaviors are often more an issue of appropriate training than breed-specific behavior.
I love reading and finding out about dogs. I love classes, socials, pack walks, videos, workshops, obedience classes. I want you to learn about your dog. I want you to learn, but not get lost in the abyss of Dog Training Books, information on the internet, vidoes, etc. Keep it simple, expand your knowledge, but always keep in mind the basics of my Pillars of Pack Leadership®
- Mastering the Purpose-Driven walk and focused exercise
- Establishing effective Respect of Space & Claiming Space boundaries
- Establishing balanced structure and effective routines in your daily life that impact your dog’s calm state of mind.
- Establishing effective FeedTime & PottyTime & Bedtime Rituals
- Mastering effective touch, tone, timing & energy (Human Body Language)
Get it right here, and you’ll have a balanced and peaceful relationship with your dog!
I always assess a dog on what that animal is presenting to me at that moment. I don’t focus on breed, type, emotional history, etc. I simply see what that animal, in that moment, is telling me. And, then, I visualize what I’d like to achieve with that animal, in that moment, regardless of what any breed specific book tells me they are like. I trust my gut. I’m very instinctual. Trust your gut….it’s telling you more than you think. Don’t second guess yourself, or make excuses for any animal’s behavior. Simply assess that moment and reflect on your role in it. What can you do next time to help make it better? AND, most importantly, if something isn’t going the way you want it to in that moment, don’t take it personal. Animals don’t. Simply evaluate and assess and think on what you can do next time to help that situation turn out better. And, best yet, focus on the next moment yet to come.
Don’t get me wrong, I do love all the Breed books, and any other thing that gives you information that helps you grow. I love the stuff from Marc Goldberg, Heather Beck, Chad Mackin and Brian Agnew, but mostly I love thinking outside the box and just trying things. There isn’t right or wrong, just effective or less effective on any given issue. Just remember, your dog is a species, a breed, but mostly, he’s just your pup, with the energy he has in that moment. I would rather have my dog trained, than dead. My goal is to get a balanced dog, with a calm, accepting state of mind. Period. That’s it. That’s what I want. You get all the other behaviors once you have that state of mind.
We all can agree that a breed’s characteristics factor to in who they were designed to be, but do you think that is the preeminent factor in it’s good or bad choices? Please comment below!
