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Training Responsibilities - The Human's Role

I wish there was one special quick to read book that told all the secrets that it takes dog trainers years to learn, and no I've not learned them all yet.  A store place of knowledge that tells us, humans, all the things we need to do in order to make our dogs happy, lazy (and by lazy I mean tired on a regular basis), and well-behaved pups.  Sadly there is not, maybe I'll write some of it one day, but for today I just want to talk about a few of the things that we SHOULD be doing on a regular basis for our pups. 

Our dogs need a stable environment with boundaries and rules that they need to follow.  It makes their lives much easier.  If we as humans didn't have any rules or Laws that we needed to live our lives by, think of how much chaos we would be in.  Those boundaries should only be things to help improve their behavior. 

Such as: If you are out walking your dog, and you know your dog is going to bark at a stranger that you pass along the way, BE ready for it.  Have a high-value reward, your focus on the walk should be looking for other people and making sure you get your dog's attention before they can react badly.  Being PROACTIVE is key.  If our dog is already behaving badly we have missed the chance to reward them at that point.  Once our dog is behaving badly, when it's a trigger that we knew could come up... but we didn't think to be repaired for it, well who is really at fault? 
I'll give you a hint, it's us.  This is one of OUR responsibilities, and it's a major one, that we are ready to train our dogs at any given second. 

One of the major issues I have with my Standard Poodle Kona is that she will from time to time counter
surf.  No matter how often we work on her not jumping on the counter, and don't get me wrong she does great in the training sessions.  If I forget and leave something where she can reach it, it's like it is a challenge to her to see if she can grab it.  

When she does grab something, it's not always her fault.  It is partly my fault as well because I left it out where she could get hold of it.  There are two ends of the metaphorical leash that bonds us with our dogs as well.  Whether we want to admit it or not everything our dogs do we are in some part responsible for.  Either we have rewarded them at some point for doing it, or we have allowed them to do it so much they have made it a habit.  
It is our part as the human to look at our environment and manage it in a way that best supports our puppies for the success they need to build confidence and an inquisitive personality That will help them build an outgoing and social personality, instead of being shy, fearful or reactive when something in their environment changes.  

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