Everyday, we help people who are struggling with their dog’s behavior. Not always is it a problem with listening to commands, but the dog displaying unwanted behavior that creates stress for humans.
Jumping, countersurfing, mouthing, biting, chewing, barking, digging, reactivity out the front of the house (doors and windows), aggression, etc. All are typical stressors for people.
Training obedience is not the answer to solve these problems. Don’t get me wrong, obedience is great but obedience is “how” to do things such as commands. It does little to teach dogs what “not” to do.
Teaching dogs that unwanted behavior isn’t allowed requires a correction, aka a punisher. The transparent dog trainer who cares and advocates for people, dog owners and their families, should be forthcoming with this type of information.
Dog owners needing help usually require the kind of help that obedience won’t address, and that’s typically the harder conversation that even trainers may not be comfortable with having with their clients.
Withholding the truth from dog owners about how to stop an unwanted behavior is a disservice and can actually hurt people and dogs.
Rules, boundaries, and consequences help to communicate the complete picture to the dog.
Also, would you say that a person who has clear and recognizable boundaries with other people might get more respect? The same is true for dogs, it’s just that it is taught differently with dogs because they don’t learn the same as people.
Done right, dog’s end up with more respect for their human, thus, an improved relationship where life has a lot less limitations as a result…aka more freedom!