We're having a great Christmas. Kody and I are watching White Christmas, well I am, and Kody is laying on the couch next to me with a bully stick. There's a roaring fire in the fireplace, it's just how I like it.
Our walks have been really good today, too. Ever since I got Kody two years ago, I have been trying to figure this out. I am gaining more and more tools, which is helpful, but the other half is figuring out what what exactly we are supposed to be doing. When I walk Kody my goal is for him to get what he wants out of a walk. Since the walks are for him, obviously I want the walks to be comfortable and fun for him. But there is also the requirement that the walks not be painful for me. I'm working so that both Kody and I can have our needs met.
I'm reaching a bit of a breakthrough in this area, that has really paid off today. I'm trying to look at who Kody really is, what he's telling me he wants. I'm trying to forget about what I think my relationship with a dog should be. The problem is, my idea of what Kody should want or need or what our relationship should be is sometimes way off from the truth. This is what causes all the trouble. Here are some examples:
I've also learned to use failure as a warning flag. For instance, when Kody stops responding to the clicker, I know that means I'm not understanding what's really going on at the moment. It usually means he's either afraid, which means he needs to feel safe, or he's totally engrossed in something, which means he needs to be left to his own devices for a little while. Any tools I have are to make walks easy for me as well. The tools I have are not to change his mind about what he enjoys, I've learned that just doesn't work.
What I'm finding is that when I'm aware of what Kody's needs and wants are, he behaves. Kody barks for two reasons: when he's afraid of something and when he's frustrated because I'm not letting him spend time on what he's interested in.
In certain cases, dogs need to be helped to see that what they think they want is not what they really want. Usually these cases are pretty obvious, and this where I need be a good teacher. For instance, you're never going to catch that squirrel, even if I let you loose, so it's ok to relax a little when you see them, I'll help you learn to do that. The mail man is not a bad guy, I'll gently show you, and then you will be comfortable not barking at him. When people come to the front door, that's fun, and the fastest way to get to play with them is to be quiet.
But you can't and shouldn't try to teach your dog that sniffing is not fun. It is good clean natural fun, let them have it in a way that works for you too.
I've been thinking a lot about training. One way to look at training is to think of it as a method of brain washing your dog to want what you would like him to want. That really disturbs me, I don't want to do that. It's also really difficult to do. I think the right way to look at training is to think of it as finding out how to give your dog what he needs and wants while making it pleasant for you as well. That's a manageable task.