Sometimes we expect more from our dogs than they can give, and conversely, sometimes they can give us more than we expect. Dogs are highly intelligent beings, but each individual learns at their own pace and thus some dogs seem to progress faster than others, or reach a sticking point and seem to make no progress at all. Dogs with a history of neglect or trauma have a lot more to deal with than just learning obedience exercises. Example: A dog may have breezed through the basics of Sit,...

In the blog about Leadership, I mentioned Consistency. An effective leader makes clear and sensible rules and doesn't change expectations every few weeks. Our dogs understand when there is a predictable and consistent response to their actions. They understand the choices they can make and will, in time, act accordingly. Consistency matters most in the little things. Each time you ask the dog to sit, make sure it's in Perfect Position. If you sometimes want the dog to sit out front of...

Leadership is not about dominance. Leadership is about guidance, teaching, and trust. To be a strong leader for our dogs we need to create that communication method and then make sensible and practical decisions about how to use it. A quick way to remind oneself about the basics is to remember "TLC", Trust, Leadership, Consistency. TLC is also "Tender Loving Care" and is just as important in the training and care of our dogs. A Leader has a set of simple rules. For my dogs these rules are:...