As a force-free dog trainer in a community that has more punishment-based trainers than not, I spend a lot of time justifying my methods to both owners and other trainers, and trying to change the status quo. It’s a slow and sometimes frustrating process, but I’m definitely seeing more dogs being walked on harnesses and flat collars than I used to, and fewer prong and choke chains. It’s an uphill battle, and an important part of that battle is being able to speak your truth without judging and using facts to back yourself up. The tricky part about trying to speak to people who have used punishment with their dogs before is that it may have worked. And like dogs, humans do what works. So you’
Does your dog listen perfectly when there are no distractions, but once you add in anything new and shiny all that training goes right out the window? No worries, you are not alone, and your dog is not trying to thwart your efforts! This is probably one of the most common complaints I get from my clients, and it’s one that is pretty easily remedied if you’re willing to be consistent and put in a little work. The fact of the matter is that dogs are not great at generalizing behaviors to different contexts. What this means is that even though your dog may ‘know’ sit and be able to respond in one context or environment, it doesn’t mean he will be able to do that everywhere else. A common exampl
