Obedience training is only one small part of dog training!

DO NOT SKIM (I know you want to ; )). If you have a dog, this is important information to understand.

There's a pervasive notion, especially here in the U.S., that "dog training" begins and ends with "obedience training". It's like saying raising and teaching a child begins and ends in the classroom. That learning how to read, write, spell, multiply, add, divide, remember historical facts, etc. is the only thing they need to learn in life. "Go to school, and you'll be set for life".

*This* is why we might have dogs that understand verbal cues and directives, but may or may not follow them. Why "selective hearing" is a common practice. Why we have dogs who chew up our shoes, tear up their beds in their crates, or redecorate the house with pillow stuffing. Dogs that knock visitors and guests over, drag their people down the street, guard their favorite human, or become overwhelmed in the outside world. None of which are "obedience" issues.

"Obedience training" is subscribing meaning to verbal cues and directives. That's it. It's "brain training". And is only a *small* part of a dog that needs to be spoken to.

The great majority of the clients we work with have all been through some kind of obedience class with their dog (which is fantastic!), yet both struggle with the dog's behavior and out in the real world together.

Outside school and the classroom, children are watching their parents: how they respond to and handle situations, how they interact with and treat each other (as well as others), taking in everything they say and do... especially when it's directed towards them (the child). This becomes their "templates" for "life", so to speak, and is developing their "self" and "world concept" (how they feel in their own skin, and how they feel in the world around them). They're forming beliefs and associations (which will direct and dictate what they think, feel, say, and how they cope), learning about social and public etiquette, what the rules and boundaries of the home (and beyond) are, and so on.

If we want both a "well trained" AND a "well behaved" dog, we've got to nurture and develop all aspects of them. This goes above and beyond "obedience training". Obedience training teaches a dog what to do; whereas state of mind conditioning, relationship building, confidence building, impulse control, need fulfillment, association development, developing social skills and the ability to share space respectfully, etc. teaches a dog how to be. As their "parents", so to speak, this is our responsibility. We also can't teach anything without understanding how to communicate with our dogs *effectively* (hint: this extends beyond anything verbal), so this- again- is our responsibility to learn.

"Dog training" does not begin or end with obedience training. It's far more about training, empowering, and equipping the human end of the leash.... and our dogs are begging for us to get this (as exhibited and reflected by their behavior).