Solving Behavioral Problems the Natural Way Since behavioral problems in dogs always relate in some way back to the two main questions any dog has about life ("Am I safe?" and "What do I do with my energy?"), and since Natural Dog Training techniques are specifically designed to answer those questions, we're better able to solve behavioral problems like fear, shyness, aggression, separation anxiety, etc., than most (if not all) other trainers and behaviorists. We also start with the presumption that all dogs are good dogs at heart.
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Pack leader techniques are based on a fallacy. In nature there is no such thing as a pack leader. No one wolf walks ahead of the pack when they travel, no one wolf eats before everyone else, no wolf tells other pack members how to behave. So why do pack leader techniques seem so effective and make some dogs seem so calm?
Because when they work they do it by putting a lid on a dog’s energy. That may seem like a good idea, but what really happens is that while a dog may suddenly seem calm on the outside, on the inside there's still a pressure cooker set to explode unless you're always there "riding" the dog, constantly correcting him, or giving him far more physical exercise than he really needs.
And frankly, when you're dealing with dogs who have severe aggression problems it may be necessary in the beginning to clamp a tight lid on their emotions. But it has nothing to do with "being the pack leader." It's just a matter of temporarily dampering the dog's aggression until you can teach him how to channel it into playful and happy obedience.
Meanwhile behavioral science techniques are based in large part on the way we teach schoolkids, fear of punishment balanced by repetition and reward, repetition and reward, repetition and reward. We instill a fear of getting bad grades into our kids or we ignore them or isolate them when they misbehave, then give them praise and gold stars for doing well. So what's wrong with that?
In dog training this approach can also create behavioral problems because while dogs like getting rewarded and don't like being isolated or ignored (which are the punishments of choice for "reward-based" trainers), the best reward of all is the pleasure they feel when they release their energy into a tennis ball or a tug toy. And dogs don't need constant, boring repetition to learn. When they're energized they learn almost instantantly. Besides, I don't think there's ever a need to punish a dog. It doesn't motivate a dog to learn and it certainly doesn't teach him anything positive.
Plus, when it comes to solving behavioral problems, while behavioral science-oriented trainers may not put a lid on a dog's energy the way dominance trainers do, they do try to sidestep the issue, which for a dog is "What do I do with my energy?" Most behavioral science techniques actually get their effects by dulling or deadening a dog’s natural energy when it's the dog's energy that holds the solution! And when things like desensitization, which works initially, eventually fail, most if not all positive trainers and behaviorists resort to drugs.
Natural Dog Training is the only method that fully understands the imbalances in natural emotional energy that causes behavioral problems. It's just a matter of making the dog feel safe and then giving him a natural outlet for his energy. That's all there is to it. However, with difficult, longstanding issues it can take time for a dog to feel safe about expressing his emotions. But our methods always work, with all dogs. And we solve all behavioral problems without the use of drugs.
If your dog has emotional and behavioral issues, please don't let him or her suffer in silence. We can help!
For a FREE telephone consultation call: (212) 615-6659.