Have you ever heard people say “I took my dog to obedience class but it didn’t work”?
Did you know that proper attention to the ‘principles’ of training your dog are just as critical to building a relationship of trust and respect as daily exercise?
There are many different ways to teach your dog to understand and obey the basic commands of “come”, “sit” and walk nicely on/off leash. Techniques and training practices are timely, and may evolve over time. Principles to support them are timeless
… In other words, while techniques may change, principles persist.
The three most important principles to building a trusting relationship with your dog are:
- Training time is ALL the time
– Do you know that in your dog’s mind – you are training your dog, or your dog is training YOU?! Your dog is always aware of your actions, emotions and behaviour – and you should be too! Start by being consistent and persistent – don’t make compliance an ‘option’. - Nothing in Life is Free (NILIF) – Dogs respect a world where they ‘earn their keep’ – for example, “sit” before receiving a treat and walking nicely on leash are ‘jobs’ your dog understands! When dogs ‘work’ for their living, they ‘respect’ the boss!
- Leaders control resources – What is a resource? You may be surprised to know that to a dog, resources are more than food, water, and toys. They include space (like doorways and furniture), play, work (basic obedience can sometimes be a ‘job’) and affection, as well as your touch, talk, and eye contact.
Embrace these three basic principles in your daily lifestyle with your dog, and you are on your way to creating the dog of your dreams!
Check back often as I discuss the elements within each of these principles and provide more tips to prepare you to Take
the Leadtm to your Dream Dog!

