Wagging Rights Dog Training

Leadership, in our current culture, often gets a bad rap. Many view it as oppressive, selfish, harmful.

Personally, I’ve always thought of leadership as a gift we give, or service we engage in that serves others and helps them find their best.

Countless dogs with all manner of behavior issues, which get in the way of them living their best lives, are the simple and obvious results of a leadership vacuum.

These dogs simply don’t know how to behave properly in our world, and because of this they often live extremely small, stressed, micromanaged lives.

And this doesn’t just go for the obvious aggression cases—it goes for all behavior issues and challenges dogs face.

When we stop thinking of leadership as taking from our dogs and instead think of it as the ultimate gift—regardless of the issues—we create the first real opportunity for our dogs, and our lives with them, to transform.

PS, yes, most dogs don’t fit neatly into just one of these categories. They almost always have a combination of behavioral bits and pieces which are in flux, and which surface and recede moment to moment. Which is even more reason your guidance is necessary—because all of these bits and pieces need to be channeled, directed, and guided moment to moment by a wise outside source that has the best vantage point and the best insight. And that would be you… or it should be.

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The world will always be made up of those who are prepared to see, embrace, and work with reality and all it entails. And there will always be those who despise the messiness and the tradeoffs that reality demands and who will try to game the system.

And there will always be trainers prepared to help either one of these camps find their way to the beliefs they hold.

If you truly believe dogs can simply be taught what is desired, appropriate, and healthy behavior via positive reinforcement only, and that they will always choose to grant you that behavior without having any downside (a negative consequence) for choosing otherwise, you’re truly living in a fantasy world. A world that has managed to not see actual canine behavior that is ploughing into your reality on the daily.

There’s a very good reason these folks always have their dogs on a leash, or longline, and always have to use copious amounts of management and avoidance (and very possibly medication) in any kind of real world setting.

What’s the reason? That little niggling truth that knowing and doing are very much not the same thing. But that truth doesn’t fit the ideological narrative, and so it’s ignored—and all the extra stuff is done to try to create a semblance of a truly reliably trained dog.

But they’re not.

That said, we all get to choose our paths. Just remember that your dog, who you’re so certain is happier, more fulfilled, and of course safer not having to experience any kind of unpleasant consequences, is a dog living a far smaller, far less fulfilled, and far less joyful life.

But hey, you get to feel emotionally comfortable, and don’t forget virtuous—so tell your dog to mind their own business. You’ve feelings to protect. 😉

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Now offering free lifetime support classes upon trainer approval for all dogs and owners who have completed one of our training programs. As long as you are working with your dog, you will be eligible for these free classes. www.waggingrightsdogtraining.com