FLUENCY DOG TRAINING
Having a dog makes your life better, not more stressful.
If you aren't motivated to do something someone telling you to do it isn't going suddenly motivate you. Moreover, if they are telling you in a foreign language, well... That is how your dog feels when you attempt to train behavior without building the foundation of training.
Three phases of learning behavior.
To train your dog effectively, start by understanding what motivates them. Some dogs prefer play or sniffing over food. Instead of insisting on using food as a reward, focus on what they naturally enjoy. Training should be a partnership with your dog, not a battle. Many people make the mistake of skipping this crucial first step and jumping to the next phase, causing training to fail over time. Dogs need to understand and be motivated to succeed.
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Once you've identified their motivation, you can begin introducing cues (commands) and giving them meaning. Effective communication is the key to teaching and learning. Communication has to be two directional. Meaning you will communicate to your dog your needs, and you will learn to read your dogs communication to you. This is the second area training fails, when an owner commands without understanding.
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Once you've grasped your dog's motivation, and can clearly communicate with your dog, teaching any behavior becomes easy. Finally, you enter the phase known in the dog training world as "proofing." This involves testing and reinforcing your dog's behaviors. With a pet dog, you'll continually live in this final phase, because you are not preparing for a competition. Proofing for pet dogs is creating a healthy relationship with clear boundaries and mutual understanding. It's the phase where you can enjoy life together with your dog!
Not all training is behavioral.
Classic obedience training (sit, stay, come, etc) is simple - it's learning behavior. However, there is a difference between a well trained dog, and a well adjusted dog. Some dogs know all the classics and struggle with walking on leash because they are anxious while walking, or reactive to other dogs. These are not behaviors that need training they are your dogs mental and emotional state.
Impulsive behaviors, demanding behaviors, and anxious or fearful behaviors are all examples of areas that classic obedience training won't address. While classic obedience is important, it is mostly the human telling the dog what to do. At Fluency, this is where we focus on training both ends of the leash, and improving the relationship to clearly communicate with the dog, not just at them.
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Our goal is harmony at home. We want dogs to stay in happy homes. That is why we specialize in helping you create the lifestyle you want with your dog. No matter which training methodology you prefer, our positive result proven method stays consistent. We train for what is best for you, your dog, and your lifestyle.