:))

Having been a dog behavior trainer now for just over 4 years (I started Professionally training people and their dogs in April of 2011), with my first Craigslist post.  I am posting that next.

I have helped many dogs and owners get through the rough times when dogs don't  listen to their owners or when the owners don't know how to get and keep their dogs attention.  Most dog owners want to have better relationships with their dogs but they have either:

#1. Never had a real connection with their dogs in the first place,

#2. They have lost their ability to keep their dogs focused on what the owners require of their dogs, like stay off the furniture, or don't tear that up or go pee outside and not inside... or

#3. The owners have never given their dogs any rules to guide them by, from the very beginning of both their times together.

Any or all of these situations causes friction in the Dog and dog owner relationships, and the dogs end up just living in and around their owners, doing what they want to do when they want to do it and the owners learn to just deal with it.  As you can imagine, this will cause great problems and issues for themselves and their friends and family and neighbors who get to deal with the outcomes that follow that kind of reckless dog engagement.

From the dog's point of view, it's a one dog pack surrounded by humans trying to harsh it's mellow...per se.. It's version of "The Man is Holding me down!"  LOL  So, then when owners step up and place guidelines and limitations on their dogs activities, and demand in a calm way that the dog hears them and understands and acknowledges them, and the dog begins to react according to the owners commands, then the rules are set and the repetition begins to move forward, and in two months or less, depending on how dedicated or lax or uninterested or overwhelmed or afraid you are, you and your dog(s) will find yourselves firing on all cylinders, and your connections will be opened and established, and you'll discover that sweet harmony and understanding and respect that then falls gently upon the land...(Your Home).

Always remember that Dogs will be dogs...it's what they do, so expect that the dog(s) may initially put up resistance to the change that you seek, and depending on how much they fight and scream and whine etc, they will all tire and will relent in their own sweet way and time. The dogs will eventually give up their quest to remain independent or dominant, and when you stay firm to your commitment, your dog will soon fall in line with the new program that you offer them.  It is then imperative that the owner, reminds their dogs(s) of it's new position as a Follower and not the Leader.  The dog owner must maintain the "top dog" position in the home from that point onward and must remember to always lead with a calm and assertive nature going forward.  All the time.

You can't fake being a leader.  Dogs can see through a nervous Captain, it can spy a teeth chattering Chief, or can be turned off by a Dictatorial Director.  Don't be those kinds of a "Leader".  Learn to become what I call being a "Benevolent Dictator".  Be Firm and Fair and loving!  Believe you are the leader and your dog will believe that you are a leader too. This method, in my opinion,  is how to have the best chance at a loving and learning experience between you and your beautiful animal!

BE WHO YOUR DOG LOOKS UP TO!

www.sheashome.com