Dog Obedience Training - Common Mistakes

Not one of us is infallible. Each one of us has to live with our own personal faults. Every single day, we make mistakes. I have to keep myself in check, because if you lose your temper with a dog, it does not work!

When I am dealing with a hyperactive dog, I have to remind myself constantly to stay calm. They are often the most frustrating to work with, but frustration only intensifies their excitement.

More often than not, I find an owner who feels badly about telling the dog what to do. They feel like they are hurting the dog's feelings, or being mean to it. I looked one woman right in the eye, and then directly at her hyperactive, yappy little dog, as I said to her: "If she was in a pack, she would be on the ground by now!"

The woman was surprised. "Really?" she questioned.

I calmly replied: "You are making a mistake out of fear of hurting her feelings."

I put the little dog on the ground by placing my two fingers on her neck as a "pack hold." She submitted almost immediately. The owner was amazed by the instant change in her demeanor!

It did not hurt the dog, just sent the message of "Chill out!"