As canine behavior coaches, we think of training as a means of communication and creating expectations as well as enhancing your canine companion's life. We don't think of it as a means of control and manipulation. Training should be fun and rewarding for both the pet parent and canine companion. It creates a way to enhance your relationship and teach your canine new skills. Like humans, dogs, too, have their own personalities and motivators. Those personalities and motivators can be wildly different. Some activities may be fun for one dog but not another. Our two dogs, Chobani and Sammy, could not be any more different. Chobani enjoys learning any new tasks if there is a chance he will get food. Sammy enjoys being outside hunting and sniffing. We try to build on each dog's strengths. As a result, we do lots of training with Sammy where he can be outside, sniffing or chasing. As for Chobani, he is so smart and food motivated, we are alway challenging him by teaching him something new. We sometimes say, “For some treats he will do a trick but for really great treats, he can do your taxes.”
