Canine Nation on Pet Life Radio (PetLifeRadio.com)

Coming to Positive Reinforcement training from more traditional methods is called 'crossing over.' It’s not easy to cross over from more familiar and socially accepted forms of dog training. There are lots of reasons not to consider it. But many do. In this series, Eric Brad looks at what it takes to ‘cross over.’ Change is difficult and frustrating and something most of avoid if at all possible.

My own life circumstances made reconsidering my dog training approach unavoidable. But for most dog owners, what they have always done has always seemed to work. Well enough, anyway, or at the very least it got results. But what if you could get what you have now with half the effort? What if you could change the way you worked with your dog and it made life better for you and your dog? Would it be worth a little work now for an easier life later? It’s up to you. It’s seems an easy choice to me.

Dog trainers are supposed to be teaching their dogs. Eric Brad has found that there is much that the dog can teach the trainer as well. In this installment, Eric says “Thank You” to his dog Tiramisu for the lessons he has learned. Listening to his dog has made him a better trainer.

Books and articles can only take you so far. You actually have to dothe positive training with your dog in order to get good at it. And who is the judge that you are improving as a trainer? Why, your dog of course! The faster and happier they learn, the better you are getting at teaching your dog. If you make it fun, it’s an even better way to learn.

Is your dog ‘dominant’ or willing to submit? Could you be living with a dog determined to take over and control your household? Dog Trainer Eric Brad looks as his own dog to see if the warning signs described by so many web sites could mean his dog is a tyrant in the making!

There are lots of websites out there that will tell you just how badly behaved your dog might be. And most of them will happily tell you how to correct these signs of aggression and dominance to keep your dog from thinking he’s the alpha in your pack. But you may have to agree to a price first. The truth is, dogs are not pack animals. They are domesticated companion animals bred by humans. And those warning signs some web sites caution you about may just be natural behaviors or indicators of something totally different.

Eric Brad challenges his listeners to question what they think they know about dogs. As the Greek philosopher Aristotle once said, “The high-minded man must care more for the truth than for what people believe.” Our best source of information about dogs is the dogs themselves! Perhaps it’s time to ask them and see what they say.

With all of the methods and information out there, this is a great time to try something new and learn something about our dogs. Our dogs are wonderfully adaptable if we give them a chance. There’s not harm in trying something we’ve never tried and it may work better than what we have been using! Question everything and be prepared for some surprising answers.

Some dog trainers use a kind of shorthand when they are describing dogs. Dog trainer Eric Brad thinks that some of those common terms can unfairly shift the responsibility for success or failure off of the trainer and onto the dog.

The words and phrases we use when talking about dogs and training can influence our perceptions. Sometimes our inner dialogues can work against us. Are we being fair to our dogs and looking objectively at our own training skills? It could be the difference between a good relationship and a GREAT relationship.

When training dogs, it’s sometimes helpful to prompt them for the behaviour we are looking for. Trainer Eric Brad cautions that “prompts” can be as much a distraction as a help. Knowing how to “fade” them out of the picture can be just as important in good training.

How we get our dogs to do the things we are trying to teach them matters. There are lots of techniques to try and each will come with their own pros and cons. I think it’s worth taking the time to look at how we go about teaching our dogs and make things as clear and easy for them to understand as possible. Sometimes that means getting unnecessary or distracting actions or sounds out of the way so they can learn!

When training dogs, it’s sometimes helpful to prompt them for the behaviour we are looking for. Trainer Eric Brad cautions that “prompts” can be as much a distraction as a help. Knowing how to “fade” them out of the picture can be just as important in good training.

How we get our dogs to do the things we are trying to teach them matters. There are lots of techniques to try and each will come with their own pros and cons. I think it’s worth taking the time to look at how we go about teaching our dogs and make things as clear and easy for them to understand as possible. Sometimes that means getting unnecessary or distracting actions or sounds out of the way so they can learn!

Dog training can sound almost like a chore that needs to be done. But dog trainer Eric Brad finds it an almost musical experience. Working with your dog in training can be a wonderfully creative experience.

Training your dog can be an incredibly creative experience. Communicating with a different species is challenging and can be very rewarding for both the dog AND the trainer. You just need the right approach and the ability to think outside the box a bit. You might be surprised at what’s possible with positive training and a little creativity.

Food is something every dog has every day. Unless they are ill, there should be no reason for our dogs to turn down any snacks we offer them. But many dog owners claim their dogs won’t work for them for food treats as a reward. How can this be? Dogs are scavengers by nature. Could it be something we humans are doing that puts them off sometimes?

There can be other reasons dogs won’t take food such as anxiety, distraction, or arousal. It’s best to make sure that a dog is within their tolerance for these things before attempting to train them or offer them food. Failing to do so could create more problems than it solves.

It’s been a great year. 2011 was a very positive year for Canine Nation and I want to thank all of my readers and podcast listeners for their support and comments over the past 12 months. I’ve learned a lot writing and producing the podcast and reader/listener comments have been a great source of information for me as well. Here’s wishing you all a successful and joy filled 2012 with your dogs!