Finding Balance

Welcome to our Dogslanding Paw Prints, a weekly short blog that covers topics surrounding canines and the world they live in.

Let’s kick off of our first blog post with a topic that everyone can relate to. Balance. Whether you feel like your life is balanced, or you believe it’s something worth chasing after, balance is something we all strive for in one way or another. We crave it, our dogs crave it too!

So, what is balance? Simply put, it’s making life’s different elements equal. For our dogs, balance is the perfect blend of rewards and punishment. Ultimately, when these two things live in harmony, our dogs feel safe and confident. But, when the balance shifts, our dogs are left with demanding, reactionary, or straight up aggressive behaviors that cause rifts in our home and our relationships.

Balanced dog training has taken this cocktail of payoffs and discipline to help dog owners finally achieve what they’ve always wanted, a best friend that doesn’t give them hell. A true companion they can count on, and a peaceful home life.

Rewards keep us working, loving, and wanting more. Our canines find a primary motivator like food, play, or affection, and then wait for those cues of a job well done. Punishment, when fair, creates healthy boundaries that result in a sense of safety and growth. For a dog, safety means they don’t have to live in fear. Having clear boundaries creates a secure pet. It isn’t cruel, it’s a form of teaching and our animals depend on disciplines that enhance their ability to learn and grow.

When we learn how to find this equilibrium with our canines, we start to unlock a whole new bond within our relationship with them. The biggest challenge is keeping our own fear from limiting our dogs potential. Dogs read our energy and if we’re not confident when we discipline our dog it wont bring about good results!

Having clear boundaries creates a secure pet. It isn’t cruel, it’s a form of teaching and our animals depend on disciplines that enhance their ability to learn and grow.

A perfect example of a healthy boundary is teaching your dog to go to “place” at times of high anxiety. Like when someone comes to the door or when your doing housework. Your dog gets all excited, barking incessantly because he is nervous about the visitor, the vacuum, etc. It may take some correction techniques to get them to stay in their bed or blanket, but once they learn to self soothe they become balanced happy pets with far less anxiety!

Our advice: Arm yourself with education and keep an open-mind to see life’s possibilities unfold with your furry friend. Look forward to our next blog post about relevancy & relationships!