When it comes to training, whether it's on your own or with a trainer in private lessons or if you drop your dog off for a board and train, I firmly believe in considering the dog as a whole.
What I mean is, asking owners about the problems they face and the goals they have, I need to know the history they have with dogs, the history they have with this specific dog, breed and other genetic factors, sex and whether they are intact or not, age, history in terms of going to dog parks, being attacked by other dogs, their level of socialization, intelligence, fear, confidence, bite history and more things that I can't think of right now to list. Those things are going to impact the overall goals and how we'll reach them, what I recommend to the owners for changes they will need to make and how I will handle and how I will coach the owners on handling the dog.
Something that I notice a lot of people and trainers don't do is consider the dog in this way. If someone has a border collie or like the board and train I currently have who is a miniature Australian Shepherd and is 4 years old, There are genetic factors that have to be considered during the training and for the rest of the relationship that the owner will have with this dog. Unfortunately, so many trainers have equipment or a system or some method and jam it down the dogs throat and force this copy and paste pattern and after two weeks... TADA! You're dog is... Not that much better. On the surface, sure they have improved by repeating, anticipating and trying to avoid. They have not been looked at, thought of and worked with as an individual. They haven't been communicated with in a way that promotes actual thinking and building a relationship. That's my philosophy and that's the what's key to lasting change with your dog. Critical thought, problem solving and your underlying relationship, outside of food or equipment.
Lastly, a note about:
Nature Versus Nurture
Nature comes first and will always be stronger than nurture. You will never take a hound dog and make it into a livestock Guardian. You will never take a herder and make it into a terrier. This is what I mean when I say the dog is considered as a whole.
With this Australian Shepherd board and train, his individual history and general breed genetics have to inform and shape not just the training but the goals and what can be expected at the end when the dog leaves the my program and goes home with the owner. This dog is going to have energy, this dog is going to be vocal to some degree, this dog is genetically predisposed and has a history of using it's mouth.
This has to be considered for our training and expectations around goals. Otherwise we force unfair and unreasonable expectations and that will come out on the dog in very unfair ways.
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