Aloha Eric!!
I am so excited I just had to write you and tell you about it!
You see, my dog Oliver has never really been leash trained, nor
do I ever let him run free, because he does NOT come when called...
Lately I have been trying to rectify that problem through training..I
have read about several methods on the internet, and even tried some
of "the dog whisperers" tips - all of which have failed miserably...
Oliver not only didnt get it, it was causing tension between us, he
was starting to listen to me even less than before! Today I came
accross your website, I skimmed through some of your articles,
and watched your video advice.
After watching them, I got inspired...the dogs looked so natural
with you that I decided I had to try some of your methods.
It really clicked. I couldnt believe it, you had mentioned in
one of your videos that in order for a dog to feel receptive
to you outside, every once in a while you have to just "let
him be a dog" and get some freedom...so I took him to the local
soccer park- first thing I did was let him just hang out, sniff
what he wanted to sniff and go where he wanted to go (all of which
I have been told is baaaaad).
Once he got himself aquainted with the trees and bushes and whatnot,
I decided Id try that "walk with the treat" thing to get him used to
the idea that walking next to me was a good thing...and didnt have
to be all tugs and jerks. I swear to God, it wasnt just the
food....his mood changed!
He was even smiling, as if to tell me "this is much nicer mom" we
walked all over that park doing the "food in hand" walk...we even
did some jogging!!!
I didnt try to force any "rules and boundaries" on him...today was
just about a great experience with being on the leash...and it was
wonderful!!
All the pulling, all the fighting and tension just melted away,
finally after weeks of getting nothing but a headache, me and
Oliver laid in the middle of that field smiling, and panting - and
watched one of the prettiest Hawaiian sunsets I have ever
seen! ~ and I owe it all to you
I know we have a long way to go, but, I am confident that with
your help, well get there!
Thanks so much for offering the great advice - Im finally a believer
that training isnt about hard work - its about fun!!!
What else can I say, your the man!
Cara
Caras email is such a great email because she explains perfectly
what happens when you use positive reinforcement to train your
dog.
Dog training does not have to be a chore. You can have a fun and get
great results using positive reinforcement.
What else can I say - I AM THE MAN!
All the best,
Eric
P.S. Dont forget to check out the same videos that Cara watched to
help train her dog at my website; AmazingDogTrainingMan.com
