I just saw one clip with Larry Krohn on Youtube, and immediately felt compelled to share it, as well as some thoughts about it. It is a perfect example of how I want to communicate with dogs(ar), and it is also a way of communicating that does not confuse the dog. It's straight, clear and very close to nature.
Have you read for a long time here on the blog, you know that I believe that a close-to-nature communication with a dog is preferable to training with meatballs or other dog treats. My personal opinion is that it is we who have chosen to have the dog in our lives, so it is our task to adapt to the dog at least as much as we require it to adapt to us. The easiest way to do this is to learn to communicate with the dog in a way that the dog automatically understands.
For me is this clip an absolutely fantastic example of that. You can think exactly what you want about the dog being in a cage – it's not the cage that's interesting in this clip. What is interesting is the fact that Larry Krohn makes the dog understand that just because the door opens it is not ok to rush out, without waiting for permission.
This is something that can be done without uttering a single word. What is required is what I usually call directed energy, a clear body language and a clear target image. More is not needed.
I think this is where we differ, me and all those who insist that positive reinforcement is the only thing that applies when it comes to dogs. I've mentioned before that I don't mind positive reinforcement – on the contrary. But it is not the only method that works, and for me personally it feels shallow, hollow and empty. It requires too much adjustment and learning on the part of the dog for it to feel natural – for me.
I believe that the relationship we build with our dog becomes significantly deeper, more intimate and close, if we make an effort to communicate with it in a dog-like way. Namely; through our energy, how we direct it, by controlling our emotions and building ourselves up from within so that we become clear in our body language, that we learn to mean what we say, and say what we mean. The dog sees right through us, and if we lie to ourselves in our communication, the dog becomes confused and does not know how to interpret us.
This is by the way, one of the main reasons why I believe I am better with adult dogs than with puppies. An adult dog has already learned how to communicate, and it is easier to make it understood. A puppy is uneducated and quite blown, and it takes time before you get it to understand what you want. But that's what puppy time is for; to learn each other, teach the puppy what you mean – and that is one of the reasons why it can be so incredibly practical to have an older dog with you to help.
I do not think that I will ever understand how one cannot choose to communicate with their dog in this way. And believe me when I say it; this isn't even about dominance. This is solely and exclusively about how you communicate and how you choose to project yourself towards your dog. There is nothing mean in this, cruelly, nasty or mean. It is a matter of making yourself understood in a way that is so close to the dog's own way of communicating, as possible is.