Tips for Dog Owners

Natural Dog Training

What is the number 1 cause of death for dogs in the Western “civilized” world? – directly or indirectly: Behavior problems. Therefore, we cannot help K9s in the long run without addressing dog behavior and our relationship with dogs.

In the course of looking for a training method that works and deeply honors the true nature of dogs, we came across Kevin Behan’s Natural Dog Training (NDT). I think many people naturally do the right things regarding their dogs, but as far as training and rehabilitation goes, Natural Dog Training may be the way of the future. The method has certainly worked for our  terrier.

Kevin Behan – from Natural Dog Training on facebook

There is NO ONE WAY to train a dog – and whatever works for you and your dog – works for you and your dog. Depending on time, place and people – methods vary.
These days – for the sake of the dogs as well as people – some basic training seems to be necessary. Most dogs don’t just hang around on farms with jobs to do anymore, let alone have hunting jobs. They are living in crowded urban environments.  Notice though that “coincidentally” since dogs have been bred to be friendly and domesticated rather than be a working dog that had to earn its living and people have been “training” dogs with the commonly used methods or treating them as playthings  –  dog aggression and other behavioral problems have been on the rise. Not the “positive” reward training, or the dominance/pack leader based training or the combined training methods get to the root of canine behaviors. As per Kevin Behan: It is in police dog training that you quickly realize where those methods fail.

There are several websites we recommend if you would like to find out more about Natural Dog Training:

Kevin was literally born into a dog training/rehab “kennel”, meaning that he was born on the rural homestead/dog training compound of one of the very first dog trainers in the USA. I know of no one with more dog experience …and no one who has seen methods come and “go”. In the course of his life, he discovered the deeper layer of how dogs work and why they work the way they do and developed what is now known as “Natural Dog Training”.

If you want a happy, healthy & well adjusted dog, or you have a dog with “problems” – give NDT  a try.

For example: Does your dog have “aggression” problems with other dogs and it is not getting better? You tried the “controlling” dominance based training methods and they didn’t really work, and he looses all interest in food when another dog is around? You may be ready for PUSHING (well described here). Find out about the way of Natural Dog Training for lasting profound solutions for dog behavior problems by addressing the energetic basis for “misbehavior”, and develop a deep and true relationship with your dog.

Notice also that there is a difference between dog training and dog rehabilitation. In either case what is most important is the kind of relationship you have with your dog and whether or not you dog’s energy is fully engaged and charge and energetic blocks have been resolved by getting the energy “unstuck” = flowing again. You might have heard that “pent”  up energy will eventually discharge when triggered – with often unwanted results – such as biting.

From the Helping K9s FB album: Training and Learning

Why do you want to train your dog?…what does it mean to you, and what is important to you in that regard?

What is the deeper nature of the dog? How can I train my dogs working with their energy channeled in a way that does not just tire them out (like this GSD/husky, though she was not afraid, got equally offended at trotting next to a bike for “exercise” but played running with the other dogs or dug for hours for rodents.) – but satisfies their inner dog-ness, the wild animal in them and their deeply social, cooperative and “in tune” with each other nature? How do I work with their emotional nature? How do I get them to WANT to come with me over running after a cat?

What IS the latest research on learning in dogs? What role does play have in raising puppies? What ARE the latest findings about the hierarchical dominance structure versus the cooperative group nature of a wolf pack?

I have found the method that most deeply resonates with me as the one to work with is Natural Dog Training – by Kevin Behan. It goes deep and respects the nature of the dog.
It might well be that part of what is called positive training is compatible with it, though reward based training needs a reward oriented dog. The dog’s motivation constrains that method. There just may be a way to work with the medium motivated dog to not use correction but increase the attraction to me and what I have to offer by using some of the Natural Dog Training exercises.

Having watched a number of videos where Kevin Behan works with dogs, my impression is: this guy draws on whatever is needed to keep the dogs safe. (Because, lets face it: if you were not concerned about the behavior of your dog, would you be reading this?)
AND – he is working with the energy of dogs, – reestablishing the dog’s ability to conduct and channel energy like they were meant to do – to be able to handle all that emotional energy, prey drive and charge and allow them to be social and playful, happy to be with us, confident in their beingness and abilities and actually wanting to do what we would like them to do….using what is natural to them on the deepest level.

At the same time I wish to honor all who are able and willing to get “red-zone” dogs off death row and actually rehabilitate them to be able to live as sociable dogs with their families, using methods which you found are working.

It is very interesting to read about why dogs are truly most like us humans than any other animal on land.

It is indeed their deep social, cooperative and emotional nature that allows us to connect with them the way we do – and – they are dogs – let us allow them to be so.

In case you overlooked them earlier,  here are some good sites if you would like to find out more about Natural Dog Training: