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Over the years, I have helped thousands of people and their dogs eliminate unwanted behaviors and become better versions of themselves. Dog training is necessary for dogs to provide them with the structure and mental stimulation they need.

For puppies, it’s essential as young puppies are going through one of the scariest times in their life and a structured puppy management program, teaches puppies how to best adapt to their environment so they develop into healthy and adaptable dogs in their adulthood.

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2. When in public people tend to believe they must keep their dog in the heel position. This is a very old theory. First of all I think we all tend to agree dogs have very short attention spans. Trying to make a dog stay in the heel position could actually tax the nervous system (make the dog over-think) versus teaching the dog to walk on a loose leash and check-in. This is much more natural for the dog and less stressful for the owner. Remember, we always see more people and dog aggression on tight leashes because we have taken their flight instant away from them. Keep the leash a bit loose. 

3. In a pack of dogs there is the pack leader down to the lowest submissive dog. There is no grey area to a dog. If you are not the a dog’s pack leader then the dog is your  leader. This has nothing to do with how the dog loves you. Love and respect are two different things. You will not establish yourself as a pack-leader by being aggressive, You will become pack-leader through communication and being consistent; mean what you say and say what you mean. 

4. The number one reason why I deal with behavior modification for fear-based aggression is the dog was not socialized properly as a younger puppy. Often we are told to not take our dogs out until they had their forth series of shots, The problem with this is the forth shot is given at 16 weeks of age, At 16 weeks of age our dog’s socialization window is shutting. At 24 weeks of age, the socialization window is shut and it cannot be reopened.

When socializing a 10 week old pup who had their second series of shots we must be over cautious on how we socialize. We must protect our puppies not only physically, but just as importantly, mentally. If you do not protect them and they have a bad experience it could effect them for their lifetime. This is the second most common reason I do behavior training for aggression; we did not protect our dogs physically or mentally.

5. A dog’s eyesight is nothing like ours; their number one sense is their nose. Dogs process most of their information through their noses (olfactory glands), so when outside we must allow our dogs this normal function so they are comfortable on their walks.

6. Due to a puppy’s weak nervous system we should not correct puppies under 16 weeks of age. You would not scold a 3 month old human baby because they would not understand, It’s the same with a young dog. What will happen is the puppy will learn how to mistrust and fear you. What we need to do is give the puppy information and make it fun, to create positive associations. 

7. Dogs are social pack animals. Do not isolate a dog (leave alone) for an extended period of time. From being a behavior specialist for four different animal shelters and SPCA’s over the last 40 years, I believe isolation is a big reason why dogs are brought to our shelters due to the dog becoming bored and frustrated.

8. When starting to teach your dog to sit-stay, the worst place to try and teach this is when answering the door. I have been to thousands of homes over the years and can count on one hand how many dogs I have seen as untrained dogs sit-stay while they are letting me in the door vs. seeing thousands of dogs told to sit-stay as they open the door, and the dog springs up to greet me. The behavior is not enforced. Start by having the dog sit-stay at a distance from the door and strengthen the behavior and slowly come closer to the door, letting the dog be successful.

9. One of the biggest mistakes I see is when teaching sit-stay, is we tell our dog to stay but the owner will often walk away from the dog, and then turn around and call for the dog. The dog then anticipates it will be called and when the owner moves, the dog thinks it is being called, when that is not the owner’s intention.

This is the pattern we our creating. So when you walk away from your dog they are anticipating you are going to call them to you.

With the slightest movement from your body, the dog will take this as a signal to come to you and respond and as soon as this happens we start telling them “no” and to stay; hence a conflicted dog!

My rule is I take one step away and then I take one step back to where I started, before I release the behavior. Then 50 steps away, 50 steps back in, then release. After 45 days with the proper training, your sit-stays should be stable.

10. If you are going to allow your dog to visit with new dogs while on your walk I might suggest implementing the 3 second rule. Let them greet for 3 seconds – then move on. Let’s create safe space for our dogs. New dog introductions should be taken slowly so their is no negative encounter. Of course there are exceptions if you are lucky enough to have a very social dog and meet another just like yours.

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The first 45 days when a dog is in a new home is the honeymoon period. This is triggered from a change in environment. Changes may range from a new place to a new owner, or other factors. During this time, the dog or puppy is at a very high stress level. The dog’s stress levels may not be apparent to the owner. The new dog’s nervous system shuts down to an extent. This is a self-preservation mechanism. If this happens, stress-reduction techniques need to be applied.

The best way to calm a dog’s nervous system is through mental stimulation. During dog training, specific techniques are taught so that you can reduce the dog’s stress. For example, long-term impulse control is where a dog has to do something over an extended period of time. Long-term impulse control provides a dog with mental stimulation.

Loose leash walking is great for relaxing a dog’s stress and is another long-term impulse control technique. Using interactive toys or devices which the dog gets its food out of, is another way.

Trigger 2: Observable Behavior Problem

A behavioral problem occurs when a puppy or dog is behaving in a negative or undesirable way. The unwanted behavior(s) motivate an owner to seek help. Examples of negative behavior range by dog and what an owner may find acceptable or not acceptable. The type of training to correct is known as behavior modification.

Based on the type of negative behavior, temperament observation may be advised.

Behavior modification is the systematic approach to changing behavior.  Unlike dog obedience training, which is for training a dog to perform specific actions when asked, behavior modification looks to change a dog’s reaction to a situation (with people, other animals, etc).

Behavior modification entails modifying a dog’s behavior for the purpose of increasing or decreasing the behavior of interest.  For example, getting your dog to sit faster, or getting your dog to stop growling at people as they are coming into your house.

One way to modify behavior is by using positive reinforcement.  This method tends to work quickly, and is my preferred method to modify a behavior. Positive reinforcement involves offering a reward within 1.5 seconds for positive behaviors to encourage your dog to keep doing them.

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Every dog, regardless of size or age, deserves, craves, and benefits from dog training. Embrace this opportunity to create a bond that is based on understanding and clear communication.

In my experience, the most effective approach to dog training is consistent and personalized training sessions.

Structured dog training encompassing behavior modification, obedience training, effective communication, and socialization sets the foundation for a harmonious dog-owner relationship. These practices promote a positive adjustment to their surroundings for puppies and dogs of all ages.

To achieve a well-rounded dog training or puppy training experience, we focus on:

1. Encouraging positive behaviors

2. Instilling confidence

3. Fostering social skills

4. Creating safe space for a dog or puppy to learn and grow in

This guided training journey ensures that your puppy thrives in their new environment, setting the stage for a fulfilling companionship.

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What is Dog Training?

Dog training is teaching a dog a more ideal response to physical cues, verbal commands, or the performance of actions which are not necessarily natural to a dog. People generally start wanting to train their dog once they start noticing unwanted behaviors, such as going potty in the house, leash pulling, incessant barking, digging, jumping, mouthing or aggressive behaviors.

Dog training can also be described as the purposeful changing of a dog’s behavior and may involve socialization to the native environment, basic obedience training, or for specialized activities such as law enforcement, search and rescue or assistance to people with disabilities.

Training a dog can be one of the most arduous tasks of pet ownership or it can be a time of building a lifelong bond that is very rewarding.  Understanding the different methods available for you to train your dog is helpful and also necessary if you need to select a professional dog trainer to help you with your dog.

Training methods boil down to two main techniques: traditional dominance method, based off William Kohler, and the positive reinforcement method.

Traditional Dominance Training

The traditional dominance method of dog training became prevalent around World War II and was used by the military to train dogs and ensure that they followed commands. In this method, it is assumed that dogs behave badly because they are trying to gain higher rank and are placed in a conflict condition, where the dog is likely to make an error. Trainers correct the dogs by yanking a leash when attempting to get a dog to heel or using a shock collar to assure a dog stays within limits.

This type of training does not take into consideration the root cause of dogs’ behavior.  For example dogs who charge other dogs would automatically be strongly corrected without first understanding why the dog wants to charge.  The reason for the misbehavior could be dominant aggression, or more likely fear-based aggression.

This method is usually only successful for few to no dogs.  The relationship between the dog and person will be based on fear, which results in the dog not trusting the person in a stressful situation. If heavy compulsion is used for a fear-based negative behavior, the dog will not improve. In fact, the problem will worsen.

Positive Reinforcement Training

The positive reinforcement method of training is used loosely, but basically the trainer shapes the behavior of the dog by only rewarding the dog for the behavior the trainer wants.  Unwanted behaviors are ignored. This type of training works well for some behaviors, but does not equip the trainer to handle issues in a realistic way. For example, you can’t really ignore a dog that bites you!

So what is the answer for how to train your dog?

Gary Maria’s Dog Training Methods

I use the BALANCED TRAINING approach, which is a unique blend of positive reinforcement with some mild compulsion. Balance training consists of positive reinforcement and reminders to get the dog refocused along with a lot of touch and praise. Remember, dogs want to please and they need a job they can do well.

Mild compulsion is important to establish the leader/follower relationship.  Using mild compulsion is not used to punish the dog, rather it is a tool used by the trainer to let the dog know that the behavior is not acceptable.

Using a reward-based training method, I can speed up the learning curve significantly, and can train you in how to do the same.

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