Dog training can sound almost like a chore that needs to be done. But dog trainer Eric Brad finds it an almost musical experience. Working with your dog in training can be a wonderfully creative experience.

Training, behaviour, and science are important parts of my life with my dogs.  But there are simple, almost poetic moments that I also cherish.  Working, playing, and sometimes quiet moments that help me appreciate the rapport that positive training has given me with my dogs.  It starts even before I open my eyes each day. […]

If our dogs could talk to us for just five minutes, what would they say? I think the answer might be as surprising as it is simple! Decades of misunderstanding might give way to a more open and positive relationship with our dogs if we could change some of our assumptions about our dogs.

Our dogs don’t always do what we ask of them. Sometimes it can seem that they even enjoy being bad. But is this really the case? The science of behaviour, both canine and human, tell a very different story. Chances are your dog isn’t taking any joy in misbehaving after all!

Good training can’t happen without failures but too many can make it frustrating and no fun for either the human or the dog. If failures are going to happen, why not learn from them and use them to make things better? You only fail if you didn’t learn something from the experience.

Every time we work with our dog, the history of all of our experiences with this dog follow us. For better or for worse, our dog remembers. Your dog’s expectations of you and your time together will depend on how you have shaped those memories.

Many dog owners train their dogs until they seem to “get it” and think they are done. Dog trainer Eric Brad suggests that there are other important aspects to consider when training your dog such as are proximity, distractions, repetition, and the ability to work at a distance and in different environments.