Sometimes, when we think we are helping our dogs to learn, we are actually getting in the way of their success.

In spite of our very human desire to integrate our dogs into every facet of our lives, we may be creating more problems for our dogs than we can solve.

Dog trainer Eric Brad reminds us that good communication with our dogs relies on positive reinforcement, consistency and fairness. Being observant and clear about what we are saying will lead to success, he says.

Applying training principles gleaned from behavioural science led Eric Brad to enjoy a more rewarding, less tension-filled relationship with his dogs. “What a wonderful surprise to find that living like this with my dogs can, in itself, be Positive Reinforcement for both the dogs and the humans,” writes Eric.

There is plenty of “common knowledge” about dogs that is just plain wrong, and it gets repeated and passed on every day. Eric Brad looks at how to move past our assumptions and discover the truth about the dogs we live with.

Humans like the affection of dogs. We find it reinforcing when they come to us for petting and attention. Once they find something that annoys us, they can be masters at using it to get us to do things in order get them to stop doing it. It’s cause and effect, consequences dictating behaviour. And they know it. As Jean Donaldson put it in her book Culture Clash, “Dogs do what works.”