Many new time dog owners tend to make a mistake in getting an ideal dog for their family. Owning a dog as a pet is much more then just the dogs’ breed and its pedigree. One must look into aspects such as area available for the dog, the number of people (pack*) in the family and how many of them are children and dog lovers. The most important issue to consider, though, is the reason or purpose of owning a dog. It can either be for security reasons or just as a companion or pet.
(*To you, your dog is a pet, to the dog on the other hand, the whole family is a pack. Understanding this is crucial to owning a dog.)
Ownership of a dog requires much knowledge and understanding of that particular breed and that certain breeds requirement. Lack of knowledge of the breeds is what leads to unsatisfactory dog ownership experience and frustration. In other words, you will not enjoy owning your dog.
This is where I analyze the situation and then give the customers suggestion as to which kind of breed is best fitted for the current environment, and by doing such, you and your dog get the best out of the relationship.
The next important thing after understanding your dog, is training. Each breed of dogs has its’ inherent behavior (is in its genes) and also behavior brought on by the environment and is conditioned to such behavior.
This is what I call behavior consultation, and this is the first step in the training process. It is important as it is crucial, as this is where I will be able to know how well the dog owner knows about their beloved pet. As I always ask my customers during the interviews and consultation session, if your dog could speak, it would have A LOT to speak of you, do you know your dog as well he knows you? After this important session is completed, my second phase of the training process starts –Canine Behavior Reconditioning.