Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Why you shouldn't use the 'dominant down' maneuver on your dog

Although I like Cesar Milan's theory of dogs being the ultimate energy readers and responding to that energy, I am not a fan of the assertive-submissive approach to relate to your dog.    Personally I have no desire to dominate my dogs by being assertive and demanding submission.  In any case, they know I am 'pack leader' - I control all the resources and the things they love.  I control their food, their treats, when they go outside, when they go for walks, when they get snuggles.  They know.  Below is an interesting article about the 'dominant down' maneuver that Cesar uses quite regularly and why this is not an appropriate tool for training your dog.

http://www.petmd.com/blogs/purelypuppy/lradosta/2012/nov/using_the_dominance_down_on_dogs?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_content=20121107&utm_campaign=PurelyPuppy-The-Dominance-Down#.UJsH4sXR7yA

A training philosophy I really enjoyed reading about is that used by Jennifer Arnold of Canine Assistants.  Her book "Through a Dog's Eyes" is an interesting read.


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