Dog training, from start to finish, is all about finding the right balance; the balance between giving the dog enough to learn and progress without overloading or causing confusion. Some dogs can take more pressure than others and advance quickly. Some are softer and may shut down using the same regimen that worked for the last dog. This softer student may require a completely different technique to get the same end result. As a trainer you need to be able to read the dog, understand his body language and find that balance.

It can be different with each dog and it can be different with each phase of that dog’s training. If at the end of every session your dog is happy and looks forward to the next session then you have found that balance.

Dogs have an amazing ability to read or pick up on the energy we convey. If we are frustrated, angry or unsure we are conveying negative energy. Your dog will sense this and you won’t have his trust; you are fighting an uphill battle. On the other hand if we are calm and confident and convey a positive energy, man’s best friend is capable of learning and advancing at a surprising and almost unbelievable rate.

In the world of professional trainers there is an endless variety of techniques used to train a dog. What separates the average trainer from the true professional is knowing how to read dogs, convey positive energy and find the right balance with each student. You can’t learn these things from simply reading a book or watching a training video. You learn them in the dog training school of hard knocks, from years of training numerous dogs, day in and day out.