When an owner approaches the dog as a simple subject for experimentation, they lose track of what makes the dog unique and denigrate the always-important dog/owner relationship. Training becomes a chore, rather than a joint activity. What might have been a pleasurable chance for interaction becomes an un-enjoyable task.
Dogs are sufficiently intuitive to be attuned to a trainers attitude and are less receptive to learning when they are treated merely as a subject instead of as a complete being. Owners who fail to see their pets identity during training are unable to pick up on subtle clues and possible means to improve their techniques.
The successful trainer will treat his dog as a full partner in training, not merely as a subject.
By avoiding these three common pitfalls, a dog owner is more likely to be able to implement a training strategy that produces results. Additionally, the training experience is likely to be enjoyable for both the dog and owner, giving them a tremendous opportunity to build their relationship. Regardless of the exact methodology adopted by the owner, the training process will benefit extraordinarily from avoiding the mistakes of inconsistency, impatience and treating your pet as a subject instead of as a partner.
