Q. What should I know about “structure” in dog training?

A. There are some current buzzwords popular in dog training right now: pack, leadership, discipline, boundaries, balance and structure. Each of these words has value and merit in the dog training world — but I have to be honest and say that when I hear words like these, experience has taught me I’m probably not going to like what I hear next. That’s because there are usually some other important words missing from the dialogue: empathy, choice, companionship, guidance and cooperation. These five words are equal to, or perhaps even more important than, the current vogue.

Focusing solely on the first five concepts creates a bottom-heavy training program and philosophy that is clumsy and limited. It may allow for lots of control over dogs, but it doesn’t provide a lot of life improvement for dogs. In many cases, it is simply imposing one’s will upon the dog and calling it training. There’s a myth in dog training that goes along with this, as well, and it really needs to be busted: dogs do not seek out rules!

No dog wakes up in the morning thinking, “I sure hope someone gives me a rule to keep me from stealing chicken bones from the trash today!” What dogs do want is clarity. Making and imposing rules is about us, the humans. There isn’t anything wrong with that, but let’s call it what it is. Rules are about us and while they do help the dog know what we want, we must understand that the dog doesn’t desire the creation of rules — he just wants to understand them if they exist.

Dogs seek clarity, not rules. Clarity recognizes that we have chosen to limit our dogs’ behavior to make our lives easier and happier. Clarity makes sure our dogs understand where the line is, so they can choose to stay in bounds. Clarity enables our dogs to live by the rules safely and with confidence.

Establishing rules is what we do as humans, but establishing clarity about rules is an obligation we have to our dogs. Not only do they need it, but they will also gravitate towards humans who make sense.

Too often, this is interpreted as a dog seeking strong “leadership” and well-meaning trainers may believe that if a little leadership is good, a lot more must be better. Unfortunately, this can lead to restricted freedom as a shortcut for actually having a dialog with the dog and teaching him to manage his own behavior. If you want a “one size fits most” training program, you certainly can restrict dog’s freedom with 100% structured activities. If you really want to help dogs, though, you must teach them to enjoy their freedom responsibly. Yes, that takes work. It takes patience and a greater understanding — but you must move beyond structure to empathy, choice, companionship, guidance and cooperation.

About the

Expert

Chad Mackin began working with dogs in March of 1993. He is currently the head dog trainer at DePAW University, Canine Campus, Inc. in Geneva, Illinois.

Chad teaches workshops for professional trainers and dog owners throughout the United States and Canada on the topics of socialization and dogmanship. Currently, he is also the director of education for the International Association of Canine Professionals, and has just completed two terms as the organization’s president.

Over the past 20 years, Chad has travelled extensively and has been privileged to meet and learn from the best dog trainers in the industry. Throughout his career, he has been responsible for the training of over 1,600 dogs.

Anyone in the Chicagoland area can contact Chad through depawk9campus.com or info@westsuburbandog.com to learn more about dog training and socialization. Workshop information can be found at www.packtobasics.com.