Page 17 - BRAVO-3 | ISSUE 2 | JULY/AUGUST 2018

stressedinitialy,refusingtoeat.However;notforeverandnobodyforcefeedsthem.Trustme,theyalcome around.IfIhaveadogwhoisanextremecaseandwon’tengageforthefood,Igivethem acaninespecific weightgainersupplementinliquidform.Thisisdeliveredforfreeastheirmainsourceofhydrationandis givenintheirkennel,inisolation.Verysimilartoanathleteorbodybuilder,aweightgainerorproteinshake givesthem vitalnutrientsbutdoesn'tcurbhungerverywel.Inthispractice,thedogreceivesvitalsustenance butthehungerforfoodremains.Shouldthislackofengagementpersist,Iwilbeginnegativereinforcement
gonaverylowscale.Interestinglyenough,oncethedogrealizesit’sinhisadvantagetoachievethe specifictasksandshutoftheslightunpleasantfeelingsthroughcompliance,themindsetlesandnerves calm,whichinturnopensthepathwaytohungerandsubsequentlyengagement.
Theybegintotakefoodbecausetheiroptionshavebeenreducedandtheytakecomfortinthestructureand consistency,diminishingthenervousness.Acommonrebutaltothisphilosophyis-Iwon’tstarvemydog. Myresponseis,Iwouldn’teither.Thatdidn’tstopyoufrom leavingyourdogatthevet,knowingitwon’teat soyoucangogoingyourfive-daybacheloretecruise,nowdidit??Weareoferingampleopportunitiesto eat,towhichthedogischoosingtonot.Ongoinglackofengagementandrefusaltoeatwouldeithermake meswitchdogsortrainingtechniques.Conversely,ifyourdogisfulyengagedandyouarestilwithholding
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,youareacriminalandshouldbedealtwithbylawenforcement.Ifaqualifiedvethasdeterminedthere arenootherhealthissueswiththedogandeveryoneofthedog’sribsareexposed,youcancounteach individualvertebraanditsmuscleiscatabolizedasaresultofyourincompetence,youshouldbecharged criminalyandneverbealowedtoown,handleortrainadogagain.
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Oncethedogisonboardandfulyengaged,wenowunlockthemagicofthesystem andbegintorealy matertothedog.Anengageddogthrivesonpackinteractionandsynergy.I’vecomeincontactwithmany dogswhowon’ttouchtheirfree,bufetstylefoodwhichisleftoutaldayforthem tograze.WhenIreachinto theirbowlandbegintodispensethesameexactfoodthroughmyhands,theyactlikejunkiesandcan’tget enough.Additionaly,I’vehaddogswhoarefulyengagedinthefood-basedtrainingprotocol,whowon’t touchfreefoodeither.Wearemissingagoldenopportunityconnectwiththedogsifwedon’ttakeadvantage
thissimple,naturalprocess.Thisapproachalsogivesusamuchgreaterrewardandrepetitionhistoryas opposedtotoy-basedtraining.Foodcanbeextremelymotivating,butcreatesconcentrationasopposedto trainingwithatoy,whichcanplacesomedogsinanoverthetopdrivestate,whichmakeslearningclouded. Evenwithaperfectoutofthetoyonahighlydrivendog,theywilgasoutafter7-10reps,wherelearningis inhibitedduetofatigue.Afood-basedtrainingsystem buildsuptremendoushopeintheanimal,whichalows ustoachievemorecomplexbehaviors.
Inclosing,themorenaturaldrivesandcircumstancesweincorporateintoourtraining,theeasieritisfor them tolearnandwewilbespeakingdirectlytotheirinstinctsandmotherlanguage.
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