Training Philosophy
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Training Philosophy *
Family Dog Mediation at K9 Healers is an approach that emphasizes understanding dogs as individuals shaped by their unique experiences, genetics, environment, and learned behaviors. This method bridges the gap between traditional training techniques and a deeper understanding of what drives canine behavior.
L.E.G.S. stands for:
Learning: The dog's individual life experiences and training.
Environment: The surroundings and social conditions that influence behavior.
Genetics: The dog's breed traits, instincts, and inherited tendencies.
Self: The dog's unique personality, health, and emotional state.
By considering all four L.E.G.S. elements, Family Dog Mediation helps create realistic expectations, strengthen the human-dog bond, and promote positive, effective behavior management strategies.
K9 Healers integrates this approach to empower dog owners with a deeper understanding of their pets, fostering trust and connection.
K-9 Healers uses +R (positive reinforcement) with –P (negative punishment) to teach your dog new behaviors or to reward the positive behavior they already know.
+R (Positive Reinforcement) involves rewarding a behavior that you want from your dog in order to increase the likelihood that they will offer you that behavior again. For example, if you ask your dog to sit and they sit, you reward with a treat or something else your dog really enjoys, such as a tummy rub or a ball throw. Your dog will remember that by sitting, he or she received a reward and therefore will be more likely to offer you another sit in order to get another reward. Remember to always reward/acknowledge a behavior you like!
-P (Negative Punishment) reverses what your dog learns with +R by removing a reward in response to unwanted behavior. For example, if your dog jumps on you or barks at you, then turning away and ignoring them removes what they want: you and your attention. If your dog is pulling you on the leash and you walk faster trying to keep up their pace, then you are rewarding the leash pulling. However, if you stop in your tracks and refuse to move until your dog stops pulling, then you are taking away the reward of walking.
By relying on +R / -P training, you can increase the positive relationship between you and your dog, developing trust and mutual respect, without dominance. While working with K-9 Healers, you will learn the proper timing in delivering the reward or taking away the reward since timing and consistency are key.
K-9 Healers does not use opposing +P / -R training as these punishment-based methods can cause fear and pain to the dog. This type of training is also only temporarily effective and does not create mutually respectful, loving relationships with our dogs.
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Our tags feature both a highly visible QR code and a unique, easy-to-remember URL. No app downloads are needed – anyone with a smartphone can access your pet’s profile instantly, bringing them home faster and reducing your worry.
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