The lines are deeply drawn, and it feels almost like a war about who’s right and who’s wrong.
What often gets lost in all this are the actual foundations of learning theory, behavioral biology, neurology, and the ability to properly read canine body language.
Especially those who work with aversive methods seem constantly on the lookout for ways to justify their techniques — often coming up with new terms and “concepts” like “space management” or physically blocking a dog. But in the end, it’s all just a repackaging of dominance-based behavior by humans toward dogs.
When I founded my dog school, I knew one thing for sure: I wanted to be fair — to both dogs and people. Every training, every bit of further education I take, continues to show me new ways to support that fairness even more effectively.
It honestly makes my hair stand on end just thinking about what a dog must go through when he’s constantly blocked or nearly stepped on its nose because he dared to sniff somewhere — just because the human decides that sniffing isn’t allowed in that moment.
How twisted is that?!
My head fills with question marks because I simply can’t understand, relate to — let alone support — this mindset.
Why is the concept of meeting a dog’s basic needs still so misunderstood?
Why are dominance and pack theories — which are biologically false and outdated — still being thrown around when we now know so much better?
What unsettles me most is how many people cling to the words of these aversive trainers, praising them and thinking they’re so “amazing.”
But really, it just takes basic common sense.
If this were happening 50 years ago — when we didn’t yet know much about dog training, neuroscience, learning theory, and so on — I might be a little more understanding.
But today?
I never speak of “commands,” because even that language reveals an attitude: that the dog must obey.
Instead, I give my dog a signal. And if he doesn’t respond, I ask myself:
- Is he unable to do it right now because he’s stressed?
- Is it because I didn’t build the signal clearly enough?
- Am I asking too much of him in this situation?
- Might he not be feeling well?
If a dog can’t perform a signal — it’s not the end of the world.
How often do I need to repeat myself with fellow humans, simply because they weren’t listening, were lost in thought, or just not feeling 100%?
Yet when a dog doesn’t respond immediately, it’s suddenly unacceptable.
WHY?!
In the end, it really is the tone that makes the music.
What dogs need is patience, understanding, common sense, and love — nothing more, nothing less.
