Dogs require 3 things:
Protection (food and shelter), Medical care (vaccinations and remedies) and Training (with a professional or skilled amateur leader, and in the home).
With correct training comes an understanding and 'bonding' between a dog and his family members. Training requires education, some humility, and patience.
'Click and Treat' is the common name for positive reinforcement training. Clicker training is the fastest and most reliable training method and that is why it is used with marine animals and animals other than dogs... by modern trainers.
Look at the link for Gary Wilkes in the 'favorite links' page or Google search for 'clicker training'. Do not dismiss the method because you think the clicker use seems silly. That is amateur mistake #1 and any professional or serious amateur will spot you as an ignorant person.
But honest ignorance is OK... human stupidity is much harder to overcome and it costs tens of thousands of smart dogs their lives in shelters every year: An untrained dog means a frustrated owner and the result in most cases is an unhappy dog and family... or worse, the dog abandoned in a shelter. As the young kids say..."Don't be that guy". Be the person who listens to the pros who write books, make videos, earn a living at it and know how to train a dog to his basic commands in a matter of days or weeks! You can do it, too if you accept it, practice it, study about its subtleties (like variable reinforcement schedule), and look for examples on YouTube and similar sites.
I was fortunate to meet one of the first real clicker trainers in my town and accepted her method because it appeared to work fast and reliably. Cindy Briggs opened an entire part of life for me and my dogs and led me to getting 3 dogs certified as Canine Good Citizens (CGC). It's cheap, not too difficult, and a skill set you can use every day and illustrate to others to help them 'save' their own dog and their sanity if they have an 'unruly' dog.
Trust me on this one !
Our mission is easy to remember: People need dogs and dogs depend on people.
Learning about dogs and what they need and what they provide to people is the major step toward re-establishing our connection to the natural world.
Most people know very little about dogs and that is why animal shelters across the world are always filled with abandoned dogs and cats.
Your part in the mission is critical: Tell others the truth as you know it about dogs. It means putting aside your opinions and instead sharing facts, guidance, and encouragement for others to pursue the truth about the real nature of dogs. 'Disney Dogs' are a fun fantasy but have no bearing upon the actual creature called 'the dog'.
Man created dogs thousands of years ago from wolves and all the breeds we know today eventually sprang from that natural and fortunate alliance. Dogs are our path (direction) and vehicle (aid) to a true understanding of nature and its animals. Only dogs naturally have the capacity to serve man, accompany man, and remain devoted to man ... if we will allow it.
Dogs are to man what men are to God: a cherished and simple, yet remarkable creature that exists to serve and follow the guidance of his creator.
