FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT DIALOGUE

What is dog anxiety?

We maintain that all dogs are born with the seeds of anxiety. That’s because all dogs are born clueless about how to live in a human world, a world that is alien to them. These seeds sprout and grow at a rate dependent on the dog’s personality and life experience. To learn more, download the free e-book “Be a Cheerleader, Not a Pack Leader” and ORDER Dogs Deserve Dialogue

What is the “revolutionary new view”?

 

In Dialogue®, the dog is seen as innocent, no matter how much his behavior may be condemned. And the dog also is seen as obedient from birth. He’s just obedient to the wrong authority. To learn more, download the free e-book “Be a Cheerleader, Not a Pack Leader” and ORDER Dogs Deserve Dialogue.

Why is dog anxiety the main obstacle to real dog obedience?

All dogs have great anxiety, largely unseen to humans, which together with their instincts drives their “bad behavior.” As it grows, unhindered, dog anxiety quite quickly becomes fear. With more growth, it can become total terror. When a dog is struggling with reactions and agitations that come from his anxiety, it is very difficult or even impossible for him to express self-governance, the mental control over his body that humans would like to see expressed. To learn more, download the free e-book “Be a Cheerleader, Not a Pack Leader” and ORDER Dogs Deserve Dialogue.

 What is the dog’s “inborn rule book?” 

 

The only authority, the only source of directives for behavior, that dogs are given at birth are what humans call their instincts.  These inborn tendencies I call the rule book, or the owner’s manual, for their breed. For example, herding dogs typically are problem “chasers and nippers.”  To learn more, download the free e-book “Be a Cheerleader, Not a Pack Leader” and ORDER  Dogs Deserve Dialogue.

What do you mean by “overnight” changes in behavior with Dialogue®?

The accounts of immediate changes that have occurred for dogs once they are given even the initial stages of Dialogue® would fill a book at this point. Dialogue® is not pushing buttons. It is not a matter of training in sound bytes. Developing Dialogue® with your dog is a process, and it deserves time and dedication before permanent modifications of behavior can be expected. That said, it is always so heartwarming to hear of the almost instant behavior changes that result from what we would have to say is the dog sensing the possibilities of life in Dialogue®. To read some examples, download the free e-book “Be a Cheerleader, Not a Pack Leader,” and to read even more, ORDER Dogs Deserve Dialogue.

Why does Dialogue® work so fast?

Without Dialogue® all dogs can only function (or sometimes even survive) by finding ways to cope with living clueless in what is for them an alien world, our human world.  They have to learn by trial and error, with no information to guide them other than their inborn rule book. Their mistakes bring disapproval, if not traumatizing punishment, from those with whom they most desire to have a good relationship—their human partners. It’s no fun. It’s frustrating, confusing, and frightening. They are ready and waiting for an option. Dialogue® is effective structured communication based on what dogs have “said” they need: loving, supportive and specific answers to their questions about what to do and how to live so that they don’t need to live by trial and error. When that communication is offered, they grab it and run with it! To learn more, download the free e-book “Be a Cheerleader, Not a Pack Leader” and ORDER Dogs Deserve Dialogue.

What are some foundational concepts of Dialogue®?

All dogs are good, for starters!
All dogs have anxiety which gets in the way of their good behavior.
All dogs have questions that their inborn rule book (their instincts) fail to answer correctly.
All dogs can learn to ask their human partner their questions and receive correct answers.
To learn more, download the free e-book “Be a Cheerleader, Not a Pack Leader” and ORDER Dogs Deserve Dialogue.

What is “monologue training?”

This is conventional dog training. It’s training in which the human does all the talking. It is therefore training from a human point of view, period. The human tells the dog what she wants the dog to do, and then tries, by various means, to get the dog to do whatever it is. The dog is considered “obedient” if he does quickly and well the thing commanded, or disobedient or at least slow, stubborn or maybe stupid if he doesn’t. To learn more, download the free e-book “Be a Cheerleader, Not a Pack Leader” and ORDER Dogs Deserve Dialogue.

What’s wrong with scolding/punishing for wrong behavior?

Without Dialogue® dogs are following the dictates of their instincts when they act. Their instincts are the only information they are born with, and of course they don’t question the correctness of that information. But it’s faulty, pretty much across the board, for functioning in a human world. As a result, dogs exhibit wrong or “problem” behavior. Humans think they must scold and punish dogs to change their behavior. If you were doing the only thing you knew to do, a thing you thought was the right thing to do, how would it make you feel to be punished for doing it? Think it might increase your anxiety? Definitely! For more discussion, read the “Ambulance Analogy” in the free e-book “Be a Cheerleader, Not a Pack Leader,” download here, and ORDER Dogs Deserve Dialogue.

What are the questions that dogs have?

Most of the questions occur in a never-ending loop:  “Am I all right? Am I okay? What is that noise? Am I all right? Am I okay? Who is that? Am I all right? Am I okay?” and so forth. There are times when dogs have specific questions of the nature of “What should I do about this (situation, person, dog, etc.).”

What are the answers that dogs need from us?

They need a few simple answers meaning: “All is well,” and “Leave it all to me” such as “You’re all right,“ You’re okay,” and “You’re a good dog.” For specific questions, you may answer by giving a command for an appropriate behavior such as “Sit-Stay.”

What does it mean to “initiate Dialogue®?”

Initiating Dialogue is the activity by which you open the line of two-way communication with a dog so that he knows he can ask his questions, and you know he is listening for your answers. Until you initiate Dialogue with your dog, any communication attempt is likely to be futile. Your dog is following his nose, doing his own thing, and likely can’t even hear what you are saying. Think of it this way: If you were giving instructions to someone on the phone, and the person dropped the phone, would you continue

talking on and on, louder and more insistently, when you’re not being heard? Of course not!  But isn’t that often what happens in conventional dog training? There is an entire DVD on this subject— “Initiating Dialogue: The Foundation.”  You will want to add this to your study regimen after beginning your study with the book Dogs Deserve Dialogue and the DVD  “Right Solution Dog Training.”  ORDER now!

How old should a puppy be to receive Dialogue® training?

He should be old enough to walk. That’s not a joke—Pointers, for instance, can walk like an adult at an age where German Shepherds are still paddling as if they were in water! But that’s the only lower age limit. Dialogue® Dog Training is stress-free for a puppy. No quizzes given, and no accountability required of him. With Dialogue® you don’t give quizzes, and you don’t hold the puppy accountable.  For a more complete explanation, ORDER Dogs Deserve Dialogue.

How do the standard AKC Novice Level obedience exercises relate to Dialogue®  Dog Training?

The exercises of Sit, Heel, Sit-Stay, Down, Down-Stay, Stand, Stand-Stay, and Come are the structure through which Dialogue® with a dog is built. They are taught with the motive of building the dog’s self-confidence, self-esteem and competence. The command words themselves are specific responses in Dialogue®. To learn more, download the free e-book “Be a Cheerleader, Not a Pack Leader” and ORDER Dogs Deserve Dialogue.

Why is “therapy” a better term for Dialogue® than “training?”

Webster defines therapy as “any act, hobby, task, program, etc., that relieves tension.” For our purposes, tension and anxiety can be considered interchangeable. Dialogue® is a structured communication for training dogs in a way that reduces anxiety. This therapy enables your dog to overcome inappropriate behaviors, giving you what you want from dog obedience, with no punishment ever. Dialogue® is far more than dog training! To learn more, download the free e-book “Be a Cheerleader, Not a Pack Leader” and ORDER Dogs Deserve Dialogue.

What if my dog has had other training?

Not to worry. Similarly, don’t be concerned if you have had other training, or even indoctrination! You’ll start at square one with a clean slate for both you and your dog. You may struggle a bit with the “nagging past,” but your dog will thank you. To start at square one, ORDER Dogs Deserve Dialogue.

Why shouldn’t I use a Halti or Gentle Leader?

These devices were created to help typically out-of-condition humans to walk their predator-strong-necked dogs. There’s nothing gentle about putting torque into a dog’s neck in order to achieve physical superiority. Since Dialogue® takes away any physical contact through the leash when walking a dog, neither human nor dog needs to express physical superiority. To learn more about leash-free walking, ORDER Dogs Deserve Dialogue.

What is praise-in-anticipation?

It is the non-stop cheerleading, verbal-only praise you give the dog as she begins to respond to your instructions. For a complete explanation ORDER Dogs Deserve Dialogue.

What is praise-in-response?

It is the “reward” of petting/hugging/tummy-rubbing and verbal praise the dog gets at the completion of an exercise.

Are you serious that Dialogue® has a 100% success rate in overcoming problems?

Yes, we are! When the concepts of Dialogue® are applied correctly and completely, this structured communication has never failed to enable a dog to overcome inappropriate behaviors, even those that are the most severe. To learn more, download the free e-book “Be a Cheerleader, Not a Pack Leader” and ORDER Dogs Deserve Dialogue.

Why is Dialogue® “far more than dog training?”

If you only want your dog to be more obedient to your commands, you may try any number of dog training methods, some less disrespectful to your dog’s innate intelligence, sensitivity, and generous, joyous nature than others. But if you want your dog to be more attentive, confident, and peaceful and you want to help him feel better about himself and his relationship with you—for the rest of his life—Dialogue® is your only choice. To learn more, download the free e-book “Be a Cheerleader, Not a Pack Leader” and ORDER Dogs Deserve Dialogue.