DISCIPLINE seems to be a four-letter word in some avenues of dog training.
To some people, the idea of disciplining a dog conjures up images of a dog being hit, inappropriate use of a choke collar or other abusive or punitive methods to train a dog.
In true dog training (or to use a cliché - dog whispering), discipline really means to diligently applying a systematic routine, to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior.
Without adequate routine (discipline) that consists of boundaries and limitations of acceptable and unacceptable behaviour for a dog, the animal quickly learns that there is no need for managing his or her own behaviour - as there are no consequences - and the result is a dog that has no respect for leadership.
In essence you get a bunch of Stanley-Cup-rioting dogs!
Respect is not gained through physical force but rather through calm yet assertive leadership while consistently applying the rules of canine social order.
A dog becomes "connected" to its owner due to its respect of the owner being leader of the pack, a pack of two - the owner/ handler and the dog. Once a dog connects with its owner the change in its demeanor - for the better - is immediate and long-lasting.
As a pack leader your goal is to strive to have the same relationship your dog had with its natural mother. Good canine mothers are leaders to their litter of pups. The pups looked up to her for protection and discipline. The pups trusted her for everything. When a good canine mother disciplined her pups she would pin her ears, give a low growl, snap as a warning to the pups and if none of that got the response the mother was looking for she might nip or lightly bite the pup to get her point across.
The reward for the pups following the mothers request was affection, or the pup being allowed to remain in the mother's personal space, or share some of the mother's food.
The important thing was that the mother never went to the last resort first. There was an escalation of her disciplinary behaviour, starting with the least threatening first.
As a dog owner you want to replicate that as much as possible. If you start off with the strongest form of discipline first you create fear in a dog and lose their respect.
That is the inappropriate form of discipline, usually using intimidation tactics involving painful corrections for the smallest of infractions. When most humans react harshly to their dog out of frustration or anger it is usually done impulsively with no intent to harm the dog but rather release the pent up negative energy.
Unfortunately, it does nothing to gain respect from the dog, or any species for that matter. So keeping a calm yet assertive mindset at all times is imperative.
Intimidation-based training is simply a product of the ego and an unhealthy method of intentionally using pain as a means of gaining control. Conversely if your dog intimidates you, you will struggle in vain to gain its respect, usually resulting in forms of bribery to implore the dog to abide your request.
The result of this bribery-based coercion is a dog that assumes that its daily routine has no boundaries and you are simply around to fulfill your duty as his hired hand. In other words your purpose to your dog at that point is to feed him, groom him, walk him then leave him alone.
A good human-dog connection will result in a dog that wants to be with you and please you by living within its trained boundaries without questioning them or testing them.
Discipline is not a four-letter word, when done with a trainer who understands the proper use of canine-based or maternal-based discipline.
Your dog understands and expects you to be the disciplinarian in your dog/ human relationship, because you are supposed to be the leader. It is a necessary part of raising a dog in our human society that requires dogs to be more human-like than dog-like.
