Positive vs. Correction. Where's the balance?

Training needs to bring into balance a dogs desire to work and a dog's need to be responsible for it's own behavior.
Training from one side only or the other creates an imbalance in the dogs responiveness and desire to follow commands or direction.
To use only reward or positive training may give you a dog very happy to work or a dog who works at the verge of being out of control, but not one always willing to respond to commands. They do so only if they feel whatever reward offered at that time is more important than what it they wish to do.
The imbalance is a dog who does not respond 100% of the time, leaving owners with a dog inconsistent in behaviors and a dog never able to go beyond the boundaries of a leash or reward.

If only correction is used in the training, you will have a dog who is able to control their behaviors may do so with little enthusiasm. As a sport of competition dog, they lack luster in their performance and as a family pet be more robotic than playful. A clarification here, correction does not mean nor equate to harsh treatment or abuse. Correction equates to redirection the dogs behavior as it happens, making the dog responsible for choices as opposed to making the owner responsible for the dogs choices, as in reward training.
Yet, both sides of the coin are necessary for the complete dog to exist.

A Balanced trainer is one who uses all aspects of training both reward and correction to have a willing, enthusiastic working partner able to respond to commands in varied circumstances. The best balance dogs are ones who can be in control both on and off leash with varied real life distraction.
This gives you a dog who is able to go and do more, therefore have a better and fuller life as a companion.
If you think of a balanced trainer as a super shopper. One who knows where everything is in the store, how and when to get the best value, along with how to use the store lay out to their best advantage. They can enter the store, get what they need quickly, competely and effectively, then leave the store in a timely manner with a shopping list fully complete. They don't waste time and energy or money picking up and looking at everything, hoping it fits their needs.
A balanced trainer knows how and when to move from reward to correction and back again in their training to get the most efficacious results possible.
Results are important. Without results, what benefit is there to training at all. Without results, how does an owner know they are getting the best training possible for their dog and money.
Without results in a timely manner, problems are not corrected, the dog doesn't advance.
There are many dogs placed into rescues and shelters who have not had results in their training.

Look for balance in your approach to your dogs training needs. Teach them to understand the responsibility for their behaviors. Dogs seek and look for boundaries, direction and leadership from their owners, give them the complete package of reward and correction to have happier, well behaved and more enjoyable family pet.

For more information visit: www.ultimatedogtraining.com