Most of our colleagues in the business work on training dogs using various forms of reinforcement, such as positive and/or negative reinforcement. Therefore, the differences between dog trainers are usually presented as a choice between balanced trainers (using both positive and negative reinforcement) or positive trainers (using only positive reinforcement).
As a result, one question we get asked often on social media or from prospective clients is how we are different from other trainers and whether we are positive or balanced trainers.
As we have grown as a business and gotten to better understand the industry in which we are situated, the answer to this question has become very clear to us. Way of Life Dog Training is neither positive nor balanced, because our focus is not on behavior modification. If our focus was on modifying behavior, then it would be relevant to ask what kinds of reinforcement we use to change behavior. But that’s simply not what we do. Rather, we focus on coaching people in designing ways of life with their dogs that produce deep and lasting bonds, and sound, strong, and spirited dogs. We work on raising dogs and not merely training them.
To further clarify how we stand out, our team recently engaged in an important exercise to clearly express how we differ from others in the industry. We are proud to be different and this is what we concluded:
#1
We focus on the root cause of your dog’s behavior, not just the issues you see.
The Way of Life Method looks beyond dogs’ problem behaviors, such as reactivity, resource guarding, or aggression. These are merely symptoms of a deeper dog–human relationship issue. If you are ready to stop making excuses or labelling the dog as the problem, we will help you heal your relationship and enhance your way of life.
#2
We strengthen bonds without reinforcement techniques or tools.
The Way of Life Method doesn’t use obedience training or control tools to change a dog’s behavior. We believe that tools like head halters, remote collars, and prong collars demean dogs, undermine our bond with them, and create more problems than they solve. Instead, we teach you to strengthen your relationship through your way of life.
#3
We go beyond fixing problems to help you raise a sound, strong, and spirited dog.
The Way of Life Method is a whole-life approach that doesn’t end when your dog stops manifesting problem behaviors. We help you raise a sound, strong, and spirited dog who is immune to dysfunctional behavior, just as a healthy body can fight off disease. A dog raised this way has much more to offer than a dog trained to obey.
If you find yourself a good fit with what makes us unique, please reach out to us. Whether you’re keen on getting started right with your new dog or pup, or are hoping to address behavior issues once and for all, in a way that is aligned with your preferences and values, we would love to work with you!
