Learn how to raise dogs like Prince and Bosco

Raising a puppy into adulthood isn't easy learn how I did it with my own dogs

[MLOB]

As someone who's in infant and child care for 10+ years, I've realized very quickly that the happier, more well adjusted kids come from parents who practice structure. Kids like structure, dogs like structure. It's very clear to see if you work with either of them.

[tikki]

Ive had my abused rescue dog for 2.5 years. At first i let her get away with things while she settled in and mentally/physically healed. Then one day i realized that she had started to chastise me like i was a puppy. It was at this point when i had had enough and started to be the boss. She tested her boundaries, but now she is a happier and more adjusted dog. Making her realize that i am the one in charge has been a game changer.

[Tonisuperfly]

6:45 “My methods for decreasing aggression are:
1. Don’t let the dog jump on you
2. Don’t let them pull you down the street
3. They need to come when they’re called
4. They don’t sleep in your bed.

That is from working with aggressive dogs and ... seeing the correlation between dogs doing whatever the heck they want in life and then being aggressive.

The most bang for your buck is being vigilant in your everyday life with (these 4 things) ... You need to run the show in your house.”

6:31 “You are the boss of your house. You mean what you say and you say what you mean.
You don’t request a lot of stuff.
You’re not asking.
Carry yourself well.”

My own comment:
Absolutely agree. Consistency and clarity over time pay off. Joel says relationship is not the main thing, it’s discipline. He’s probably right - a dog can be trained by someone it has only just met. It may not be about the relationship, but it damn sure is about communication. Your dog needs to clearly understand what is expected, and what is not tolerated.

A lot of people expect dogs to understand what they want, without really taking the time to clearly communicate it to them. You do this by reinforcing/rewarding what you do want and correcting/punishing what you don’t want - consistently, over time.

It’s not rocket science... it’s behavioral science.

[bencoman]

As a teenager going to my first dog training class, I was suprised that the first thing the instructor said was that the class actually wasn't about training the dogs, it was for training the owners. And the trainer's "most important rule" always sticks with me... "Don't ask the dog to do something you are not going to enforce." Like if they don't come when they are called, go and get them, and bring them back to where you were.

I've actually carried over that philosophy (in a softer way) to my kids. I don't ask a lot of them, but if the few chores they are expected to do are not done, whatever fun thing they are doing gets interrupted by one of "dad's chats" where I annoyingly talk about how their actions affect other's view of them, and how that might jeopardize future benefits, until they comply. Now half way through their teens and so far going well - and significant that my eldest comes to me to ask advice about her friends - girls & boys. Her friend's parents consider her the "responsible one" in the group.

[mannycalavera]

My dad used to have dogs and all of them were well-behaved. I used to think our family got lucky. But looking back at my dad's personality (consistent, relentless, disciplined, strict) I now realize that even without reading books or consulting any trainer, he probably just did a lot of things right because his personality was a natural good fit to be in charge of dogs.

[jakebreathes]

I love seeing Prince work, but it's really great to see you and Prince just hanging out and enjoying each other. That dog loves you so much!

[GabrielVeda]

Videos like this make me like you, not just as a trainer, but as a person as well. More stories please.

[JFJF]

Spot on mate, the 3 F's: firm, fair and fun. Works with dogs, kids, other people and yourself.

[User.--_]

“Say what you mean and mean what you say.” Perfect! I like that.

[sbittner]

This resonates with me on so many levels. My dogs have been extremely well behaved, able to sit in the yard with no collar or leash and watch all the neighborhood dogs go by. I could take them anywhere and walked freely off leash at my side. What most people don't realize is by being strict and disciplined when training them, they had an AMAZING amount of freedom because they EARNED it and respected their boundaries. Invest the time early and you'll have many years of wonderful experiences....

[AJFilms]

This is why I love this channel, you know the difference between authority for structure and hierarchical safety instead of ego tripping.

[MawakanUPK]

I don’t have a dog and have never owned a dog, I enjoy theses videos for the practicality in a world where practical thought is attacked.

[annaburns]

I love seeing Prince act like a sweet little cuddly lovable puppy. Most of the time he is literally all about business and working. He needs you.

[LdnLady]

Prince is so lovely & affectionate. What a beautiful boy ❤️

[pietroparker]

THE LACK OF Discipline is the main reason for A LOT of HUMAN problems as well. The fact you know and understand this is why you are good at what you do.

[katelarouche]

Watching your videos and implementing your methods has made such a difference in my dogs. When you said ( of a dog in a training video), "They aren't ready to be on a walk yet." It was like a light went on. Once i began putting in the effort with the door work it got easier to get both my dogs on the same page for other issues. No more lunging or barking like lunatics. I didn't know how to get them to pay attention to me- but YOU did. I'm glad i found this channel. Thank you for sharing your experiences with us.

[inspiteofbecauseof]

I couldn’t agree with you more. I run the show with my pets, kids and students. We still have a lot of fun and have balance, but it’s understood that there are times when the expectations come first.

[irene]

Yup... made some mistakes early on, believing the "ignore/redirect bad behaviour reward good"-mantra. Problems started sprouting (ignoring me, not getting off couch when asked, mild resource guarding)... Fixed some of those issues using positive reinforcement (solid "off" cue for couch, etc), but his whole attitude still had this "whatever, mum"-vibe.
Called his breeder, she told us to NOT put up with any crap from the dog, and to make it clear we're the boss.
One firm correction is all it took. His whole attitude changed within a minute, and never had ANY issues with him again. So glad we learned the lesson early before big problems started.

[annalisawinsthis]

I really appreciate that you admit to doing some not so ideal things with Bosco. It makes you trustworthy and relatable. You're learning too. I REALLY struggle to accept the idea that doggo can't sleep on the bed. My dobie is my ESA/therapy dog and he's my cuddle buddy. There are times I kick him off the bed. But one of my absolute favorite things about my dog, is how he cuddles like a person. He's my snuggle bug and he knows when I really need it. I remember what it was like to not have a dog that knew when and how to snuggle, and I don't want to not have that.

[john-paulmathieu]

I remember my first year of teaching - I had went through college basically learning the "be the nice and understanding teacher" and I was having a heck of a time controlling the classroom and even felt bad when I disciplined my students. Another teacher on the other hand followed the same principle you teach with dogs. "What I say goes" and her classroom was perfect. I thought the students would hate it, yet she was their favorite teacher. Dogs I'm coming to learn as I implement the same things in their lives are the same. Dogs and students alike actually love having boundaries and knowing that there are rules they need to follow (they may not like it at first, however) but they actually learn that it's the best thing for them. I'm no longer teaching now, but I implemented what the other teacher does in future years and it made a world of difference. Glad I started being this way with my dogs because they were basically like my first year classroom and now they are turning into my later year classrooms.