Thirty-eight percent of Americans have at least one dog in their home. The human-canine relationship is deeply ancestral, dating back to the beginning of time. However… most people are making detrimental dog training mistakes.

But unfortunately, the modern relationship that we have with our dogs is at an all-time low. What used to be a sacred, symbiotic bond has been warped over time into a paradigm that does incredible disservice to the canines in our homes.

We can spot the manifestation of this paradigm in a range of symptoms, many of which I’m sure are familiar to you: excessive barking, separation anxiety, elimination indoors, fear of other dogs, reactive and aggressive behaviors, chewing on items that shouldn’t be chewed on….. and the list goes on and on and on.

If any of these behaviors sound familiar to you, then I can guarantee you’re making one of these three “dog training” mistakes. I’ll explain:

Mistake #1: Using the paradigm of “dog training”

The first mistake you’re making with your canine is subscribing to the paradigm of “dog training” in the first place.

Dogs don’t need to be trained – period. I know this goes against everything you’ve ever thought you knew about your relationship with your dog, but it’s true. The idea that dogs need to be commanded and controlled in a language they don’t understand (English) sets our dogs up for confusion, stress, and anxiety.

What dogs do need is to be educated, nurtured, and led by the alpha pack leader in their life. Since we live in a modern world that dogs are simply not equipped to handle on their own, it’s essential that humans take on their role of alpha. Embodying this role is the essential foundation to creating a bond of trust and understanding between yourself and your canine.

This paradigm shift is what my proprietary methodology, the Inner Alpha Method™ is all about – and it’s key to creating harmony and deep connection with your canine. A canine that is sure of its role in the pack naturally ceases to exhibit the stress responses listed above, because it feels trusting and led by you.

Making the shift from “dog training” to canine education is the first and most important step to any other shifts you want to make in your relationship with your dog.

Mistake #2: Sending mixed signals about who has the alpha role

If your dog is demonstrating behaviors like separation anxiety, excessive barking, or jumping on guests… the reason, without fail, is that your canine is confused about who is embodying the alpha role in their life.

Like wolves, canines are pack animals. And in a pack, hierarchy is extremely important – it determines whether the pack survives or not. I get it – I know your GoldenDoodle doesn’t resemble a wolf, but the pack psychology is still very much present and alive.

In the modern world that canines don’t understand, it’s essential that humans take on that leadership role so canines can feel relaxed and safe. But when humans fail to embody the alpha role, the resulting mixed signals tell canines that they need to lead and protect the pack. They don’t understand what you want from them, and they don’t feel capable of meeting the demands of the protector and provider.

Embodying the alpha role in your relationship completely shifts the dynamic between you and your canine, because most of the undesirable behaviors you want to change are merely a symptom of stress, confusion, and overwhelm. A calm canine equals a calm home.

Discover everything you need to know about assuming the alpha role in my masterclass, The Embodied Alpha.

Mistake #3: Neglecting to provide care for mind, body, and spirit

Unfortunately for the canines in our lives, information about canine nutrition is largely misguided and actually sets our dogs up for imbalance, stress, and disease.

Think about it intuitively. Do you really know what ingredients you’re feeding your dog, and should your dog be eating them? Are you in touch with the kind of chemicals that are in your dog’s environment?

The reality is that most dry dog foods are incredibly harmful to your canine, containing rotten meat from environmentally harmful factories, unhealthy fillers, and toxic chemicals. This kind of diet destroys the gut biome, sends the immune system into overdrive, and sets the stage for all kinds of disease to set in.

A healthy environment is the foundation of the overall wellbeing of our dogs. And when it comes to your dog’s behavior, we truly can’t leave out the importance of how our dog’s environment impacts their state of being.

In conclusion…

The way that we need to think about our relationships with our canines overall needs to dramatically shift, and restoring this ancestral bond is key to creating a flow state with your canine – but also with yourself and your loved ones.

It’s my life’s work to empower this shift – I’m here to support and educate you along the way.

I’ve been working with canines my entire life, and my mission is to use what I know to to restore the sacred bond between humans and animals. I’d love to help you next. Book a consultation with me today.