About > Why Dialogue?

I believe that WE CAN TEACH DOGS HOW TO DO ALL THAT WE NEED THEM TO DO WITHOUT SCOLDING OR PUNISHING THEM, reacting negatively to their behavior or in any way jeopardizing their self-confidence and self-esteem. Dogs don't need to be told they are "bad!"

Dogs don’t know, can’t know, what humans need. Dogs also can’t know what dogs need to function well in a human world. I do know what dogs need, what will make perfectly good sense to them, and what will make them happy, content, and “obedient.” What they need is Dialogue, the method of communication and behavior modification for dogs that I teach to dog owners. Because Dialogue meets dogs’ specific needs, it is unusually effective in overcoming and permanently eliminating dog behavior that humans find offensive.

People typically seek training help for their dogs only when the dogs have caused them, the people, a problem. If a dog makes no waves, he gets no help. Dogs who cause problems force their owners to seek training. Because humans think they must scold and punish dogs to change their behavior, what I refer to as “traditional” training has always been punishing in nature and intent.

The various traditional training or communication techniques and procedures that an owner may already be using with his/her dog typically are, at best, somewhat effective for some behaviors in some situations some of the time. That’s not good enough to keep a dog happy and safe and to keep a dog in harmony with the human world in which he lives. An owner comes to me to learn what works for all behaviors, in all situations, all of the time. Clearly then, the owner needs to give up the techniques and procedures he is now using and focus his energies on adopting and learning the details of Dialogue and practicing them diligently until the good behaviors of Dialogue become second nature to the dog—and the owner.

WR-DOS is the structure of exercises used to develop Dialogue between dog and owner. The key to Dialogue is that we make the dog always right--correct and good--by doing everything for him as he learns WR-DOS.

Dialogue restores stability, calmness, and confidence to dogs who have lost all confidence through their unavoidable trial-and-error approach to life, and the consequent reprimands and punishments they have constantly received.

If Dialogue is thoroughly understood and WR-DOS is accurately practiced by the owner with his/her dog for at least 10 minutes each day, Dialogue results in good dog behavior in all situations, all of the time.

All dogs need to be given Dialogue, not just dogs who cause problems for humans. We must love dogs enough to give them this gift even if they've never caused us any grief. Without Dialogue, I am convinced that all dogs, to a degree dependent on their individual personalities, go through life insecure, often agitated, suffering from anxiety, confusion or even fear of physical harm.

A devoted dog-lover named Brother Thomas said you must "listen to... a dog until you discover what is needed instead of imposing yourself in the name of training."