[nagdu] control was Dog problems

[Julie J.]

This thread has me thinking about how I interact with my dogs.  Specifically 
I am pondering the commonly used  term "control".  Often we are advised to 
control our dogs or keep them under control.  Maybe I think too much, which 
long time listers will be nodding their heads about right now, still I can't 
help myself.

What do we really mean by control?  It seems to me that there is a strong 
sense of superiority, a feeling that we need to dominant another being.  Is 
that what we really want?

This morning I'm thinking I'd rather encourage my dogs to have self control. 
then they can go about their business unsupervised because I trust them.   I 
don't want to micromanage their lives, any more than I want someone 
breathing down my neck every minute.

I see control as an imposition of my will.  I don't want to do that.   I 
want my dogs to have as much freedom as is possible, while still living in 
harmony in my house.  It's the same for everyone that lives here, and to a 
lesser degree those who come to visit.  I want them to choose to do the 
right thing, because it is what they want, not because I said so.

Perhaps this is the fundamental difference between punishment based training 
and clicker training?  I don't know.

Julie