[nagdu] thoughts on Pilot's training

[Debby Phillips]

Hi.  Well, dogs do test us, especially when they are young.  I 
don't think any school says "Yank the leash really hard!" A leash 
correction is NOT a hard yank, or at least not the first one.  
Seeing Eye teaches a ladder of correction.  So first, we do a 
verbal "leave it" or pfui for us, no for other schools.  Then if 
that doesn't work, a light tug on the leash, then a full-blown 
correction if that doesn't work.  I refuse to feel guilty or like 
leash corrections are "bad".  As much as our dogs get corrected, 
they get praised.  It's not like those of us who still use leash 
corrections just do that all the time.  Do people abuse 
corrections? Sure.  But do people always do positive 
reenforcement correctly all the time? Nope.  All I know is that I 
AM the Alpha female in our house, cuz if Mama ain't happy, 
nobody's happy.  Lol.    Debby and Neena