You and Your dogs relationship

Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 1:49 am

how would you describe you and your dogs relationship?

Are you:

Master-slave: meaning you give the commands and are in control the dog must follow or else?

Employer-worker: meaning you give the commands hoping they will listen and do it?

Parent-Child: meaning you are the parent and treat you dog like a real child?

Friend-Friend: meaning both of you are on the same page and work together?

so what are you?

Moderator Joined: 08 Nov 2008 Posts: 298 Location: FL

I voted friend-friend, but I do give the commands, and the dog must follow them. There isn't a "or else" If he doesn't do it, that just means we have more training to do, and more proofing.

Besides that though, we maintain a relationship where most of the time I only have to point, to give a certain visual and the dog knows what I want without vocalizing it.

After training, we enjoy each other's company, whether I let them lay in my lap (literally) or we play their favorite game.

Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 2:16 am

I also voted friend-friend for the same reason ApolloandZeus did.

I give commands and if she doesn't follow it I just know that we have to work more on it together I do not punish. It wouldnt be fair to punish for a command that she doesn't know all that well. We enjoy each others company a lot and I don't know what I would do without her.

Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 3:28 pm

I treat Brady like my child most of the time
Bay him to death. He can do no wrong in my eyes.

There are times he is a friend too

Posted: Sat Dec 06, 2008 4:01 am

My dogs are a lot to me. Friends, followers, leaders...they obey me, we trust each other, and they show me what they can and cannot handle.