Happy Valentines Day!!!

This was sent to me by the woman responsible for us having our dear Jenny. She is a tireless worker for pug rescue here in New England. This is her crew. It was to cute not to share.
****
In the spirit of love for our dogs here is an article I have been meaning to share that I find excellent. It was not written by me but by a training colleague whose name is below.
****
"One of the things I think people sometimes overlook, when they express concern about reward being used to reinforce behavior, is the way it can build a relationship.
*
Healthy relationships are built on mutual give-and-take--when first meeting someone, if they ask about our work and interests, laugh at our jokes, make us feel good, and don't stick us with the check for dinner, that's a good start.
*
People who offer nothing, either emotionally or practically, are generally somewhere on a scale of disinteresting down to toxic--not generally someone with whom most of us would want to begin a relationship.
*
Dogs we've just met don't have a career about which we can ask, jokes at which we can laugh, etc. We can show our interest in what they are doing for us by rewarding with food, the opportunity to do favorite actions, physical touch they enjoy, etc. That doesn't mean that it is bribery, or a shallow connection that can easily be borken.
*
It fustrates me when people think that reward-based training will make the dog dependant on treats--done right, it does just the opposite; it makes all you have to offer valuable. After a short while, this extends not only to food, praise, petting, toys, outings, etc. --it extends to your very presence.
*
But, we need to start with something basic, elemental, primary, for these nonverbal creatures. Just as with feeding and holding a baby, providing food is one of the first ways into most dogs' consciousness, to let them know we are a part of their lives.
*
If the first tiny seeds that grew into the relationship I have with my dogs were germinated in a cube of cheese, fertilized with ear scritches, watered with the door to the potty yard being opened, and warmed with the sunshine of tossed toys, that's fine with me! At this point we are as intertwined as the branches of a mature tree, and the flow of mutual reward is constant, even if there isn't a crumb, toy or doorknob in sight!
*
Ellen Brown