So many dogs seem to have their humans trained very well. 
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So many dogs seem to have their humans trained very well.
all kidding aside, training a dog is a mutual endeavor. they train you as much as you train them. you learn there are some commands they take better than others, some that they prefer delivered in a specific way, and they all have intelligence that is unique to that dog. some things you learn to accept because the dog will not/cannot change that aspect of themselves. i know to look for that certain "set" to kuro's face, to avoid her blowing snot on my face when she comes up to greet me. i knew not to let my old dog poopily-do lick me anywhere near my head, because if she saw any opening, she would force her tongue into your ear or nose, far enough to lick your brain. with sophie, i knew she would NEVER allow my head to be lower than her head, EVER. if you laid down with her, you had to have a pillow, or she would force her head under your head, and be the pillow for you.
I agree that various dogs train differently, but I see so many people jumping through hoops at the will of the dog instead of the other way around.
I tend to think I should be the one in control of a lot of things because I am responsible for how they behave in the world.
Same situation with raising kids, I didn't let my kids run their whole show their way when they were too young to know how great humans behave.
When I have a dog, I prepare that dog to succeed in the world they are going to live in, that includes a number of things that may need adjustment from how they were behaving when I took them from whatever crappy situation they were in before.
I help them become a great companion for me and my wife... or help them become awesome for whoever is going to take them into their lives permanently.
Had a memory of my dog Tessa show up on FB from 10 years ago today.
you're right, of course, i suppose we all have different levels of what we might require of a dog.
or even a child, as you mentioned. i think you made a valid analogy with that. but you have to admit, that part of that relies on the compliance and collusion from others in your house. everyone knows or has experienced the wife who has different ideas of expectations and discipline of the children than her husband, and for better or worse undermines his efforts to varying degrees. everyone has caught the kids bending the rules/testing limitations in life, or with the dogs. i'm lucky that way, i live alone, so my dogs are trained to a level that satisfies me, and part of that is allowing my dogs certain quirks because they won't be affecting anyone other than me. i would have an easier time than some, obtaining a higher degree of training from my dogs, but i allow certain behaviors because they don't bother me enough to work it out of them.
The dogs that I fostered needed to be ready to go to a forever home and be able to live in one that had other dogs or children or both.
They needed to be stable and not insecure.
They needed to get past their former situations and be balanced.
That would include not jumping on people or being too rough playing with children, or hurting/fighting with other dogs.
Some dogs can be pretty harmless when they misbehave, powerful breeds need to know they have to be gentle and calm and mind their manners, and to know who is in control.
They needed to be stable and not insecure.
They needed to get past their former situations and be balanced.
That would include not jumping on people or being too rough playing with children, or hurting/fighting with other dogs.
Some dogs can be pretty harmless when they misbehave, powerful breeds need to know they have to be gentle and calm and mind their manners, and to know who is in control.
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