07/11/2025
🐾Balanced Training Isn’t What You Think! 🐾
A lot of people think balanced dog training is harsh or even cruel — but that’s just not true. When done right, it gives your dog the structure and clarity they need to feel secure and happy.
It’s all about rewarding the good behaviors and setting fair, clear boundaries for the rest. This helps your dog understand what’s expected, builds trust, and actually strengthens your bond.
Read the post below for a more in depth explanation of what goes i to balanced training ♥️
Balanced training gets a bad rap sometimes, with people quick to label it “abusive” or “mean” before really understanding what it is. Let’s clear the air: balanced training isn’t about yelling, hurting, or scaring your dog — it’s about using a mix of rewards and corrections to communicate clearly. Dogs need boundaries, just like kids do, and balanced training gives them that structure in a fair, respectful way. It’s about teaching your dog what you want and what you don’t want, so everyone’s on the same page.
One myth is that balanced training is all punishment and fear. The reality is balanced training focuses heavily on positive reinforcement — rewarding the good stuff — but it also recognizes that corrections, when done right, are necessary to stop dangerous or unwanted behaviors. It’s like driving a car: you use the accelerator to go forward but also need brakes to stop safely. Ignoring corrections altogether leaves dogs confused and sometimes unsafe.
Remember - it's called BALANCED training because we use a balanced approach of the quadrant of operant conditioning. Positive only only uses (according to them) the positive reinforcement quadrant (even though they also use negative reinforcement and negative punishment).
If we would only use positive punishment - that is called Compulsion training or Aversion training. That is NOT what balanced training is.
Another big misconception is that balanced training damages the dog’s trust. Actually, when you use clear, consistent communication that includes both rewards and corrections, you build trust. Your dog knows what to expect and feels secure because boundaries are clear. It’s not about harsh punishment — it’s about being a confident leader who your dog respects and looks to for guidance.
So if you’ve been scared off by the “balanced training = abuse” narrative, take a step back and look at the facts. Balanced training, done properly, is one of the most effective ways to help your dog learn, stay safe, and build a strong bond with you. It’s about balance — not extremes — and it works.
If it didn't, why is there so, so many videos, stories and anecdotes of super happy, confident fulfilled, non traumatised, non shut down, non scared dogs online that are trained by balanced methods?
