09/10/2025
At Maximillion Dog Training, we have seen it time and time again: a dog struggling to cope, reacting to their environment out of fear or anxiety, and being punished for it. The irony is staggering. Instead of trying to understand what's driving their behavior, we are quick to "correct" them with aversive methods.
Shock collars, prong collars, spray bottles, bark collars - these tools might silence the behavior temporarily, but they don't address the underlying issue. The truth is, our dogs are trying to communicate with us. Their behavior is a symptom, not the disease.
When they react they're saying, "I'm overwhelmed," or "I'm scared." And yet we respond with more stress, more fear, and more aversion. We justify it by saying we are "correcting" them for their own good, but is that really what's happening?
The reality is, you can't scare fear out of a dog. You can't correct trauma into trust, and you can't punish away panic. What you can do is shut them down.
Make them quiet. But quiet doesn't mean coping. It means they are learned to suppress their emotions, to hide their true selves. At Maximillion Dog Training, we believe in a different approach. We believe in understanding our dogs, in hearing them, and in asking why before we decide how to respond through positive reinforcement training. We set boundaries and provide guidance, but we do it with compassion and empathy. We work hard to reduce worries and stress, striving for real change not just suppressing undesirable behavior.
Our dogs deserve better than to be silenced or "corrected" into submission. They deserve to be understood, to be heard, and to be treated with kindness and respect. Let's work together to create a more compassionate, more empathetic approach to dog training - one that prioritizes our dogs' emotional well-being and builds trust, rather than fear.
If you are ready to start your dog's training journey through positive reinforcement training that's backed by science and is the #1 most effective training method, we would love to have you join our training family. Even it your dog has experienced other training methods, we are here to help. Reach out to us today and we will set up a behavioral evaluation or consultation to get started on your journey to a stronger, more loving relationship with your dog.
Maximillion Dog Training
207-522-3917
Oakland, Maine