As a dog writer, I strive to make a living with words.   As a poet, I use words to express feelings and give meaning to my thoughts.  As a dog-trainer, I use words in order to communicate to my dogs.  In all these areas, I try to use the right word in the right place in order to best say what I have to say.

In the training area, some trainers, behaviorists, and writers are spewing the words of methodology to anyone who listens and faster than they can be assimilated or understood.   Often, the writer or trainer may barely understand the meaning behind what they are saying.

Unfortunately, the genius of a few has become the trendy dog-speak of many.  Seminars and classes in theory abound.  People are flocking to learn behavioral theory even though they already knew it!    The  "camp-make-a-buck-" hucksters are stretching what has always been, into "look -what-I -just- thought-of-and-now-pay-me-for-it!". 

It amazes me that people who have been using both behavioral theory and food training,
(with fine results I might add), suck up this seemingly new knowledge and allow it to be warped into a mutation of what was sound and practical, just because it is packaged differently.

Mistakes and /or misinterpretation by authors regarding behavioral theories are frequent in some of the articles I have read recently.   Consequently, the readers of these articles may completely misunderstand behavioral theory during the training of their dogs. 

Writers must choose words carefully when writing if they want to have their words understood and utilized to their fullest capacity.  Use words for good not evil, use them to communicate properly or poorly.  A well-ordered string of words can help bring meaning to what was once meaningless.

Every word has two meanings.  There is the denotation--the direct and explicit meaning of a word, term or phrase.    In addition, there is the connotation--that is, the idea or notion suggested by or associated with a word, term or phrase.

Now let's relate all this to dog training and theory.  I'll use as my demo-word, one that is bandied about with great frequency within the animal training world--discipline. 

Here are the explicit meanings of the word:
Discipline:  1.    A branch of knowledge or learning. 
                     2a. Training that develops self-control, character, and orderliness.
                     2b.  Strict control to enforce obedience.
                     3a.  The result of such training or control. Acceptance or submission to authority and control, A system of rules Treatment that corrects or punishes.

Consider an article that states:  "With all training, there must be discipline."
Five people may interpret the exact meaning without an explanation; set up a schedule of training and develop skills that will help develop control and meet goals set forth by the set of rules pertaining to training.

However, another twenty-five people may misinterpret and go out and beat their dogs. To those twenty-five people, the connotative meaning of the word discipline means to punish.  It is the duty of the author to explain fully the meaning behind all the terms and ideas.

Now let's add three more commonly used words to the discussion:
Motive:  Some inner drive, impulse or intention that causes a person to do something or act in a certain way.   
Motivate:  to provide with or affect as a motive or motives.  Incite or impel.
Motivation:  to use motives (drives) to control (discipline) the behavior of someone.

How could these meanings help or hinder the innocent reader of a behavioral article? 
Dog training is a discipline, this does not mean I discipline my dog, but might mean I am disciplined in training my dog.  I might also be motivated to motivate my dog.  This means I have an intention or impulse that drives me to act in a certain way towards my dog.  I provide for my dog a motive that in turn motivates him (gives him the impulse) to act in certain way towards me.  I am therefore controlling my dog's behavior.  Does this make the dog disciplined?  In my opinion, yes.   So, if I write in one of my articles that I discipline my dog, with no other explanation, readers will then immediately understand what I mean?  Right? 

None of this suggests that a person can't listen to the theories or ideas being presented at a seminar or in a book with interest or in the hopes of learning something new.  Certainly, if someone can give a method new connotation and thereby help someone to understand it and use it, then that is a good thing.  It is when someone uses the unfamiliarity or newness of an already well-established and denoted idea in order to present it as theirs, that I become bothered.   Humans tend to jump on a bandwagon first and ask questions later.  With the training of a dog involved,  it could be detrimental to the animal.
   
In the same way you try to teach your dog to understand an exercise, you can understand the methods of behavioral training theory.  It is not complicated, it does not take a college degree (although more education never hurt anyone) and you do not have to attend every seminar that comes down the pike.

Simply learn to trust what you already actually know. Add to it in a rational and methodical way (chaining), and you will have the impetus (motive), to go out and program yourself and your dog  (discipline), to perform the behaviors you wish to accomplish. 

In addition, I caution all writers to make sure that what they write is what they mean.  Read and re-read, study and research your ideas, test the methods you try to explain.  Do all you can to be confident that you have expressed an opinion that is truly yours and give clear meanings and definitions.

Finally and most importantly, remember our friend the dog in all this.  It is he we try to communicate with, he we want to understand us as we train.  Max von Stephanitz said it all and said it best when he said--Whomever shall find the answer to the question "How shall I say this to my dog?" has won the game and can develop from his animal whatever he likes. 

Barbara L. McNinch Author: Training Your Rottweiler Loved and owned by: Esmond's Go For Broke, CD, CGC, Brisco Von Der Konigsbrucke, CD, CGC  Fondly remembering: Shirwin's Cody In Command, CDX