Your dog is conscious. Science has made it official.
More than 500 scientists just signed a landmark declaration confirming what most pet owners have always known intuitively: our animals have conscious inner lives. The New York Declaration on Animal Consciousness has enormous implications, not just for science, but for how we train, raise, and care for our pets every single day. As a behaviour consultant with 20 years of experience, here's what it means and why it changes everything about how we respond to the animals we love.
The 4-Rs of Dog Training: Repeatedly Reinforce the Right Response
Our dogs are learning about their environment and the consequences of their behaviour 24/7, not just during formal training sessions. Although we don't always have control over the environment and all the consequences that reinforce our pet's behaviour, there is much we can do to shape it for the better!