An explanation of my training approach and why I choose to align with the IMDT

Dogs aren’t “good” or “bad” — they’re simply doing what works for them. Behaviours we label as naughty are usually natural or learned through reinforcement, and that “guilty look” is really just appeasement. When we drop the moral lens and focus on learning, training becomes clearer and kinder.

Have you ever wondered why your dog runs to the kitchen every time you open the fridge door? Or looks under the same car on every walk? Dogs quickly learn which sounds, sights and smells predict good things. Understanding how dogs learn can help us not just understand how to train our dogs; it explains the behaviours we love, the ones we don't and the ones we've accidentally encouraged without meaning to.