marshall k-9 Philosopy
Natural Law - Understanding Nature
What is Natural Law as it pertains to canines in the wild, at home and in training? Natural Law or Mother Nature are the rules that dictate life on earth as they were designed millions of years ago. These rules are vastly different than the rules humans live by today, or so we all think. These new rules humans have grown accustomed to and take for granted are most often directly opposed to the ancient rules that even mankind at one time lived. Humans have developed technologies over the years transforming the environment to suit their needs. This has been defined as progress. Many times, this progress has turned out not to be the best choice for man or the environment. This discussion however will deal with progress as it pertains to canines, communication disconnect and reunification.
Humans started changing natures’ law when they developed agriculture. This allowed humans to change how they lived from hunter gatherers to staying in one place as farmers and developing cities. These lifestyle changes afforded humans some luxuries they did not have before, along with some challenges. Examples of the luxuries - extra time on their hands, no need to move from one place to another in search of food and lessened exposure to predators, essentially taking them off the menu of many predators. Example of the challenges - how can hundreds, even thousands of people live in close proximity to one another? They need new rules. These rules need to make life easier. One way this was accomplished was domestication of animals to do their heavier work; and so it begins. The process or “progress” away from nature’s law to civilization.
In the beginning of the domestication process, humans spent little to no time trying to understand how animals communicated or lived. The domestication process consisted of selective breeding those animals that suited man’s purposes and dominating those resulting animals. Until recently, it was believed animals had little to no emotion, communication skills, or intelligence – “just a dumb animal”. I think we all have heard this phrase at one time or another. Recent scientific studies of a variety of species have dispelled those fallacies. Canine’s being the one we are concerned with in this conversation.
This look at our history suggests why we are so confused about canine training. Humans for so long have not taken the time to understand how canines communicate, how we are similar and how we are different. Canines in their wild state are wolves who are what I call social predators. A social predator is an animal that exists in a social hierarchy to survive and makes its living predating on others to live. Humans also are social predators by this definition. You would think that having the same “drives” would make it easy for us to understand how wolves think and live. Unfortunately, because man has evolved and developed technology to solve his natural problems in life, he has forgotten even how to understand himself. I guess this is why psychiatrists are needed.
This memory lapse is partially evidence by the societal issues we experience today. Society considers it normal to take care of everyone, even if they do not want to take care of themselves. In nature, this breaks one of the cardinal rules – only the strong survive. I am not advocating killing off the weak, I am just pointing out the differences and how far away we have strayed from what was originally designed by nature. Wolves are selectively bred but nature does the selecting. Dogs are just human selectively bred wolves, not subject to natural selection, essential in the domestication process. The differences are, selective breeding desirable traits have resulted in making dogs better companions to humans, while wolves are still unencumbered with our societal rules allowing them to live by Natural Law. We still need to understand these laws because we and to a larger degree dogs, are subject to these laws.
Enough with the why, now let’s start understanding the how. Mankind’s quest to control everything in the environment, and along with his success, has led him to believe technology is always the answer. Sometimes this is true, but in my opinion, this is not true when it comes to dog training. Technology is what leads to a huge disconnect between people and their dogs. Trainers are always interested in a new gadget or “technique” that is the answer for people who are having troubles with their dog and want their dog trained. Dog owners are constantly asking me “what do you do for …”? Essentially what they are asking for is a quick fix for whatever problem they are encountering with their dog. The truth is, there are no quick fixes for dogs with behavioral problems as there are no quick fixes for people with behavioral problems. The cure is to establish communication. For this conversation, we are concerned with the communication between humans and canines. The problem is we do not speak dog and the dog does not speak human language. What to do? My solution is to teach a dog an intermediate language that both understand. Through this language, rules are established, understood and abided. Once this language is taught and understood by both dog and owner then we can begin the process of correcting any behavioral problems that exist.
The language is the five basic commands – come, down, heel, sit and stay, taught with only a leash and a training collar. Through this language, the rules of Natural Law are re-established, relationships are renewed and communication begins. Just teaching these obedience commands is not the answer, the answer is how they are taught and the proper application. I have spent 40 years of my life training dogs, the last 25 examining why and what techniques work and why others do not. This brief explanation of the foundation of my ideology in regard to dog training is just that, brief. There are many layers and I intend to share these layers with the hope of creating a deeper understanding and appreciation of our canine companions.
marshall k-9 Philosophy
Natural Law 2.0
Throughout time, man has sought to understand Nature and the Law that presides over it. Initially it was a necessity born out of survival day-to-day. Mankind needed to understand the ways of predators to avoid being eaten or injured by them. Eventually evolving into how to utilize nature and its laws to enrich his existence. Unfortunately, mankind has had a one-sided view of this understanding, this has skewed his full understanding of Natureand its Laws.
If you only look at one side of an issue that has more than one side, and there always are, you come up with an incomplete picture. That is what has happened with understanding nature and the animals in our world, and by the way, we are included in that group. Humans are the most intelligent species of animals in that group but that is part of the problem with our understanding how this whole thing works. What I mean by that is, “we” humans tend to judge what is right and wrong with not just each other but with different species of animals. This arrogance is not entirely our fault but because of our success and intelligence we have the capacity of thought far exceeding even the most intelligent of other species.
Scientists have concluded the indication of intelligence on our scale starts with the ability to be self-aware. This means having the concept of an active thought process of personal identity. For man, this created advantages and disadvantages. Being self-aware allows us, or causes us, to be selfish, prideful, judgmental, deceitful, vengeful, coveters who have a very narrow view of things we do not understand or an inaccurate view of others. We see this even amongst ourselves in our daily lives. Democrats do not understand how Republicans see the world, Muslims do not understand how Christians see the world, Capitalists do not understand how Communists see the world, these are a few examples and I am sure you can think of more; I know I can. At any rate, due to our intelligence getting in the way, mankind has a tendency, despite his superior intelligence, to let it get in the way.
Because this writing has to do with understanding canines and not the world, I am going to concentrate on this one small facet of the concept. Understanding the philosophy of Natural Law is crucial. The reasons it is crucial are many but probably the most important one is these rules are not up for being repealed or amended. We cannot change these rules to suit our needs. Every time we try, we learn this lesson. Let me rephrase that, we should learn this lesson. Unfortunately, a more accurate statement would be, we, or our environment, suffer Mother Nature’s wrath. Example – years ago mankind decided wolves were dangerous and on top of that they killed our livestock and limited game for our hunting opportunities by eating the prey we liked to hunt; primarily elk. So, in our judgment we simply eradicate wolves and all these problems would be solved. The outcome of that decision took a while to realize but the result was once the wolves were eradicated, elk herd health declined, the imbalance caused too many unhealthy elk to survive creating food shortages for elk and other species. The food shortage not only caused starvation death for not just elk but other animals, the landscape also changed. Due to the elk eating up vegetation, erosion around stream and rivers were a problem. When mankind began to realize the impetus was the eradication of wolves in the ecosystem there was a big push to bring them back. Many people were against this for economic and primal fear reasons. To date, and with a few exceptions, bringing wolves back have proved to have been the right decision; with little of the fears realized. I would like to say that this one example helped mankind learn not to rush to judgment and use their intelligence effectively, but so many other examples through the ages proved otherwise.
Mother Nature has been set up to work, we must accept that and work within these rules. Essentially that is why it is important to understand why my “Natural Law” techniques work. It is designed to work within Mother Nature’s rules. Without judgement of what man thinks is right or wrong, regardless of what is fair or cruel, but what Mother Nature says and what the dog understands. Humans must start looking at how the dog thinks and how they view our world and their world. We then will discover dogs live without judgement, deceit, coveting, revenge, selfishness, and pride. They live in a world that has positive and negative immediate consequences. Mother Nature set this up for them and that is how they learn. They learn without feeling sorry for themselves. They are free, let us not burden them with our burdens. Understanding and learning not only of my “Natural Law” techniques but how your dog thinks and how you as a dog owner can achieve a more symbiotic relationship that I believe we are all looking for.
marshall k-9 PHILOSOPHY
Natural Law - The Source of the Communication Disconnect Between Man and Dog
In the 1970s, there was a television commercial for a brand of margarine where a woman dressed as “Mother Nature” is fooled into thinking that the margarine she is eating is actually butter. Once informed of this deceit, she exclaims, “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature”! With the clap of a thunderbolt, Mother Nature makes it clear that there will be hell to pay for such trickery. Well, Mother Nature is right in many respects. It’s not nice (or prudent) to deceive her and in fact, I am of the belief that her indignation is only partially justified, because it is actually impossible to hoodwink the old girl. She presides over all living things on the planet and the rules for her dominion are inviolate. They are what I term the “Natural Law” – an amalgam of the sacred rules that have governed life on earth since the beginning of time. Although these ancient rules often appear vastly different than the tents that govern life on the planet today, the truth is that Natural Law is uninfringeable. It cannot be nullified by any modern principles that regulate contemporary life.
So how does Natural Law apply to dog training? What is its place as it pertains to canines in the wild, and the domesticated dog that lives in your home? To understand this connection we have to first go back in time – back to nature, if you will.
In the beginning, before the domestication of wild canines (wolves), these animals lived and survived according to Natural Law. They were then, and are today, social predators by nature. By definition, social predators live in small groups within a social hierarchy that survives by collectively hunting larger (and more physically adept) prey. At the very core of their hunting prowess, there lies a highly-evolved communication network that is the hallmark of the hunting technique of all social predators – including man. This is particularly so during the period in time when he was actively engaged as a hunter/gatherer. Unfortunately, along with the advent of agriculture, man gradually lost the need, and therefore the ability, to communicate at this most basic level. Conversely, dogs did not.
For various reasons, a small percentage of these UN domesticated wolves were inclined to wander away from their pack-oriented social hierarchy. This behavior has always existed among wolves, and still exists today. Some of these more daring wanderers (perhaps equipped with a more inquisitive spirit, or maybe, less skittish tendencies) found their way into contact with social predators of another kind – humans.
The contact between the two naturally similar species proved to have benefit for both groups, and consequently, the bond between them developed and endured. In fact, the early history of man and wolf is a near perfect demonstration of evolutionary theory – Darwin would be proud.
Still, despite the partnership, each species traveled through the years in parallel, albeit separate lanes. Different than domesticated dogs, human society pursued a path of developing technologies to transform the environment (and the communication there within) to suit his needs. We see this, particularly over the last 100 years, as the development in communication has moved from telegraph to telephone, radio to television, and writing letters to video chats. The current pattern in society to increasingly move towards more detached forms of communication is undeniable, and, I believe, at the expense of critical interpersonal communication skills. We call this “progress” and, generally speaking, view these transformations as positive advancements. However, oftentimes, this progression (particularly if against the grain of Natural Law) has negative results for both man and the environment. On the other hand, the domesticated dog has continued on the same consistent path as his wolf ancestors. His interaction with the environment was unchanged as he adhered to the rules set of Natural Law.
One of the earliest examples of humans altering the environment to enhance the survival of the species was the development of agriculture. Agriculture afforded man the ability to secure a food source without the need to roam. No longer at the mercy of Natural Law’s hunter/gatherer lifestyle, these early farmers were now able to reap the benefits of a long-term domicile and community. The advantages ranged from having more free time to being less threatened by predators. But as is with most steps forward, there are challenges that sometimes equate to one step back – for example, the difficulty of many people living in close proximity to one another. To ease these challenges, new rules and methods had to be adopted. One way this was accomplished was domestication of animals to perform heavy or useful work. In the case of dogs, the purpose of domestication was essentially threefold: (1) herding/guarding flocks and home; (2) hunting; or (3) serving as symbols of wealth or status. And so it began for the domesticated dog – the process or “progress” away from Natural Law to the imperatives and whims of civilization.
In the beginning of the domestication process, humans spent little to no time trying to understand how animals communicated or lived. The domestication process consisted of selectively breeding those animals that suited man’s purposes and dominating those animals that were the result. In fact, until recently, scientists believed that animals possessed little to no emotion, communication skills, or recognizable intelligence – “just a dumb animal”. Recent scientific studies involving a variety of species (canines included) have dispelled those misconceptions.
This look back at history illustrates the primary reason that canine training is so confusing to humans. In short, as humans changed their environment and communication on the road to progress, they travelled that rocky road alone – no dogs allowed. Despite domestication, dogs have experienced little “progress” in terms of the way they think, communicate and interact with their environment. Although very much affected by the societal rules that humans have constructed, they have no understanding of their terms. As humans, we moved away from most of the need (and ability) to understand the ever-constant Natural Laws to which domesticated dogs are still subject. This phenomenon resulted in a communication disconnect between man and his best friend.
In summary, and in general, man’s attempt to use technology to trump the Natural Laws of Mother Nature has been ineffective. It just doesn’t work very well. As it applies to dog training the progressive technical intervention that man attempts to employ in the field of dog training are merely devices (i.e., clickers, prong collars, food rewards) that are incapable of bridging the basic communication disconnect that has occurred between man and dog. As humans, we have tried to fool Mother Nature and have failed because we are not speaking the same language. It was not nice or prudent to fool her, and the hell we pay is evidenced each time Fido chews up your favorite pair of shoes or the sofa cushions when you are sure he knows better.
The good news is that the situation is not without hope. Communication with your dog is not only possible, but it can actually be the conduit to one of the most rewarding relationships of a lifetime. I will explain how we can re-build the bridge of communication between you and your dog in Natural Law - Restoring the Communication Disconnect Between Man and Dog.
marshall k-9 Philosophy
Natural Law - Restoring the Communication Disconnect Between Man and Dog
In Natural Law – The Source of the Communication Disconnect Between Man and Dog, we discussed the history and source of the communication disconnect that exists today between man and dog. A severing that is the result of a clear, but generally unrecognized, evolutionary split that slowly occurred over time.
Although it is important (and always interesting) to understand the basis of any concept, the knowledge is of no value without an attempt to apply this learning in a productive way towards a meaningful purpose. Hence, we move on to the solution, Natural Law – Restoring the Communication Disconnect Between Man and Dog.
Let’s start with a comparison/contrast of wolves and domesticated dogs. Aside from the more obvious similarities between the two (like diet preference or instinctual behaviors), wolves and domesticated dogs are also similar in a more fundamental way. Both have been selectively bred. However, the architects of the selection process in each group approached the task with vastly different intent. Not unexpectedly, this dissimilar intent propelled each species to travel alternate roads to a very different destination. Wolves are selectively bred by the Natural Law of selection survival of the fittest. On the other hand, dogs have been throughout time, and are still today, selectively bred by humans (as part of the domestication process to enhance traits that are desirable to the breeder).
In its purest form, Natural Law is a process of natural selection – only the strongest or smartest survive. Mother Nature assumes her role as teacher without malice, but also without mercy. She does not grade on a curve, accept extra credit, or give points for attendance – only the most adept pass her year-end final exam.
Taking Mother’s Nature’s example, I have developed my program of Natural Law dog training using both the basics of Natural Law doctrine and lessons learned from behavioral modification study. As its underpinning, I employ a systematic program of reward and consequences – meting out penalties and incentives with the understanding that every dog is capable of learning (and surviving) under the protection and with the guidance of a teacher. Within this system, the severity of the consequences and the extent of the rewards are controlled by the canine student. Not nearly as callous as Mother Nature’s “take no prisoners” maxim, I advocate a kinder, gentler teaching method because the stakes are lower. For our purposes, Mother Nature’s scorched earth philosophy is not either appropriate or necessary.
The Natural Law Evolved™ Canine Training Program is different in many respects than other “obedience-based” dog training program; however, one key difference can be found in its fundamental rejection of the use of gadgets to facilitate learning. As briefly discussed in Natural Law – The Source of the Communication Disconnect Between Man and Dog, I believe that mankind’s quest to control all aspects of his environment and his perception of success in this endeavor has led him to believe that technology is the all-encompassing answer to any question. Unfortunately, perception is not always, in fact, reality. I believe that this is especially true when it comes to dog training.
In fact, it was technology that originally led man into the abyss where he lost the ability to utilize the shared natural communication language that had formerly existed between wolves and humans. Not unlike the man who loses his memory as the result of a bump on the head and does not regain his memory when he reenacts the assault, it is unlikely that technology would be the solution to fix a problem that was of its making. In both cases, the result of the attempted fix is a nasty headache.
Still most dog trainers are of a mindset where they are perpetually fascinated with employing the newest gadget or technique. Dog trainers and dog owners alike (just like people, in general) are all looking for a quick fix to the problems they encounter. Dog owners are constantly asking me, “What do you do for …?” The question, itself, reveals a “pop-a-pill” mindset – the frustrated dog owner is looking for an elixir indifferent to the likelihood that any quick fix is likely nothing more than a Band-Aid, and often unfortunately, just a placebo.
In short, as with so many complex questions, the unvarnished truth is that there are just no quick fixes for dogs with behavioral problems. The only valid, effective remedy to help both dog and dog owner to overcome behavior obstacles is to restore the disconnect in communication that exists between them. It takes time and effort, but the result is priceless.
I am not saying that many of these gadgets and techniques do not work, to some extent. It is possible to potentially be the owner of an obedient dog using gadget-based obedience training. In other words, the dog will obey you most of the time. Be it prong or shock collar, halter leash, clicker or treat reward, the dog will respond and obey when the gadget is present and in use. However, if your goal is to achieve a human/dog relationship of mutual respect – a feeling of deep admiration that can lead to a shared emotional bond – then you are wasting both your time and money on gadgets. In fact, the use of the gadget actually costs you more than just time and money. Let me explain.
As the weeks roll by and your dog progresses in gadget-based training, he gradually learns that the gadget is the source of the control and influence. Instead of mutual respect between you and your dog, your dog learns to respect the gadget, not you. The control comes from the gadget. If you have left the gadget at home, all bets are off when Fido slips from the car and runs onto a busy highway. Using Natural Law Evolved™ Canine Training, the control and respect are grounded with you. As long as you are present, the dog understands both the language you speak and the rules you have set. There is an understanding and bond. When you settle for gadget-basedtraining, both you and your dog are cheated out of personally experiencing the indescribably, intimate and exclusive relationship between man and his best friend. As Olympic cyclist and three-time gold medalist Kristin Armstrong once said, “Real connection and intimacy is like a meal, not a sugar fix”.
So, just how do we restore the communication that has been severed between dog and man? We do not speak the language of dog, and dogs are incapable of uttering a single audible word. How can we bridge this gap? The answer lies in utilizing an intermediate common language that can be taught and understood by both the dog and the dog owner. The establishment of this common language bridge lies in the mechanics of obedience training. The mechanics of the training is the key to establishing communication. It is the basis for a partnership between you and your dog that will prepare you both to travel a communication highway that leads to a mind-blowing destination of respect, intimacy, and trust.
At the heart of any language, there is alphabet – a system of characters or symbols that represent sounds or things or describes the basic principles of the language. In the case of our intermediate language, the alphabet consists of the five basic obedience commands – come, down, heel, sit and stay. Another fundamental principle of any language is the lexicon that functions as the principal carrier of meaning. In our case, this vocabulary can be found in a leash and training collar. Through this language, the rules of Natural Law between man and dog can be re-established their communication disconnect can be restored, and their relationship bond can be gratifyingly deepened.
Still, while the desire is to form a relationship with our dog that is deep and meaningful, nothing is a given. Even between humans that speak the same language, communication is not always effective. Sometimes, communication is just plain easier between two particular individuals. Sometimes, we encounter a soul mate, and other times, we find ourselves completely baffled in our attempts to communication with others. The same phenomenon applies to human/dog communication, even though they are both speaking the same language. The good news is that one way or the other, the effort put forth to establish a common language between you and your dog is not wasted energy. Despite individual differences in ability and personalities in both the human and/or the dog, the relationship between the human and the dog will be immeasurably improved. And if you work the program, and the chemistry is right, you may just win the man/dog relationship lottery.
marshall k-9 Philosophy
Natural Law - Predator vs Prey
The predator vs prey subject is so multi-faceted that the definition seems to be dictated by the perception of the person who is offering their opinion on the subject. There is the scientific definition which allegedly deals with an unbiased opinion, just based on observable facts. The moral definition that is based on human emotions and the definition of right and wrong, good and evil, with a lot of things in between. The whole thing is a mess, and the understanding of the subject is elusive due to the mess. Leave it to humans to complicate further, a complicated system, Natural Law.
I am sure no one, and by no one, I mean humans, understand all the concepts of Natural Law despite their level of education, intelligence, or their attempts to look at it completely unbiased. I think the only organisms that possibly do understand it are the organisms, flora and fauna alike, that don’t question the system but intrinsically understand the rules. Humans have created an environment, intentionally, that allows them to be disconnected from the natural world. This disconnection provides them the time and energy to observe and pass judgment on the morality of the predators and innocence of the prey. The reality of predator vs prey is that all predators become or can become prey within their lifetime as well as prey becomes predator during their lifetime. For millennia scientists have struggled with understanding nature and all its unseen rules. This is evidenced by constantly discovering that this or that animal or organism is a “keystone” entity that without it the whole system is thrown out of whack. Scientists also struggle with the ubiquitous bias humans struggle with. This bias, I believe, contributes to their constant discoveries they missed something as important as a “keystone” organism.
So, what does this mean? I think what this means is it is not as important to understand nature as it is to accept it for what it is. Then what is it you may ask, to which I would answer simply “the most complicated, simple system ever devised”. In physics, the rule is for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction. The same is true in biology. The rules are simple, to survive you must evolve. This evolution causes the organism to participate in an arms race of sorts. Unless you, the organism, find a way to predate on something else, the organism will die. The organism must evolve to survive in order not to be predated upon and eliminated to extinction. They must develop strategies to avoid predation and hone predatory strategies. Another rule is there are consequences for every action the organism takes. Punishment and reward.
Punishment can be defined as failure to be successful which can lead to hunger, thirst, injury, or eventual death. Reward is defined as the opposite of all the aforementioned consequences. In physics or biology, the same rules hold true. Success or failure has another consequence critical to survival, propagation. Without at least a modicum of success and evolution the entire species becomes extinct. All existing organisms are an active part in the natural process. At least for now, because times are changing and the ones that cannot adapt or are too slow to adapt become extinct. These organisms fight and cling to life, struggle for survival. The rule of nature however does not discriminate and does not provide free lunches with a helping hand. Only the strong survive. This seems cold hearted to human beings, but we revel in nature’s beauty; we release our stress by “getting back to nature”. Now, that is confusing. The simplicities of nature are, evolve or die without discrimination. The complexity is in the dependence of one species on another and how that is expressed.
“I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. A small bird will fall frozen dead from a bough without ever having felt sorry for itself”, this is a quote from a D.H. Lawrence poem. I first heard it while watching the movie GI Jane. This quote or statement struck me like a ton of bricks. The navy seal master chief was addressing the prospective navy seals during a very arduous day during B.U.D.’s training. I believe what he was trying to communicate was that success, survival, completing the training, was largely due to not feeling sorry for yourself. Feeling sorry for yourself is a counterproductive emotion. Humans have this emotion, and it is detrimental to our survival. It uses necessary energy needed for survival, that clouds the mind, causes poor decision making, and most lethal of all, divests the human from responsibility of failure. That energy is likely to be the difference between success or failure, translated, life or death. Wow, the rest of the movie was pretty superficial, but that one statement helped me to better understand my dog training philosophy.
Natural Law Evolved™ is based on the axioms I have been speaking of in this article. The rules Natural Law Evolved™ utilizes are simple in their philosophy but complicated in their application. It looks simple but it is not, just like Mother Nature.
Over the course of three decades, I have developed a mechanical method designed to encompass the basic axioms of natural law. Punishment and reward. The Natural Law Evolved™ (NLE) method is so named due to these axioms and the fact that it continues to evolve. This evolution continues to this day. I do not claim to understand all of nature’s subtleties. I am constantly discovering and learning subtle ways in which to communicate with our canine friends. On many occasions, these discoveries appear from what would seem to be unrelated circumstances of the canine world. This seemingly unrelated circumstance in and of itself is one of the strongest indicators that NLE ™works and is a solid scientific theory. Why, you may ask, and I am hoping you do, because why is one of the most important questions you can ask. The answer to why is because nature and its laws are omnipresent. Therefore, it logically follows, answers for one question of why, can be found in other areas. I am constantly weighing potential answers to questions I have about one subject or another, with this very simple but complicated test. If this, whatever this is at the time, is true, can this other thing be true? If not, these two things prove to be mutually exclusive, and the hypothesis cannot be true. If they can coexist, it is much more likely to be true. Then, you can spend more time examining the potential answer with further tests. The NLE™ method follows Natural Law because all of nature and its laws are interconnected and depend on one another to work. When something upsets the apple cart, eliminating a “keystone” species, Mother Nature applies other rules to compensate for this loss; often times punishing other species or environment, without bias, to reset the balance. NLE utilizes the punishment and reward system, taking into account the social hierarchy of canines, who share their lineage with wolves. Canines also share their hierarchy with humans. I call this relationship “social predators”. The term social predator is defined as a system that relies on a family unit, who actively hunt, to survive.
NLE™ focuses on nature’s axioms to create an environment that parallels what nature intended in a family unit for the dog and owner. This family unit by virtue of nature’s law, requires a structured hierarchy. To function, survive, this structure requires effective communication. When the first two elements are achieved, and not before, the final required element for the family’s survival is possible. CONNECTION. In the most natural way, NLE’s mechanical method provides a conduit unlike any other to achieve what every dog owner truly wants and needs – to have a symbiotic canine “partner”.
marshall k-9 Philosophy
Adapting Natural Law Principles to Dog Training
According to Wikipedia, the field of science is defined as “the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment”. With this definition in mind, it logically follows that the work of a scientist is to learn by observation and to develop or discover scientific laws or principles based on those observations. And essentially, that is how the Natural Law Evolved™ Canine Training Program has been developed – by observing and understanding what exists in nature (as it pertains to natural laws and the result of those laws), and then applying the dictates learned from that observation to dogs. In other words, looking through the lens of Natural Law to learn how dogs think and see the world, and then adding an adaptive filter to the lens observing what works and how and why it works, as it pertains to training.
Throughout time, man has sought to understand “Nature” and the “Law” that presides over it. Initially, mankind’s motive to understand Mother Nature’s laws was a necessity – born out of an imperative to improve man’s odds of prevailing in the day-to-day struggles of competition. In a sense, grasping and appreciating the laws of nature served as a guide to humans – a handbook that explained the most effective way to proceed forward. Mother Nature’s manual taught man the parameters of his existence – predators themselves, living and battling with both like and other species of predators over the world’s constrained resources for survival. The consequences for going off Mother Nature’s script, i.e., ignoring Natural Law, were injury or death, and categorically, counter survival.
Over the last 200,000 years, humans, in their modern form (intelligent and self-aware), and with survival as their uppermost priority, evolved and adapted to the planet’s natural laws to enrich their own existence. In fact, among the planet’s plethora of life forms and species, it appears that man has emerged as the most powerful and dangerous species. Humans reign with impunity over the perceived less intelligent members of Earth’s animal kingdom. Indeed, it would seem that man is the fortunate lottery winner in the competition to survive, added significantly by the superpower that he, alone among millions of other species, possess.
So, just what is this superpower? What characteristic sets man so drastically apart from the rest of the animal kingdom? Is it sheer intelligence or consciousness – the ability to solve complex problems with both unique and varied solutions? To some extent, intelligence is the key, however in reality, intelligence is more the source of the characteristic than the characteristic itself. Human intelligence is the result of the highly complex, exceedingly developed and evolved human brain. The result of this intelligence – the factor that sets man apart – is his capacity to be self-aware. Among all other highly intelligent life forms on the planet, many of which possess consciousness, man’s sense of self-awareness in unique.
In the Scientific American Mind article, “Self-Awareness with a Simple Brain”, author Ferris Jabr defines consciousness as “an awareness of your body and your environment”. Jabr explains, “Humans are more than just conscious; they are also self-aware”. He goes on to describe the difference between consciousness and self-awareness, saying, “to be conscious is to think; to be self-aware is to realize that you are a thinking being and to think about your thoughts”. Essentially, self-awareness gives each of us the ability to conceptualize our own personal identity.
Unfortunately, man’s self-awareness is a double-edged sword. On one side, it has elevated him to an exclusive position in nature; but on the other side, his exclusive position has also created his tendency to be selfish, deceitful, vengeful, and jealous. In addition to these characteristics, man’s self-awareness has resulted in a distinct tendency to make judgments that often lead him to erroneous conclusions, especially when it comes to the laws of nature.
As arrogant, self-aware beings, we attempt to make sense of the world, in general, from a self-centric point of view. Consequently, we’ve developed an inherent bias to view and judge others through a narrow lens. This thinking by itself, is nearly always inaccurate and misleading. However, when the other being assessed/judged is not even human, the result is even more skewed. From our specialized vantage point and using a one-sided human lens, we inappropriately and inaccurately view and humanize the others in the animal kingdom. Regrettably, the human tendency to anthropomorphize animals is especially prevalent regarding the domesticated animals that live in our homes; in particular, our dogs. This misguided thinking has led to a fundamental misunderstanding between humans and dogs, which in turn, has resulted in a disconnect between the two species. Fortunately, this disconnect can be repaired, and this is where the Natural Law Evolved™ Canine Training Program takes center stage.
So, at this point, perhaps you are asking yourself, “What’s the big deal?” “Who cares if I choose to think that Fido feels jealous when I hug my spouse?” “What difference does it make if I think that Rover pooped on the floor today out of anger or resentment because I did not take him along when I went to the lake house last weekend?” Well, I submit to you that once you understand the way your dog really views the world, as a living creature that exists and abides by the unchanging laws of nature, you will find yourself at the trailhead of a deep understanding and journey to form a connected partnership with your canine companion that you have, heretofore, never contemplated, or imagined.
However, first, it is important to understand the Natural Law philosophy and principles that lie at the heart of the Natural Law Evolved™ Canine Training Program. Essentially, these principles provide the background reasoning for why the Program’s techniques work so well.
- The Program is designed to work within Mother Nature’s rule set – the rules that your dog already understands – without human judgment of either right/wrong or fair/cruel.
- The Program utilizes the teaching model that dogs understand. Like humans, over thousands of years, dogs have learned to understand Mother Nature’s rules through her teaching model of reward and punishment (either positive or immediate negative consequences).
- The Program recognizes that dogs are not self-aware and, therefore, are free from concepts of victimization or persecution; and
- In keeping with a tradition of saving the best for last, I believe that one of the most important components of the Natural Law Evolved™ Canine Training Program can be found in its “Evolved” element. Within a natural setting, the rules of Natural Law can neither be repealed nor amended. When a rule is violated and negative consequences result, there is no method for “pleading down” or “time off for good behavior”. Mother Nature’s laws are harsh, fixed, and unalterable. However, the training arena is not a natural setting, and the Natural Law Evolved™ Canine Training Program recognizes this difference and offers the flexibility for making allowances and adjustments, as needed. And while each dog that enters the training session is a unique animal, with unique challenges and abilities, they are also bound together in a very significant way, as they have each traveled a common evolutionary and domestication path.
As I review the evolution in thinking and process that led to the development of the Natural Law Evolved™ Canine Training Program, I am reminded that simplicity lies at is foundation. The Natural Laws that exist in the world today are a culmination of years of evolution; and the Natural Law Evolved™ Canine Training Program exists as a culmination of years of personal observation and study of both Natural Law, and canine behavior and training. Over the years, through experimentation, I applied knowledge gained from both arenas, and adapted it with the intent to maximize training relationships and develop stronger more connected relationships with our canine companions. The result is the Natural Law Evolved™ Canine Training Program – unique, flexible, and always evolving.
marshall k-9 Philosophy
Natural Law - Reward and Consequence
Natural Law is the mechanism of evolution. Within Natural Law there are several different elements that dictate the survivors and the extinct species. Some of these elements are biological, others are behavioral. I am speaking to the behavioral elements and how we, as humans, survive based on how we react to and utilize reward and consequence. Ultimately, I want to investigate not just how we as humans react to and utilize reward and consequence but how other species and particularly canines react to reward and consequence within nature.
Humans are very interesting when you look at the reward and consequence concept. We all react differently to varying doses of both and we all have our very specific forms and formulas that are best for each individual. As responsible parents, we search for the proper doses of reward and consequence to maximize our child’s chances of having a productive and happy life. If you speak to these parents, almost invariably they would say that this is their goal but very few feel as if they hit on the precise formula for their individual child. This is true for the most educated and prosperous parents to the single mother that struggles to keep her head above water. Everyone that I have ever spoken to regarding this subject speak of the impact their parents had, good and bad, on their lives and the inadequacies that despite their parents’ best efforts, they recognize they have insecurity, issues or just believe is the result of childhood rearing mistakes by their parents. In turn and in recognition of those perceived mistakes made by their parents, they resolve not to repeat those mistakes with their own children, only to learn too late that despite their best efforts either the same mistakes are made, or new ones were made trying to compensate for reward consequence inadequacies in their childhood. This realization is fascinating because psychiatrists, doctors and other learned folks who study human behavior, over the years seem no closer to solving the reward consequence puzzle.
The reward consequence paradigm is used to not only raise our young, but the Natural Law of reward and consequence is used as a concept in religion. The ultimate reward is everlasting life, and the ultimate consequence is eternal damnation. This concept, I do not believe, is a coincidence of nature, but actually follows what was set up in Natural Law in its most raw form. Watch any documentary involving our beautiful outdoors and you will find examples of beauty and brutality. If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I guess so is brutality. What is one person’s beauty may not be someone else’s and the same is true for brutality. When the wolf is depicted caring for their young, playing and communicating with members of their pack, most people see beauty and a noble creature. But when that same wolf pack are shown hunting down the weakest member of an elk herd through pack communication systematically exhausting the elk through a long arduous chase and bring down this other beautiful creature that can no longer save itself, they eat it alive. Most would agree this is brutal and ugly. But this is essentially Natural Law – reward and consequence.
On the other hand, if the brutal murder does not take place the wolf starves to death; also, brutal. If the wolf does not teach his children or other pack members, they do not have harmony or communicate well enough to successfully hunt and will all die. The consequence for failure. If this happens enough across the board, species become extinct, ether it is their inability to adapt to situations beyond their control (i.e., climate change) or inability to adapt to controllable issues (i.e., hunting), they starve. However, if they are successful at these they survive and propagate. Reward and consequence in its purest form – Natural Law. This becomes even more fascinating when you consider humans are not immune to this paradigm but in some ways are the biggest winners and at the same time the biggest losers in this conundrum. Humans are the sole species who are so prolific they enjoy more comforts than nature supplies, so benevolent they defy Natural Law as they take care of not only those who cannot take care of themselves but even those who can but do not want to, and at the same time capable of more brutality than any of the creatures we judge to be brutal and cold to other suffering. Interesting indeed.
With all that said, I would like to talk about how this pertains to canine training, why Natural Law works, and my methods of applying it are the most scientifically based and intuitive thought processes ever conceived.
marshall k-9 philosophy
A Lesson Learned?
Years ago in his hubris, man made a determination that wolves were dangerous and undesirable. They killed valuable livestock and they reduced the quantity of available game for hunting as they preyed on similar types of wildlife, i.e., elk and deer. So, in man’s judgment, he decided to simply eradicate wolves – no more wolves meant no more troubles. Problem solved. Right? The elk herds would grow and hunting would be good; and in the beginning years after the wolves were eradicated, this was the case. However, as time progressed, the size of the elk herds actually declined far below the numbers before the wolves were targeted.
Why did this happen? Well, the answer to the question is because man tried to interfere with Mother Nature’s delicate laws of balance. Without wolves as their primary predator, the elk herd increased to an unsustainable size. There wasn’t enough food and the overall health of the entire herd was affected. In fact, it wasn’t just the elk herd that suffered a food shortage, other wildlife species that relied on the same food source as the elk were also affected by the shortage. The landscape suffered. As the elk ate up any vegetation available to them, erosion around streams and rivers became a problem. When mankind realized that the source of the unhealthy elk herds and deteriorating landscape harkened back to the eradication of wolves in the ecosystem, there was a big push to bring the wolves back. Initially many people objected to reintroducing wolves into areas where they had been eradicated. Much of the dissent was fueled by economic concerns. However, some was generated from a primal fear and historically inaccurate understanding of wolves and wolf behavior.
To date, with a few exceptions, bringing wolves back into the ecosystem has proved to be the right decision. So, going forward, what are the chances that humans have learned the lesson that Mother Nature was teaching as they attempted to alter the balance in nature? Not likely, but as a human, I’m permitted the luxury of hope.
