What does it really mean to say that someone is “spoiling” their dog? This is a common accusation from those opposed to using food in training, and a common concern of owners who are first exploring the use of food to the exclusion of corrections in training.
“To spoil” means to:
1. diminish or destroy the value or quality of
2. harm the character of (a child) by being too lenient or indulgent
Excerpt from the Oxford Dictionary
A “spoiled” child is thought to have a false sense of over-entitlement. A child that feels that they deserve more than anyone else based solely on their “character,” leading presumably to an adult with poor work ethic and inflated ego.
And no one likes an adult with a poor work ethic and inflated ego, right? Continue reading “Spare the Rod, Spoil the Dog?”
