How I Think About Dogs, Training, and Evidence
Dog training is filled with strong opinions, competing philosophies, and passionate debates. Unfortunately, confidence and popularity are not always reliable indicators of accuracy. My goal is not to defend a particular ideology or training “camp.” My goal is to understand dogs as accurately as possible and to help owners make informed, humane, and practical decisions.
Over the years, my work has evolved from simply learning training techniques to studying the broader sciences that influence behavior, including learning theory, ethology, behavioral ecology, neuroscience, stress physiology, cognition, genetics, welfare science, veterinary behavior, and systems thinking. The result is the BASSO Method – a structured, evidence-governed approach that seeks to understand the whole dog rather than relying on any single training philosophy.
This page explains the principles that guide my work.
The BASSO Method
The BASSO Method begins with a simple belief:
Behavior is rarely caused by a single factor.
A dog’s behavior reflects the interaction of many influences, including:
- genetics,
- early development,
- health,
- stress,
- environment,
- learning history,
- motivation,
- emotional state,
- owner behavior,
- daily routines,
- and the challenges the dog is expected to navigate.
Rather than asking, “How do I stop this behavior?” I first ask:
Why is this behavior occurring?
Only after understanding the underlying factors do I develop an individualized training plan.
Every recommendation begins with assessment rather than assumption.
My Guiding Principles
Several principles guide every recommendation I make.
Individualization
No two dogs are identical.
Breed tendencies, age, health, environment, owner experience, household dynamics, and previous learning all influence behavior.
Recommendations should fit the individual dog—not the other way around.
Evidence Before Ideology
No single training philosophy explains every behavioral problem. Whenever possible, recommendations are based upon the best available evidence rather than loyalty to a particular label or school of thought. If good evidence contradicts my current understanding, I am willing to change my position.
Welfare Matters
Training should improve the long-term welfare of both dogs and the people who live with them. Good welfare involves more than simply avoiding unpleasant experiences. Healthy dogs also need opportunities to explore, learn, recover, solve problems, adapt to manageable challenges, build confidence, and function successfully within the environments in which they live. The objective is not to eliminate every form of stress, but to distinguish between manageable, adaptive challenges and experiences that create unnecessary fear, suffering, or chronic distress.
Observation Before Interpretation
Behavior is observable.
Motives are often inferred.
Whenever possible, I distinguish between:
- what was observed,
- what it may mean,
- competing explanations,
- and the degree of confidence supported by the available evidence.
This helps avoid overconfidence and encourages better decision-making.
Human Responsibility
Dogs do not train themselves. Owners, families, veterinarians, trainers, and caregivers all influence outcomes. Successful training depends as much upon human consistency, communication, expectations, and management as it does upon the dog’s learning.
My Evidence Policy
Not all evidence carries the same weight. When evaluating new ideas, I generally consider multiple sources of evidence, including:
- peer-reviewed scientific research,
- systematic reviews and meta-analyses,
- established scientific theory,
- veterinary medicine,
- comparative animal behavior,
- practical field experience,
- and carefully documented case outcomes.
No single study should automatically overturn decades of accumulated knowledge. Likewise, tradition alone is not sufficient evidence. The strongest conclusions are those supported by multiple independent lines of evidence.
How I Evaluate Claims
When I encounter a new training claim, I ask several questions:
- What observations support the claim?
- What evidence has been published?
- Have the findings been independently replicated?
- Are there competing explanations?
- Under what conditions does the claim appear true?
- Under what conditions does it fail?
- How does it fit within established knowledge from related scientific disciplines?
- What uncertainties remain?
Extraordinary claims require correspondingly strong evidence.
What Changes My Mind
Science advances by improving explanations, not by defending them. My views evolve when new evidence demonstrates that:
- previous conclusions were incomplete,
- stronger evidence becomes available,
- multiple independent disciplines converge on the same conclusion,
- practical experience consistently contradicts previous assumptions,
- or better explanations account for the available evidence.
Changing one’s mind in response to better evidence is not a weakness. It is the normal process of scientific learning. I carefully listen to what the owner says since they are often the primary observers, the “sensory devices”, and daily trainers of the dog.
What This Means for Clients
You should expect recommendations that are:
- individualized rather than formulaic,
- evidence-informed rather than ideology-driven,
- practical for everyday life,
- mindful of both human and canine welfare,
- and willing to acknowledge uncertainty when the evidence is incomplete.
Some behavioral problems have straightforward solutions. Others require careful assessment, patience, and collaboration. I will always strive to explain not only what I recommend, but why.
Continuous Learning
Dog behavior science continues to evolve, and no one body / domain offers a unified understanding/ theory of all behavior. So does my understanding evolve. This website is not intended to present immutable truths. It is a living body of work that will continue to develop as better evidence emerges. Every article, handout, and recommendation reflects my best current understanding of the available evidence. When stronger evidence appears, I expect my thinking to evolve accordingly. That commitment to continuous learning is one of the core principles of the BASSO Method.
My Commitment
My commitment is simple: to make a good faith effort to…
To understand dogs.
To distinguish evidence from opinion.
To remain willing to learn.
And to help dogs and the people who love them build healthier, safer, and more successful relationships together.