On Mon, 28 Jun 2010 11:31:40 -0400, sighthounds & siberians wrote:

I think that just letting a dog do something he likes to do under the
owner's supervision can be training, in that the owner is passively
trianing the dog that whatever he's doing is acceptable behavior. Of
course, that's not all there is to training. I'm not clear on what
you're saying here though - are you saying that a specific behavior,
if done under the owner's control or supervision, is training; but the
same behavior, if not done under control/supervision is going to
create a problem?

when you allow to dig that's like teaching to dig, you may improve dogs
drive for digging. have him dig on command and teach him to stop. The
point here is to control dogs behavior that it is somehow beneficial to
owner. Example: I like my dog/s to bark to make me aware something is
happening around my yard, yet they stop when told to do so, it would be
nuisance if I left them without supervision.

Ah, I see. We're going to have to disagree on this one. I don't wish to
control every aspect of my dogs' behavior, nor do I require every aspect
of their behavior to be somehow beneficial to me.

you do not have to, selection of controls and aspects belongs to you