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You’ve heard dog trainers on TV say something to this affect, “Your dog is not a balanced dog.” Apparently, this must really be bad. They say it with such authority that you have to assume this must really be a “thing”. I mean, they are on TV. We all know that everything on TV, and on the internet for that matter, is true.

No surprise that I take issue with the term “balanced” as a way to describe dog behavior. Seriously, what are they trying to say with this concept? It sounds like a legitimate animal behavior term…but it isn’t. No qualified behavior consultant in practice or in academia uses this term unless they’re talking about their checking account.

“Dog behavior science is not voodoo.”

— Scott Sheaffer

It’s a made-up term. Unfortunately, just like with many other fictional dog behavior terms and concepts, it’s widely used in the media and even among some dog trainers who should know better.

This term doesn’t help someone with a dog that has behavior issues because it doesn’t refer to anything concrete. It provides the dog’s owner with nothing that is actionable. It’s intentionally meant to sound mysterious and esoteric.

Charlatans who use fabricated terminology and notions like this are trying to mystify the vocabulary of ethology (i.e., animal behavior). They do this because they don’t know or understand animal science and want to appear knowledgeable.

Concepts and terms about dog behaviors like aggression, fear, separation anxiety and resource guarding shouldn’t sound magical. Certified dog behavior consultants understand the root causes of these behaviors and how to treat them effectively. There is no reason for this to be cryptic sounding.

Dog behavior science is not voodoo. If someone you’ve hired to help you with your dog’s behavior issues uses terms and concepts they can’t explain in a way that makes sense to you, treat it as a red flag.

Too many dogs and dog owners have suffered unnecessarily at the hands of people who simply make it up as they go.