ASK AN EXPERT: Why sending Bantay to dog training school won't necessarily work

Even after training, does your dog like barking on other pets, and growls on and even bites strangers?

Perhaps training may not have been right for Bantay.

In a recent Ask Away episode, dog behaviorist expert and The Pack Leader founder Jerry Lakandula said more than training, family dogs need to be able to  connect with his human and have a balanced psychology.

Jerry said what home pets need is a connection between them and their human — and that can only be accomplished by fulfilling their instinctual needs.

"Pagka pinadala mo 'yong aso sa dog training school, you're fulfilling yourself first, hindi 'yong aso. Gusto mo ready-made na 'yong aso, susunod na lang sayo," Jerry told GMA News Online.

Besides, when someone else trains your dog for you, you miss out on forging a connection with him. 

"Pag ikaw 'yong nag-balance sa aso mo, mas ma-i-intindihan mo siya and mas alam mo 'yong psychology niya. Alam mo 'yong behavior niya, hindi mo siya kailangan sabihan kasi alam niya kung ano 'yong dapat niyang gawin."

To fulfill a dog's instinctual needs, Jerry looks to Cesar Milan's formula: Exercise, discipline, and affection. 

Exercise especially — like walking — is important because it mimics hunting, their primal way of connecting with their pack leaders.

"Kapag in-exercise mo ang aso, it's like mimicking 'yong ginagawa nila sa wild at tsaka 'yon 'yong pinaka primal way para makapag-connect ka sa aso 'yong walk," he explained.

And after the exercise, comes discipline in the form of food. 

"They have to work for their food, so pagkatapos nila maglakad, iinom sila ng tubig, magpapahinga sila, tsaka sila kakain  ," he said.

Dogs shouldn't be fed when they are in a wrong state of mind, when they are aggressive, anxious, scared or excited.

"You don't feed or nurture 'yong state of mind na aggressive, state of mind na anxious, state of mind na scared, over excited, di mo  dapat i-nurture 'yong dog kapag ganon ang ginawa niya."

He noted dogs should be calm, and they should connect with you through eye contact before you feed them.

"Yun yung sinsabi na 'The Connection' eh. Kapag 'di nakikipag-eye contact sa yo ang aso, ibig sabihin wala kayong connection," he explained.

And it's in the connection, it's in the eye contact that affection between dog and human flows. — LA, GMA News