He Should Do It Because He Wants to Please Me

I don't know how this notion got started, that dogs should adjust their innate behavior just because they want to put a smile on an owner's face. I mean, dogs already fulfill one of the noted shortcomings of the human race by providing a large measure of comforting touch. . . do they also have to feed our egos by being subservient beings intent only on performing to our desires?
No matter what you think, dogs are creatures with their own sets of wants and needs, and sometimes these conflict with what humans want, and sometimes the dog's point of view wins out. This doesn't mean that our dogs don't love us, or are plotting against us to gain ascendancy (the laughable gist of the whole dominance theory). It simply means that sometimes, in your dog's eyes, it's simply more fulfilling to chase that fleeing squirrel or sniff that enticing bitch than it is to respond to your "come" call.
You probably love your parents and want to please them. Did that stop you from breaking curfew or hiding in the bathroom to sneak a smoke or throwing a party when your parents were away or any of the other typical transgressions of youth? Did it mean you loved your parents any less because you did these things? No. It just meant that your own desires trumped your tendency to want to please your parents by conforming to their desires. And so it is with our dogs.
This whole "he should do it because he loves me" idea has kept numerous people from using food as a motivator. Some simply fail in their training, and others resort to punitive methods. Because punishment fits in with the whole Puritan ethic we still seem to cling to, and can let us keep our fanciful thoughts about why dogs do the things they do intact, just labeling this one individual dog as a bit wilfull and in need of some correction. Just as you were probably punished when you did transgress against your parents' rules.
A lot of people are dismayed that their dog will perform better if food is offered as a reward. The really smart ones are delighted that they have such a powerful tool at their command.
I could say a lot more, but I have deadlines to meet. I just hope maybe this will spark some consideration in those who subscribe to this myth. And maybe it will give those of you trying to counteract this line of thought something else to say.