Rethinking Dog Training

What does "Dog Training" mean to you? To most owners it signifies an opportunity to have your dog learn how to perform a set number of routines and commands set to a vocal and/or physical cue you will give. "Sit", "Down", etc are a few to mention that are typically included in any training setup.

However, most training scenarios are built around frustration and a general lack of communication between handler and dog. Very few owners seek out training if they have a well adjusted, well behaved pup - more likely that training is sought to help aid in overcoming obstacles between the owner and dog that are preventing them from reaching their goals. We must remember that at the heart of all training concepts is the root idea of improving communication between handler and dog. Therefore, the dogs behavior should improve simply due to a better understanding of what the handler is expressing.

Professional trainers will incorporate "positive reinforcement" where treats are given to motivate proper responses - but they will often use timed feedings to increase the value of the treat, as well as punish any incorrect responses. They also tend to teach in scheduled clusters that can be hard for a person to replicate if they have a full time job other than dog training. This creates a gap between most handlers and professional trainers simply because the handler tends to assume that "positive reinforcement" training excludes them from having to punish negative responses, and that this work can be done at the handers leisure - when in fact, any obedience work, even positive reinforcement, will require a handler to mark and punish incorrect responses to be effective.

The new dog handler has outgrown punishing their dog physically, and the professional trainer has been slow to adjust in todays world. You will need to work your dog early and often, and you should talk to your dog as much as possible. Humans communicate mostly through words - dogs utilize a simpler set of tones and gestures. Having a tone or word that signals "wrong" is helpful to dogs - whether a grunt or simply using the word "off". Continue to put yourself in a position to succeed when working with your dog - anticipate incorrect answers and have a plan on how you will convey that since you likely wont want to physically punish. As alway - exercise, diet, and social activity go so much further in the overall behavior of your dog than we think.

See you soon!