Are you confused by different dog training methods?
By Dan Salb
Seems like every week a new dog training method is popping up. I don’t really get that – I mean, dogs haven’t changed. It’s not like one morning the dog wakes up and says – “You know, I don’t want to be a dog today, so I’m going to ignore all that instinctive behavior and pack mentality and be something else!” A dog is – quite simply – a dog!
So why so many different training methods?
I think people keep changing their minds about what a dog should be – they want the dog to be their friend, their child, their partner. (and, since we’ve already acknowledged that a dog can only be a dog – expecting the dog to fulfill some other role is setting everyone up for disappointment and failure!)
Don’t get me wrong – dogs are fantastic! I live with four of them – and can have that many again as borders. But dogs are bred to have a purpose – a job. And every one of those jobs involves helping out their humans! Whether herding, hunting, guarding, catching small rodents or pulling heavy carts – dogs have been bred to work with humans to accomplish necessary tasks. Having instincts doesn’t mean they do everything perfectly, however. They still need to be trained how to successfully accomplish their task – even if that task is simply living in harmony with their humans!
The Negative of All Positive Training
In theory, positive training sounds great – reinforce good behaviors and ignore bad ones. Positive reinforcement uses not only verbal praise, but also treats (or a clicker to simulate a treat, like Pavlov’s dog). In reality, to be successful the treat must be more important to your dog than something else – digging, jumping up, or chasing that pesky squirrel that deliberately taunts your Fido, then darts across the road, daring Fido to follow!
This means whenever your dog is off-leash you need to have the treats handy – and they better be mouth-watering! The dog isn’t asked to be responsible for his own behavior – he’s simply choosing the treat (usually).
There are a few things wrong with this scenario. First, I dislike carrying hot dogs or peanut butter everywhere I go. There’s not enough aftershave in the world to cover up those distinctive scents! Secondly, as I mentioned before, you have no guarantee the dog will actually do what you want. You have to hope they want the treat more than they want to chase the neighbor’s cat. And third, it doesn’t keep your dog safe. Let’s say you’re traveling with your pet, and he escapes from your car at a rest stop. There’s a LOT of new stuff to smell and explore – not to mention cars and trucks everywhere – and you’re fresh out of hot dogs! Your dog’s life is in immediate danger – and it’s your fault. You never taught him the basic obedience he needs to stay safe!
The flip-side of all-positive training is to ignore bad behavior and don’t put the dog in situations you know he can’t handle. For example, if your dog jumps up and eats food off of your counter – don’t leave food on your counter. If he pulls out the trash, put the trash behind closed doors. Problem solved.
Except…..
It’s impossible to cook without having food on the counter – and every so often the phone will ring, or someone will ring the door bell – and you can’t answer it until you put all the food away. And not everyone wants to keep their garbage in the shower. In this scenario it’s easy to see who’s in control at your house – and it’s not YOU!
My four dogs wouldn’t consider touching my sandwich, even when it’s sitting on the coffee table. As for emptying the trash – well, I’m the messy one. When it’s time to clean up the dogs help me, bringing me whatever’s on the floor so I can put it away. I can take walks or swims with my canine friends – with no leash. And while they may want to chase that squirrel, they look to me for permission. If I say, “Sit” – they sit.
Now I have a bit of an advantage – I’m a professional dog trainer. In addition to giving classes, I specialize in boarding and training those dogs that have severe behavioral problems. Most likely, your dog does NOT have severe problems– so there’s no reason for your dog to jump on people, to run away or to destroy your house. This isn’t rocket science – it’s dog training.
I think the problem arises when people think dogs cannot be responsible for their own behavior. BULL HOCKEY! Have you seen guide dogs, bomb dogs or search and rescue dogs? Dogs can be trained to give consistent responses, regardless of distractions – and without you smelling like Oscar Mayer. Even more important – have you seen how 
happy those well-trained dogs are – and how much they love interacting with their handler? These dogs KNOW they’re doing a good job – and it makes them feel good, too!
I strongly believe that the only way to train dogs is to use a combination of praise and consequence. Yes, that means a chain collar. Properly used, the collar only reinforces correct behavior – it never chokes or hurts the dog. Why do I believe this is the ONLY method worth using? Because I’ve seen the results. If you’re considering training classes for your dog – do yourself a favor and attend the graduation class of different training methods. See for yourself the difference training makes!
In our graduation classes the dogs go through the basic AKC obedience routine. This includes sit, stay, heel and come – both on and OFF LEASH!
Imagine walking, biking or running with your dog – with no leash to worry about! Imagine playing fetch or Frisbee, or taking Fido for a swim without worrying about him heading out to sea! Then take a look at the graduating class of any dog training class you’re considering – and see for yourself if that training is preparing your dog for the real world.
A world without leashes, runaway dogs and bags of hot dogs!
Dan Salb trains dogs – and dog owners – in Easton, MD.
