Regine's Dog Training

03/08/2025

Why Quick Fixes & Aversive Methods Aren’t the Answer

Why am I banging on my drum this week about ethical training ?

I’ll tell you why - it’s because saw a little terrier in the park last week being choked on a rope noose lead. She was scared. Her tail was tucked under. She was spinning and choking and being yanked on her neck. Her neck being the size of an average cats neck. She was being forced to walk past other dogs even though she was clearly really scared. Her body language said it all. She had no choice but to follow her owner who was strangling her on this noose or have her airways cut off

The saddest part of this image that’s haunted me all week, is that the owner was with a ‘trainer’. I use the term loosely as I don’t class these people as ‘trainers’. They don’t use their brain. They use intimidation, force and pain.
The ‘trainer’ was advising the owner to snap the lead, drag her past, push her into a sit and make her “face her fears”.
Force her to comply or lose the ability to take a breath as the noose was so tight around her neck. The owner trusted this ‘trainer’ to help train the dog. The owner could not see the dogs distress. The ‘trainer’ didn’t care that the dog was afraid, stressed, choking. He just wanted to prove a quick fix with his punishing tools.

This is what saddens me . People are paying so called ‘trainers’ to hurt their dogs. To apply strangulation nooses or spikes to the dogs neck, or even electric shocks. 😫. People are bamboozled by the ‘trainers’ promise of a quick fix and don’t seem to realise the fallout from these methods is further issues for the dog.

My biggest issue with the people who choose to use punishment (aversive collars etc) is that they are punishing the dog for expressing an emotion. These ‘trainers’ seem clueless about dog body language or even basic physics of applying a strangling noose to a dogs neck ?!
Or maybe they just don’t care? 🤷🏼‍♀️
It’s not rocket science. Put a noose around a persons or animals neck and it will cut off their airway, it will cause bruising to the trachea and soft tissues in the throat, it could cause whiplash injuries if yanked on.
And it bloody HURTS! That’s why it works because it hurts !

Just think about that for a minute….

Reactivity is an emotion
It means the dog either feels fear or frustration and the pent up feelings are expressed, often explosively , as an over the top reaction usually to make the scary thing go away.

It’s completely understandable for owners to seek help and to want a quick fix.
However, techniques like lead jerks, ‘corrections’, intimidation or worse don’t actually change how a dog feels—they just force them to stop showing the emotion.
Many cases of “random aggression” or “biting without warning” happen because a dog that has learned to suppress communication reaches a breaking point. Just because a behaviour is gone doesn’t mean the
underlying fear or stress has disappeared—it’s just hidden.

Imagine you have a leaking water pipe. You cover the crack with duct tape, and it seems fixed—no more water dripping.
But underneath, the pressure is still building. Over time, the crack worsens, and eventually, the pipe bursts somewhere else, causing even more damage than before.

Aversive methods work the same way—they suppress the outward behaviour, but the underlying issue is still there. Over time, this stress builds up and can lead to bigger behavioural problems, unpredictability,
or shutdown and learned helplessness

Ethical accredited professionals will always analyse the behaviour and then address the CAUSE of the behaviour problem . We find out why the pipe is leaking 🤔
We don’t punish the dog for feeling the emotion. We get to the bottom of it and ask WHY a dog is expressing undesirable behaviour
It could be fear, pain, previous negative experiences, frustration, lack of trust in the owner, etc etc

And that’s an ethical stance that we (the force free network of professionals take every day in our work)
I know that punishment can work at suppressing unwanted behaviour
I used to be that balanced trainer 30 years ago
30 years ago I used choke chains or slip noose leads. 30 years ago I used noisy or scary tactics. I was that uneducated unaccredited trainer

But my studies and continuing education taught me that punishing animals to meet a human need is inhumane and unethical.
I choose to work WITH the dog and help it to change its emotional responses. Help it to become more resilient and able to self regulate
You don’t do that by applying pain or cutting off a dogs airway

Balanced trainers CHOOSE to suppress and hurt dogs with tools
Force Free trainers CHOOSE to take a kind and ethical path with no fear pain or force applied

When you know better, you do better. 💪🏻🙏❤️

Photo meme by Linda Michaels MA. Do No Harm Dog Training

03/01/2025

The vernal equinox is 19 days away! But when will winter actually end? Who Knows? March is a variable month warm/ cold, snow/ rain. Even more weather you need to protect your dog from. Icy walkways/ salty slush/ snow falling off roofs/temperature swings can all adversely affect our pooch. Just like yourself, dress your dog for the weather & watch out for dangers. But cheer up...spring is on its way! This pup is watching for it!

02/15/2025

It's been snowy ( oh so snowy ) here. There are deep drifts, high piles of the stuff. Just as with young children, keep an eye on your dog so they don't get themselves into trouble like disappearing into a snow mound/ getting chilled or frost bitten/ sliding off a big pile into traffic. Some dogs enjoy winter, some dogs hate it but it is up to you to keep your dog safe.

01/25/2025

OK...so we've had a bit of snow & cold lately...alright we've had a ton of snow & bitterly cold lately....make sure your best furry friend is dressed for the weather including booties for salt/sand/ice conditions. Don't stay out as long as normal or even just make it a quick potty break. But my dog needs exercise you say! Did you know there is a lot you can do for your dog's needs indoors? It's called enrichment & doesn't need to cost a lot of money...you can even just raid your recycle bin. Enrichment gives the dog doggy appropriate behaviours it can do in a way that will tire it out & keep it happy while waiting for those storms to stop.Here is the ASPCA website for some ideas
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/canine-diy-enrichment

12/31/2024

Happy New Year! Wishing everyone & their dogs a peaceful & successful 2025.

12/25/2024

Merry Christmas to all....may you & your canine companions enjoy some special time together.

09/18/2024

Over the last few days, it feels like a firestorm has been unleashed. It’s clear that outdated dog training practices will no longer go unchallenged.

The release of a study using shock collars (cited below) has sparked unprecedented backlash and even made national headlines, and triggered a major reckoning within the dog training community. The study, seen by many as politically motivated, appears to have put dogs in harm's way to prove a point.

Professionals across the field agree that it should never have been approved by the ethics committee - and their fears were substantiated, given that every single dog in the shock collar group is documented to have yelped in pain while receiving shock collar “corrections”.

The outcry continues to build as more people in our field demand accountability and transparency. Reputations are being hit hard, institutions are facing scrutiny, and balanced trainers like Ivan Balabanov have been fully unmasked, revealing the harmful and outdated methods still being promoted under the guise of expertise.

This glaring evidence underlines what we’ve known all along: pain and fear have no place in professional dog training.

Let this serve as a stark reminder to those in our field who continue to promote outdated methods and deny the overwhelming scientific consensus. The community will no longer remain silent. The evidence is clear and we are moving beyond these harmful practices. Trainers who continue to use pain, fear, and intimidation in their methods do not deserve legitimacy in this field.

Ivan Balabanov, once considered a leader among "balanced" trainers, now faces intense scrutiny following his involvement in this study. It is now scientifically verified that 25% of the dogs he and his mentee worked with in the shock collar group could not be trained effectively, and 100% of those dogs yelped in pain.

This once again undermines the narrative propagated by many trainers who use shock collars and falsely claim that their methods "don’t hurt."

The reality is, the tools they promote rely on pain as a teaching mechanism, and better alternatives exist that teach dogs to comply enthusiastically without the need for fear or discomfort, and without the risks associated with using pain and fear to change an individual’s behavior.

For too long, the welfare of dog trainers has been placed above the welfare of dogs and the public. This has got to stop.

The campaign to expose outdated training methods, like those Ivan Balabanov will likely promote in his upcoming UK workshop, is gaining momentum. Even members of his own community are stunned by the facts that have come to light in this study.

This is not an effort to embarrass an individual but to stand up for the public and make it clear that the propaganda surrounding shock collars is just that — propaganda.

Below is a newly published article from Psychology Today that lays out the facts on the recent shock collar study. For those who think this is about social media “clout” or personal opinions, this article should clarify that our advocacy is rooted in concern for public and canine welfare.

I’ve always said, don’t take my word for it—look at the evidence. This article does just that: https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/animal-emotions/202409/is-balanced-training-fair-to-dogs-or-is-it-a-cop-out

And here is a link to the study in question: Johnson, A.C., & Wynne, C.D.L. (2024). “Comparison of the Efficacy and Welfare of Different Training Methods in Stopping Chasing Behavior in Dogs.” Animals, 14(18), 2632. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14182632

Based on the reaction to this study, another major domino has fallen in support of aversive dog training methods. This so-called "landmark study" will likely be remembered not for the efficacy of shock collars, but for exposing the unnecessary use of pain in dog training as a legitimate strategy.

We are prepared to provide support and education to those willing to update their methods in the interest of public health and safety. But make no mistake—those who refuse to be unequivocal in rejecting pain-based methods will face increasing scrutiny.

The livelihood of trainers promoting harmful practices is not our concern when it comes at the expense of dog welfare and public trust.

The time to end the misrepresentation of science-based training and to uphold welfare and ethics in dog training is long overdue. We are standing together for a better future for our industry, our dogs, and their guardians.

09/14/2024

Tails tell a tale (as does the rest of the dog's body)....learn to read it so you can help your dog feel safe.

Awww they want to meet, look at the happy tails ⚠️
Woah....Hang on a minute, are you confident in reading what tails actually tell us❓
Of course happy dogs can wag their tails✅ BUT so can an angry dog, a curious dog, a tense dog about to attack...and even a scared dog.
Generally speaking, IF you are not confident with reading a dogs tail (and a video explaining this is in the comment section✅)...the whole of the dogs body should be looked at much more than just a tail.
Tail speed, direction and position of a wag gives us a rare insight into how they are feeling...it just needs to be viewed as what it REALLY is, rather than just "happiness".

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08/26/2024

Happy International Dog Day! Spend a bit of extra time with your furry friend....or maybe just let them have a nice nap.

08/03/2024

We talk a lot about training young puppies/ about helping rescues....but we rarely say anything about the oldies. Those dogs that are closer to the end than the beginning/ those dogs that may have been with you for years or you are one of those special people that likes to rescue the oldies & give them a great home for whatever time they have left. These special dogs have needs all their own. They may be hard of hearing, their vision can be deteriorating, they can have arthritis, they may even be somewhat incontinent or have an illness. They deserve our special care for all the love they have given us. Make sure they have a comfortable bed, appropriate food, nonslip surfaces to walk on, proper vet care, give them the time they need to get up, lie down, go for a walk (if they still can), don't force them to do what they used & don't let them do what they used to if they really can't handle it any more (even if they think they can). Heat & cold can be harder on them/ they can startle more easily to noises or touch/ they sleep more. They gave us their unconditional love... now it is our turn to return it.

07/26/2024

It's summer time! Time to get out & enjoy nature. And often we want to take our dogs along. Water is a powerful draw but it can be hazardous. Just as we take care of ourselves & our kids around water, take care of your furry kids too. Dogs can get hypothermia from being in water too long/they can get heat stroke from being in the heat too long/ they can pick up bacterial infections from drinking water/ they can get sick from drinking too much water (water toxicity) / they can drown/ they can get swimmer's tail/ they may love it or they may not/ they may not even know how to swim. So care for them like your kids: put life jackets on them/ monitor the length of time they are in the water/ make sure they take rest breaks/ and keep an eye out for symptoms that show distress.

06/29/2024

Happy Canada Day! But it may not be so happy for our dogs! Many dogs do not like or are afraid of fireworks ( the noise , the flashes of light). They can neither appreciate the beauty nor understand why it is happening. If you are going to a display, leave your dogs at home in an area of the house where they cannot see or hear any fireworks. If you are staying at home make sure your dogs are comfortable & protect them from the noise & light.