17/09/2024
Choosing the right trainer for your dog can be tough when there are tonnes out there, the industry is so unregulated and everybody has an opinion and a recommendation of who/what is right. One thing we can all agree on however, is that when you choose a trainer it should be a very personal thing β you're giving this person your valuable time, money and attention, often inviting them into your own home. However, it isn't like choosing a plumber to turn up and fix your pipes β a trainer / behaviourist's job is to work towards "fixing" (if there is such a thing...), an individual (i.e. your beloved family member)'s way of thinking.
This is why social media likes, followers, claims of 'experience', and even recommendations aren't always the be all and end all β instead, look at a trainer's beliefs, values, the language they use, their qualifications (hopefully from a recognised awarding body)... and above all else, the science behind the methods they use. "Balanced", and even "rewards-based" trainers may reward your dog for 'good' behaviour, but at some point down the line they will also correct the 'bad', using methods (or tools) that are in some way 'aversive' to your dog, i.e. they will rely on fear, pain, or discomfort to 'correct' the behaviour β this could be something as seemingly inoffensive as a 'lead correction'.
As a recent US study into the use of shock collars appears to show, such methods can indeed see results... at least at first... But therein lies the rub β science (yes, science... it's not just the happy-clappy tree-hugger types holding hands and singing "Kumbaya" who are saying this...) has proven that aversive methods are not only less effective in changing behaviour in the longer-term, but can in some cases see behaviours worsen, and ultimately rely on bullying your family member into listening.
"We have to teach our kids right from wrong though, why shouldn't I tell my dog what is right and wrong?"... we hear it so often. My simple answer (as a canine behaviourist, owner, and yes, a parent)... these are human concepts. To your dog, there is no 'right' or 'wrong', or 'good' and 'bad'... there's just 'dog'. Dog behaviour only becomes 'bad' when it inconveniences us. Yes, we chastise our kids for 'their own good'... for example, "Don't touch that fire!!!" or "don't hit your brother!"... but we use our language to tell them WHY. Fire will burn you. Hitting your brother ends in one of two ways: either he'll be sad and won't want to play with you, or he'll whallop you one back, neither of which you will like. Dogs on the other hand don't have the advantage of language, so when you 'correct' a dog, you really cannot explain to him 'why'... it's like trying to argue with a Spanish person in Chinese... they may possibly get the gist of what you're saying and nod along smiling to keep you happy, but you won't be able to fully change their mind and behaviour because they just don't get you.
Ultimately, training is not about 'obedience' but about motivation β what is motivating the behaviour you don't like, and how can you motivate your dog to change it into something that you DO like? We must always ask "what COULD this mean to my dog?", and "would that make him WANT to do X, Y, Z?" If the answer is no... just don't do it.
Balanced dog training using positive reinforcement (rewards-based) methods and aversives (physical punishment) is no better than simply using force-free positive methods and love.