7/27/08
The Fallout of Using Force When Training
As a dog trainer, I like to observe the way owners handle their dogs. I have observed dogs jerked with choke or prong collars, kicked to get into a specific position, hit for acting like a dog, and yelled at because the owner felt embarrassed by the dog’s behavior. I have seen these behaviors not only from novice dog owners, but also from people who should know better. I have also seen some people who are so incredibly gentle with their well-trained dogs, I’m left speechless. I was blessed with the opportunity to write this column and accepted the challenge with the hope of bringing information on a better way of training to this area.
Across the country, it’s become commonplace for trainers to advertise as “positive” even when they are not. No wonder, positive training methods allow owners to train without pain. No longer is it necessary to yank a dog’s neck to get him to heel. Rubbing a dog’s nose in his mess in the name of house training has gone out with disco music. Hanging a dog by its neck, feet off the ground, in the name of correcting poor behavior has been deemed cruel and ineffective. True positive training has made it possible to achieve accurate and reliable behavior and still allow the dog to think, all while maintaining a relationship of trust between pet and owner.
The Whole Dog Journal recently published a wonderful article by Pat Miller, owner of Peaceable Paws (www.peaceablepaws.com), positive trainer, and past president of the APDT. Titled “The Pitfalls of Positive Punishment,” it lists the fallout possible from using methods that are no longer considered safe and effective training. Her complete list can be found on my website: www.smilesandwags.com . Here are a few:
“Dogs can develop a ‘punishment callus’.” This one is obvious. Perhaps you have seen a dog who continues to pull or jump in spite of the owner pulling and tugging on a choke or prong collar. It’s also seen in dogs trained by shock collar. Trainers begin with what they call a “tap,” then find they have to continue to raise the level of shock as the dog becomes tolerant of the shock. Yelling at a dog, especially to get him quiet, may work once or twice because he is startled, but he soon learns to ignore all the noise from you.
“You can cause physical pain/damage to the dog.” Make no mistake – choke, shock, and prong collars cause pain. If they didn’t cause pain, they wouldn’t work. As noted in the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior Position Statement on the Use of Punishment for Behavior Modification in Animals http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/small_animal/services/behavior/AVSAB_Punishment_Statements.pdf : “For instance, electronic anti-bark collars can cause burn marks on dogs. Choke chains can damage the trachea, increase intraocular pressure in dogs thus potentially worsening or contributing to glaucoma in susceptible breeds, cause sudden collapse from non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema (water in the lungs) due to temporary upper airway obstruction, and cause nerve damage.´
“Violence begets violence.” This has been the most difficult concept for me to help others understand when I work with aggressive dogs and their owners. When a dog is reactive, rest assured that if you handle it with force or violence, the behavior may be temporarily suppressed, but it will resurface at a time and place and in a way that will be totally unacceptable. Methods of desensitization and counter conditioning prove to be far more effective and humane in dealing with aggression than the more forceful and dangerous methods often seen on TV that include disclaimers “don’t try this at home.”
“It doesn’t teach the dog what TO do.” I think this is something few owners consider. It’s much easier and less time consuming to teach him what behaviors are acceptable and will get him what he wants. Teaching the dog to sit and wait as a door is opened is much easier than teaching him not to run through it as it is opened. When you spend most of your time telling your dog what not to do, you are not spending time building a trusting relationship.
When asked about my philosophy of dog training, I respond that I focus on the bond between the owner and dog. As a long time agility participant and trainer, I have learned that the creation of a partnership between the dog and the owner will lead to satisfaction with the dog’s performance, an increase in the dog’s confidence, and a comfortable relationship in everyday life. Positive training is not a phrase. It’s a commitment to working together with animals and people, using current scientific principles of learning to help both achieve a trusting bond.
Jan Casey is a reward-based trainer and owner of Smiles and Wags. You may contact her at www.smilesandwags.com