How to Choose a Dog Trainer

Choosing a good dog trainer is much like finding the right teacher for your child. Assertive but caring, attentive and knowledgeable—there are many important qualities to keep an eye out for when making this crucial decision. In order to choose one wisely, it is advised that dog owners call, interview, and observe a trainer prior to hiring them.

“There are numerous ways to train dogs. In addition, each animal has his/her own learning style and preferred motivators,” said Dr. Bonnie Beaver, professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences. “The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior, or AVSAB, endorses training methods that allow animals to work for things (such as food, play, affection) that motivate them, rather than techniques that focus on using fear or pain to punish them for undesirable behaviors.”

A good rule of thumb is to avoid any trainer who displays methods of physical force that may harm your dog, including ones who routinely use choke collars, shock collars, or any other physical punishment as a primary training method. Look for a trainer who uses reward-based training with treats, toys, and play instead.

“Research shows that dogs do not need to be physically punished to learn how to behave, and there are significant risks associated with using punishment, such as inhibiting learning, increasing fear, and/or stimulating aggressive events,” said Dr. Beaver. “Because of its risks, punishment should only be used by a trainer who can fully explain the possible adverse effects and instruct owners in one-on-one sessions how to perform the techniques correctly.”

Observing a class prior to hiring the trainer is a great way to get an accurate representation of their training methods and abilities.  You should evaluate not only if the attending dogs seem to be learning and enjoying the class, but if their owners are as well.

Are dogs’ tails up and wagging or down and/or tucked? Are the people talking with their dogs in happy, upbeat voices or are they scolding or even yelling at them? Talk to the current students—are they enjoying the class and feel that their dogs are learning? Dr. Beaver explains that asking these questions will help to evaluate the trainer and see if their teachings style will work with how you and Fido learn.

“Ultimately, you should feel comfortable doing whatever it is the trainer asks you to do to your dog,” said Dr. Beaver. “If your trainer ever tells you to do something to your dog that you believe will cause you or your dog undue harm or distress, ask them to explain why they recommend that technique, what the potential drawbacks of the technique are, and how these will be addressed should they occur.”

It is important to keep in mind that all dogs are different, and due to the variable and unpredicted nature of behavior, a conscientious trainer cannot guarantee the results of training. They should, however, be willing to ensure satisfaction of their services. Remember that training should not only be a pleasant and comfortable experience for Fido, but for you as well.

Video of the Day – Dogs have a civilized meal

via ab29300119

The Importance of Positivity

I’m sitting across from a husband and wife that are on the verge of divorce. They’ve started arguing again and seem to have forgotten that I’m in the room. I’ve been in their home only 30 minutes and already I’ve been exposed to the most intimate details of their lives, the wife accusing her husband of wanting to be with the dog more than he wants to be with her and the husband telling her how ridiculous she sounds. He loves his dog even though the dog has bitten his wife on a number of occasions, and he refuses to give in to her demands to give the dog away.

In situations like this, it’s hard for me not to become emotionally embroiled, but I have to think clearly and logically about what the next steps should be. I am not a trained marriage counselor, but have learned that being a good dog trainer means sometimes having to deal with difficult human situations in addition to providing solutions to complex canine behavioural issues. The two go hand in hand, as many of the canine issues I see have been caused or greatly influenced by the people dogs live with or the environment in which they live.

Early in my work I discovered that just listening to people talk about any given situation is a big part of the human rehabilitation process—talking about feelings provides profound relief. Helping people communicate successfully—which frequently means framing problems positively or without blame—enables them to air out differences and create solutions not just for the humans in the household but also for the dogs.

Positivity is powerful on so many levels. It improves communication, facilitates understanding, and promotes patience. Endeavouring to understand how a family member feels or why a dog is misbehaving lets you address the root cause of the feeling/behaviour and the empathy this understanding gives you helps to tackle the problem in a positive manner, giving both dog and person a greater chance of success. This is why I call my teaching methods positive training and why my company is called Positively; a positive approach yields results. It’s not always easy, but thinking and teaching positively greatly enhances learning and strengthens the human/animal bond.

The use of positive methods when teaching a dog has been universally endorsed by the behavioural scientific community at large as the most effective, long-lasting, and humane dog training method, not to mention the safest. Basically, with positive reinforcement—which is essentially rewarding a behaviour you like—there’s a better chance of that behaviour being repeated. Not that it’s all treats or praise. Positive training still utilizes “negative” punishment (the removal or withholding of something the dog wants like food, attention, toys, or human contact for a short period of time) or vocal interrupters to redirect negative behaviour to a wanted behaviour. It’s all about guiding a dog into making the right choices.

Traditional (old school) trainers often argue that positive training shows weakness and a lack of leadership, but the truth is that the most respected and successful leaders are able to effect change without the use of force. Punitive trainers also believe that positive training only works on small dogs with minor behavioural issues and that a heavier hand is needed with large, unruly dogs or those dogs that are highly driven, such as working dogs. But in reality, positive principles are by far the most effective way to teach all kinds of dogs, including those that suffer from severe anxiety or aggression.

Contrary to what many people have been led to believe, most dogs are not trying to be dominant when they misbehave. The truth is that dogs are not on a quest for world domination. They are not socialized wolves who are constantly striving to be “top dog” over us, and they are not hard-wired to try and control every situation they are in. Unlike what traditional training ideologies and much modern media would have people believe, most canine behaviour problems stem from insecurity and/or a desire to seek and maintain safety and comfort, not from a desire to establish higher rank and be the “alpha.” Therefore, teaching dogs “who the boss is” by forcing them into some mythical state called “calm submission” is precisely the opposite of what dogs really need in order to learn effectively and overcome behavioural issues. Resisting the urge to project our human insecurities onto how we believe our dogs think and feel is a prerequisite to being able to understand and build truly balanced and healthy relationships with them. Recent studies show that dogs have cognitive abilities comparable to that of a twoyear- old child. Extensive studies have also shown that punishing children can compromise learning, promote insecurity, and cause problem behavioural issues as the child grows. People have made great strides in understanding how children should be raised and it is important to do the same for our dogs. Children and dogs might be very different in many ways, but they are both vulnerable beings that rely on us 100 percent to protect them, to help them learn, and give them the confidence and tools they need to be successful in their environment. This is done with kindness, positivity, effective boundaries, and continual encouragement and reinforcement of good behaviour.

I try to be a positive person in everything I do, not just when I am working with animals. I never fail when it comes to teaching dogs but sometimes I have a hard time staying 100 percent positive in my personal life or when clients are being combative or fail to do the work I give them. Like most of us, I have on occasion gone down that negative road, especially when my emotions get the better of me, but nothing good comes of it. My job is to promote change for people and their animals and the only way I can do that most effectively is to live positively myself. I can say from experience that the results are worth it.

As for the warring husband and wife? They are still together and positively working through their issues. Thanks to our many sessions, there is clearer understanding of each other’s needs on both sides and a deeper bond is forming between them and their dog.

Problem Barking Solved!

The real problem here is that the dog’s master does not understand the basics of dog language. To a dog, loud, short words like “No!” “Shut up!” “Don’t bark!” and so forth sound just like barks. Think of it this way: the dog barks to signal a potential problem. Now you (who are supposed to be leader of his pack) come over and also bark. This clearly indicates that you agree that this is the right time to sound the alarm, so the dog moves his barking to an even higher level.

Many different techniques have been tried to stop dogs from barking. They range from staring directly into the dog’s eyes in a threatening manner and shaking the dog to methods involving water pistols and squirt bottles, lemon juice sprays, muzzles, adhesive tape, rolled magazines, rattle cans and electric collars. Sometimes these work, but more often they don’t. Even when they do work, such methods tend to be harsh and can damage the relationship between dog and master.

To try to stop barking you must first understand what it means. The dog is barking to communicate something that he feels is relevant to the pack. Usually he is warning his loved ones that he senses danger or something else that requires action. Imagine what goes through the dog’s mind when his act of devotion is met by violence. Aggressive responses to communications that were meant to be helpful are bound to damage future relationships between the person and the dog. Furthermore, these “corrections” only provide a short-term solution to a problem that is easily solved if you understand canine communication patterns.

Wild canines, such as wolves, do not bark much as adults but they do bark as puppies. In the safety of the den area there is little harm in such noise; however, as the puppies grow older and begin to accompany the adults on hunts, such barking becomes counterproductive. A wolf puppy or adolescent who barks at an inappropriate time can alert potential prey that the pack is near, or attract the attention of other, larger predators. To stop this, a simple communication pattern has evolved. It obviously does not involve barking or any loud sound signal, since the goal is to stop noise. The signal also doesn’t involve direct aggression since nipping or biting the barker is apt to cause yelps of pain, growls, or dashing around to avoid or counter the aggressor’s physical violence. This would be just as likely to alert other animals as the original barking itself.

The procedure worked out by wild canines to stop barking is quite simple. Namely, a more dominant animal places its mouth over the offender’s muzzle, without actually biting, and then gives a short, low, breathy growl. The low growl will not be heard very far, and it is short in duration. The mouth over the muzzle is not actually inflicting pain, so there is no yelping or attempt to escape. Silence usually follows immediately.

Humans can mimic this behaviour to stop barking when the dog is nearby. With your dog sitting at your left side, slip the fingers of your left hand under the collar at the back of your dog’s neck. Pull up on the collar with your left hand, while your right hand folds over the top of the dog’s muzzle and presses down. In a quiet, businesslike and unemotional tone, you simply say, “Quiet.” Your left hand on the collar immobilizes the head. Your right hand serves the same function and communicates the same message as the leader’s mouth over the noisy animal’s muzzle. The softly spoken “Quiet” mimics the short, low and breathy growl. Repeat this silencing manoeuvre whenever it is necessary. Depending upon the breed, it may take anywhere from two to a couple of dozen repetitions to associate the calmly stated command, “Quiet,” with an end to barking.

Be sure, however, that you only use this procedure to stop a dog from barking when barking is excessive or unnecessary. Remember that we specifically bred dogs to bark, so if your dog sounds the alarm at the approach of a stranger, or even at the sight of a cat outside of your window, don’t correct him, just call him to your side and give him a quick pet or a rub, and maybe a quiet “Okay.” He will often stop by himself once you acknowledge the situation. By barking, your dog is only doing the job that humans designed him to do thousands of years ago.

Stanley Coren is a Professor of Psychology at the University of British Columbia and author of many books on dogs, including How to Speak Dog and Pawprints of History. His website is www.stanleycoren.com

This article originally appeared in the award-winning Modern Dog magazine. Subscribe today!