Positive Motivation, Traditional and Balanced Training Methods

Methodology vs. Semantics

It is said that the only thing two dog trainers can agree on is that the third one is wrong. In today's world of dog training, this statement rings truer than ever. Dog training has recently become more prominent in part because of TV shows, education and public awareness. Dog ownership continues to grow dog, and many more places are becoming "dog friendly". This leaves owners in search of a dog trainer, and as they scour the web, read books and call trainers, they discover that there is no one single way to train a dog.

Trainers meanwhile, endeavor to market themselves better to the public. They study training methods and learning theories. They can discuss reinforcement and punishment. They understand classical and operant conditioning. They develop terminology that sells. A dog trainer talking to the average client isn't going to be explaining how "operant conditioning" works. A dog trainer talks in terms of rewards and corrections, typically referring to their training methods as either "positive motivation", "balanced" or "traditional" training.

When dog trainers talk to other dog trainers, they tend to use wording that is ambiguous, as well as denouncing the methods used by anyone who uses other methods. This leads to a split within the industry, and leaves owners confused as to what they should expect from a dog trainer.

Take for example the trainer who calls himself a positive motivation trainer. He will claim that he doesn't use corrections in addition to possibly criticizing those that do use corrections as being heavy-handed.

Where this is misleading is in the fact the he does use aversives, which may be in the form of withholding rewards or by simply allowing the dog's undesirable behavior to be fruitless. He also might use head collars, which resemble halters for horses. Withholding treats can be confusing to the dog if it is unclear that the treat is being withheld as a punishment rather than the treat is not being given because we are weaning the dog off treats. Allowing a dog to self-discover that his attempts at misbehavior will be unproductive can sometimes be more damaging than if a correction had been given. Head collars can become dangerous if not used correctly.

Traditional training originated with war dogs. At the time there had been little in the way of studies on animal behavior and learning. The traditional trainer uses leash and collar corrections. He markets his training as effective and efficient. He will sometimes refer to the positive motivation trainer as being ineffective. He might frown upon the use of food rewards. Most traditional trainers have adapted their methods to be in keeping with modern day methods. Some traditional trainers use food rewards, and most use verbal praise.

Today's traditional dog trainer taps into the dog's natural desire to work for their owners. He leads and the dog follows. There are many dogs who respond well to this type of training, as there is no doubt what is expected and what the dog's status is in the relationship.

The balanced trainer is someone who has studied and utilizes all methods of training a dog. He markets himself as being able to utilize a wide range of tools and adapts his methods to suit the needs of the individual dog, owner and environment. He considers himself to be comfortably in the middle of two extremes.

The tool box of a balanced trainer often includes clickers, treats and toys as well as training collars such as choke and prong collars. He strives to use the least amount of corrections possible and to use positive motivation when he can. He recognizes that there are dogs and owners for whom positive methods alone may be insufficient, at which time he will incorporate corrections into the training.

There really isn't as much difference between these trainers as they may lead you to believe. The biggest difference is the tools that they use and the terminology. They all use some type of reward and they all use some type of correction.

Which method should you use when training your dog?

There's no correct answer to that. You need to decide what is in the best interests of you, your dog and your lifestyle. Any good trainer should allow you to watch some classes before you commit to training with them.

Some things you should look for include:

Regardless of the training method used, it should be effective. It should be noticeable that there has been progress. Occasionally there is a dog and owner who progress at a slower rate, often because the owner doesn't put in the necessary time practicing in between their weekly lessons. But even they show indications of having learned new skills.

It doesn't matter how effective the training is if the dogs are unhappy with it. The dogs should be carrying themselves with their heads up and their tail either up or relaxed. Their body language should be relaxed or eagerly working. It is quite obvious, even to the untrained eye, when a dog is not enjoying his training.

While it is often impossible to guarantee training results, because there are factors involved that are simply out of the trainer's control, it is possible to guarantee client satisfaction.