January is “National Train Your Dog Month”

January is “National Train Your Dog Month” which provides an excellent opportunity to discuss HOW we train our dogs and WHY it matters. In this article we look at two vastly different types of training methods, Positive Reinforcement and Positive Punishment. The difference between the two is the dog’s emotional response to each: Fear vs. Fun. We know which one your dog will choose.

HOW we train our dogs at Canine Karma is through positive reinforcement, rewarding the dog when they offer a behavior that we would like to see again. We use clicker training methods that use the sound of a click which signals to the dog, “Yay, you got it right!” and then we follow the click with a food reward. When we tell the dog “Yes!”, we create a thinking dog, one that is excited about working and training. We create a dog who is more confident to try new things and offer new behaviors and most importantly, shows us that they are happily working as our partner.

We never use positive punishment or correction-based training methods such as shock collars (“E” collars), prong collars, choke collars or leash pop corrections. These training methods are based in force, fear and intimidation and tell the dog “NO! NO! NO!” When dogs are trained in this way, the relationship with their handler is based upon fear and often times pain, creating a stressful working relationship.

Many years ago, before I knew better, I used punishment based training methods on my dogs and saw firsthand how these methods backfired. The trainer I worked with instructed me to give a very harsh 3 second correction with the prong collar when my dog started to react to a person or another dog. When I did this, my dog redirected his reactive arousal onto me which resulted in a bite to my leg. In the classes we attended, I regularly witnessed dogs aggressing onto their handlers by biting, snapping, growling and barking as they were being given a correction with a shock or prong collar. In addition, I have had many clients who have used punishment – based training methods only to have their dogs attack them or eventually bite the child, dog, cat, etc. that the correction from the shock or prong was supposed to prevent.

Now when taking my current dog, Gracie, for a walk in the park, I can immediately identify dogs that are being trained or controlled with shock collars. Many of them are whining and yelping; some are shaking their heads, licking their lips, yawning, with tucked tails as they are being corrected for pulling on the leash or reacting to dogs or people. My dog on the other hand, is being rewarded with chicken for staying near me and is showing her enjoyment with a loose tail, soft pant, and soft eyes.

WHY it Matters:
*The vast difference between Positive Reinforcement (reward based) and Positive Punishment (correction based) is the dog’s emotional experience.

We learn the dog’s body language, their primary way of communicating, as a way to understand their emotional state. Dogs give many subtle signs when they are under stress such as lip licking, shaking off, closed mouth, tail tucked at the base, ears tight at the base, furrowed brow, showing the whites of the eyes, looking away from the source of stress, yawning, and more. When a dog resorts to vocal methods of communicating, such as growling, barking, whining and yelping, their subtle signs have gone unnoticed and their stress level has increased.

When a dog is showing fear or anxiety that often masquerades as aggression, the dog needs distance from that trigger as well as redirection and high – value reinforcement. When this formula is used often enough it lays the groundwork for changing the emotion underneath the behavior. This is the critical piece of training as well as counter conditioning. If the emotion is not changed, the behavior will not change no matter how much force or fear we use. In fact, it often becomes worse and backfires not only on the handler but also on the trigger, whether that is another dog, a person or a child.

Another reason positive reinforcement is our preferred form of training is timing. Most students take a while to hone their timing skills with the clicker that marks the behavior before delivering the treat. It takes a long time to really be proficient with the timing, whether that is marking a behavior with a click or giving a zap from the collar as a punishment. However, if someone is training with a clicker and treats and their timing is off, it just means the dog got an extra treat. If someone is training with a shock or prong collar and their timing is off, it means the dog just got another punishment – for what?

People who support punishment-based training, such as shock collars, claim it is a last resort to solve dangerous behavioral problems. This too, does not make sense to me as I have seen time and again aggression and fear increase exponentially with these forms of training. As mentioned earlier, the dog needs distance, redirection and reinforcement to handle their “trigger”. If this is not given, the dog will never fully change its emotions about the trigger. If the dog’s body language (their primary source of communication) is listened to, it will become apparent if that trigger is too close.

Behavior change requires several pieces to be in place for adequate behavior modification to occur. We help our clients map out a thorough behavior modification plan that includes not only training, but also management where the dog’s environment is impeccably managed. We also look at adequate exercise, calming aids and medication as well as enrichment and periodic quality of life review for the humans as well as the dog.

Happy National Train Your Dog Month! Please do your dog a favor and look at WHY it is so important HOW you train your dog. As a cherished friend and member of the family, let’s be sure they are having fun and we are building a bond together!

Tina Ferner, CPDT-KA owns and operates Canine Karma in Holland, OH. Visit her on the web: www.caninekarma.org