THE REFINED CANINE, LLC

Celebrating TEN Years  1997 - 2007

What kind of TRAINING is best for my dog?

By Michelle Douglas CPDT CDBC

The first thing you need to know about training your dog is to start right away.  Puppies are learning from the moment you bring them home, it is always best to start them off learning the good stuff!  Puppy kindergarten or socialization classes are a great way to teach your dog good puppy manners from the start.  As an added benefit of Puppy class, you will help to build a strong bond with your puppy, which will ensure future training success.  Puppy classes will also help your dog to not be so excited or distracted around other dogs and people.  Dogs, just like kids, learn faster when they’re young.  It’s never too early, however, it’s never too late either.  If your dog is a little older, a fun training class can help keep him young and happy.  Most dog owners start obedience classes at around six months old, sooner is better, but this is just fine.

So where do you go for training?  There are many different kinds of Trainers, and many methods of Obedience Training offered in our society.  These different types of training fall into two or three main categories:  Traditional Training, Lure-Reward, Positive Reinforcement, Clicker Training, Free-shaping and a new method, still positive reinforcement, called THE THIRD WAY… naturally.  All Positive methods are a true evolution from traditional training, focusing on making the dog a member of the family.  In the past, dogs were workers or employees of the family, with a specific job to do: protect the sheep, guard the house, pull the sled…Traditional training taught the dog that he must perform his job perfectly or suffer the consequences.  These days, dogs are much more a part of the family. Their job usually involves keeping the couch warm and playing with the kids.  The old way of training does not lend itself well to these dogs, and does not always result in a dog who can perform his job very well. 

The traditional trainer will use methods that will teach your dog to obey you in order to avoid something bad.  This type of training is called “Aversive Training,” and uses an aversive to startle the dog into obedience.  This type of trainer is still very common, they will use a choke chain or pinch collar.  Some traditional trainers have started using food rewards to encourage good behavior, but they still use harsh, painful and even dangerous means and can actually cause certain dogs to become aggressive out of fear.  Choke chains and pinch, or prong collars can have serious, detrimental results both mentally and medically if used incorrectly.  The problem is they don’t come with instructions, so even many “trainers” do not know how to use them as they were intended to be used.  A recent German study showed that even when used properly, a startling ninety-two percent of dogs trained on choke chains suffered some type of spinal injury, which was determined to have been caused by the collar.  I have found them to be an unnecessary, extra step in the training process.

Positive Training relies on positive reinforcement to elicit desired behavior.  Positive trainers will use a number of reinforcers to reward the dog’s good behavior.  The methods used are based on universal learning patterns: Operant and Classical Conditioning.  Basically: If you do this, something good happens, and if you do not do this, nothing happens.  Dogs, being opportunistic, will only do something if they get something out of it.  Clicker Training is a form of Positive Training which uses a clicker to tell the dog which behavior is the correct one, exactly.  The “Lure-Reward” methods uses a reward, generally a treat, to help the dog figure out what it is that we want him to do.  For example, holding a treat over a dog’s nose and moving backward slowly will generally get him to sit.  The only problem thus far with this type of training, is the dog can very easily work for the food and not for you.  To avoid this, you simply need to be sure that after two or three repetitions, you are no longer offering the "prize" before the behavior (this is called fading).  Free-shaping waits for the dog to perform a behavior on his own before rewarding him.  This is a more reliable form of training, but for most people, it is just not practical to watch and wait for an undetermined amount of time until the dog happens to do what we want him to.

THE THIRD WAY is positive reinforcement training at its most refined to date.  Developed by a trainer in the Midwest named Chris Bach, the primary focus of THE THIRD WAY is building a relationship between the dog and owner.  The dog must think.  The dog must learn.  The dog must make the right decision.  He must choose to offer the correct behavior in order to earn privileges, food or acceptance - just as he would in the wild.  This type of training is for all behavior, not just obedience commands. 

In our obedience classes with The Refined Canine, LLC, I currently use a combination of the positive types of training.  Most of my clients are families who want a well-behaved pet, not a showpiece who only listens on a leash or with food around.  I first focus my attention on building that relationship between the family and the dog.  First, we must open up those lines of communication and teach the owner and dog how to listen to each other and trust each other.  Then we can focus on “shaping” obedience behaviors.  I will sometimes use a lure to help the dog get the behavior I am teaching a bit faster, rather than waiting for him to happen upon it.  Then, as soon as the dog gets the behavior, we eliminate the lure so the dog works for YOU not the food/toy.

Being a positive trainer is not the same as being a permissive trainer.  The dog does not get to do whatever he wants to.  He must demonstrate acceptable behavior in order to get his reward.  Undesirable behavior must be ignored or interrupted, and then redirected to a more desirable behavior.  The “bad” behaviors do not get the dog what he wants; therefore they simply diminish, and go away.

The list of reinforcers you can use is not limited to treats.  The more reinforcers you have, the more opportunities you have to reward your dog.  Be creative, figure out what motivates your dog and use it in training.  Some reinforcers include: food, water, social interaction (with people or other dogs), exercise, toys, praise, petting, games, attention, body posture, freedom…Plus, you can use anything your dog enjoys or does as a reward for good behavior outside of obedience exercises.  For instance, you can use your dog's meal as a reward for not begging or rushing the bowl.  He has to sit and look at you before you feed him.  It sounds simple because it is.

When looking for an obedience class, you should look for a positive trainer who covers not only basic obedience commands, but also canine communication, nutrition, common problem behaviors and good manners.  I recommend finding a trainer who does not use any type of aversive, which can actually damage your relationship with your dog.  This means no choke chains, no pinch collars, nothing painful or scary.  Some trainers don’t even use leashes, that’s great!  Then you have a dog who will actually work with you, not just with your leash, right from the start!  You should look for a trainer who is certified by an organization that actually tests the trainer's ability to understand the basic principles of learning theory. The best certification for pet dog trainers right now is the CPDT designation.  Go to http://www.ccpdt.org/ for more information on the certification process and to find a CPDT near you.  this is currently the ONLY standardized test in existence for pet dog trainers. Other great places to obtain a referral include your veterinarian, the Association of Pet Dog Trainers (www.apdt.com), the National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors (NADOI), local kennel clubs, pet supply stores and other dog owners. 

Here is a list of questions you may want to ask a potential trainer:

Do you have any certifications?  Through which agency?

Where and for how long did you go to school to learn how to train dogs?

Are you a member of any training organizations, such as NADOI or APDT?

How long have you been training dogs?

What methods of training do you use?

What type of training equipment will I need?

What will the classes cover?

How much will it cost?

Do you offer other types of training?

Do you have any references I may contact?

Send mail to me@refinedcanine.com with questions or comments about this web site.
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