As the world of dog training expands, choosing the right dog trainer or canine behaviourist has become a minefield for dog owners!
There is so much conflicting information online and lots of terminology that seems to be used in different contexts, making it all the more confusing. After a bit of a run in on social media with a local ‘behaviourist’ it also became clear that some people advertising themselves as trainers and behaviourists don’t understand the terminology either!
Two of the most common terms you may see when looking for a dog trainer or dog training classes, are ‘force free dog training’ and ‘positive reinforcement dog training’. If you see these, that’s a green tick, but only if you and the trainer understand what they really mean.
You may have seen recent posts in social media about TikTok sensation Dog Daddy and his upcoming trip to the UK. You might have seen the horrendous videos of dogs being hung by their leads and dragged around training facilities too. It goes without saying that this is the opposite of ‘force-free dog training’. But, when we are dealing with dog behaviour and training there are much more subtle versions of force that are widely accepted among dog owners, some trainers and the general public.
Applying force does not have to be extreme. It’s not just about shock collars and choke chains, which are used to punish dogs with the intention of making a behaviour less likely to occur in future. Any physical correction is a type of force. Theses include, Alpha roles (Ceasar Milan was a fan), grabbing the scruff of the dog’s neck, jerks on the lead, spraying the dog with water, even slip leads which are used to apply pressure to the dog’s neck. All of these are aversive (we do it because we know the dog won’t like it).
When JJ was still a teenager and I was struggling with his behaviour, trainers advised me to spray water in his face if he barked at something and give a sharp tug on his lead (connected to a collar or headcollar) and a verbal correction if he reacted to something. The consequences? He’s terrified of spray bottles (even 9 years later), there was no improvement in his reactivity and his painful spinal condition went undiagnosed for years! I wish I had known more about behaviour back then. I wish I hadn’t trusted the trainers that told me these things. I wish there had been more information out there about the best way to help a dog who barks and lunges at anything and everything!
It wasn’t until I started my own training in animal behaviour and learnt about force-free, positive reinforcement and the importance of choice for our dogs (particularly the ones that have behaviour issues) that JJ’s reactivity started to improve. Which is great for me and JJ, but every dog owner shouldn’t have to study for years and make a career change to understand their dog! There are amazing, qualified dog trainers and canine behaviourists all over the UK, but if we don’t understand the jargon, then choosing the right one is more luck than judgement.
So, what about ‘Balanced dog trainers’? This is a more recent term which has gained quite a lot of interest on social media. It simply means that the trainer will use both positive reinforcement and physical punishment or corrections in their dog training.
Just because they also feed the dog treats for doing something good, does not mean that the punishment or corrections are any less aversive to the dog. Again they are used because we know the dog doesn’t like them.
Yes, there is evidence that punishment changes behaviour of some dogs, but it also comes with some serious and potentially dangerous downsides:
- Increased stress and anxiety (can worsen behaviour for sensitive/anxious/reactive/nervous dogs and those in pain)
- Damages the bond between dog and owner (the person they love and trust is punishing them)
- Dogs are less likely to engage with training because they are not enjoying it
- The dog may shut down and suppress the behaviour, but the underlying emotion is not changed. This can result in more severe behaviour in future with little or no warning signals (as these have been suppressed by punishment)
If you would like help finding qualified force-free behaviourists and trainers have a look at:
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