Dog training has evolved considerably over the past 30-40 years. I certainly don’t train dogs the way I learned from my dad as a child. The dominance theory has been ingrained in our collective memories since its debut from a study on captive wolves in the 1930s and ‘40s and erroneously extrapolated to wild wolves and domestic dogs. More recent studies done on wolves in the wild in the late 1990s have debunked the alpha wolf theory, but humans, in their hubris, have a hard time letting go of the theory and apparent license to exert their will and power over another being. Now, thanks to numerous studies and the work of many ground-breaking dog trainers, we’ve learned that we don’t have to be continually at odds with our beloved canine friends, jockeying for the alpha position in the pack. Reward-based, positive training methods are just as or even more effective in training behaviours without incurring ill effects to the dog’s welfare, the human-dog relationship, or problematic behaviours related to punishments such as anxiety or aggression.

What it is

Humane dog training methods use positive reinforcement and negative punishment. They are also known as reward-based methods, positive reinforcement, or force free methods. They basically involve giving or withholding rewards contingent on the dog’s behaviour.

Positive reinforcement entails adding something of value immediately after a behaviour so that the behaviour is likely to be repeated. Of course, adding something the animal likes such as a treat, attention or play will increase this likelihood. So when we use the term, positive, it means that something is added. Reinforcement means that the behaviour will repeat. For example, your dog comes to you and you give them a food reward (something is added). This consequence has the effect of increasing the frequency of the behaviour (the behaviour is reinforced).

Negative punishment is removing something immediately after a behaviour so that the behaviour doesn’t repeat. It’s negative because something is being removed such as a toy or attention. It is considered punishment because it causes the behaviour to decrease. For example, your puppy jumps on you so you turn your back and move away. You are removing your attention and access to you (negative) to stop the jumping (punishment).

What it isn’t

Humane dog training doesn’t use force, fear, pain or intimidation to teach behaviour. It is not based on the out-dated, discredited dominance theory; the objective is not to be the alpha and show the animal who’s the boss. No electric collars or fences, choke chains, yelling or hitting is employed. Aversive methods are not necessary.  Indeed, they are even less effective in training behaviour. Positive training is also not permissive. Annoying and destructive behaviour is not tolerated. Dogs are by no means allowed to be a nuisance or put themselves or others at risk. 

How it works

In positive, force-free training, the trainer focuses on reinforcing good behaviours from the dog instead of focusing on correcting undesirable behaviours. It teaches the dog what TO DO instead of what NOT TO DO, which is much more compatible with how animals learn best. The trainer manipulates the environment and handles the dog in such a way as to avoid or prevent bad behaviour. The goal is to set the dog up for success as much as possible so that it can practice good behaviour more than bad.  The dog is reinforced rather than corrected, thus being engaged, motivated to learn, feeling safe, and enjoying the training.

What’s rewarding is in the eye of the beholder

For most training objectives, food is the best reward to use. All dogs like food and it’s the easiest reward to access and deliver quickly. Play, such as a quick game of tug or fetch, is also commonly used as a reward for dogs with a high toy drive. Petting and praise are often used in training, but scientific studies have shown that dogs do not respond to praise unless it has been conditioned to a higher value reward. Most dogs like to be petted, but the several studies found that dogs prefer food over petting as a reward in a training situation. Find out which food and play rewards your dog prefers and use those to motivate your dog in learning.  I’ve had some dog clients actually prefer broccoli over liver treats! The point is that your dog is the one who decides what is reinforcing, not the trainer.

When +R doesn’t work

Maybe you’ve tried reward-based training but didn’t get the results you wanted. Like anything else, you have to use it correctly and there are many tricks of the trade to follow in order to have success. 

• Use the right reward for the job -If I’m practicing known behaviours indoors with few distractions, I can use kibble as a reward with my dog. When I’m working outdoors or in another distracting environment and/or training new or more complex behaviours, I’m going to use a much higher value reward such as cooked meats. 
• Have a plan – When training a behaviour, it’s best to know where you’re going and how to get there. Know the target behaviour and the possible steps to achieve it. Set criteria for each step so you know what you are going to reward.
• Clean up your mechanics – If the way you mark behaviour and deliver rewards is slow or sloppy, it muddies the communication between you and your dog and can also cause your dog to become frustrated and disengaged from learning.
• You are bribing instead of reinforcing – If you are shaking the cookie jar to get your dog in from the yard, you are bribing your dog, not teaching them to come when called. The reward should only appear right after the dog has performed the desired behaviour.  And no, you don’t always have to have treats on you or reward every single good behaviour. There is a technique to learning how to work without visible treats.
• What you’re asking is too difficult – It’s very common for us to progress too quickly when training our dogs. Slower is faster.  Slice behaviours down into baby steps and give the dog lots of practice to build understanding and confidence before trying to have them do the behaviour in different environments and contexts. Build in distractions gradually. They pose a considerable challenge to dogs whose senses are much more acute than ours.

Dog training is a learned skill that takes time and know-how to master. Don’t feel ashamed if you’re struggling. You can seek help from a qualified, positive reinforcement trainer to help you learn the techniques.

Why use positive reinforcement in dog training

Many studies by experts in animal behaviour have shown this type of positive training to be much more effective, safe, more ethical and having no mental, emotional or physical ill effects compared to punishment-based training.

The key to working with any dog is the relationship between the dog and the handler. Positive training builds the dog’s confidence, trust and optimism, and develops connection between dog and handler. These all contribute to a healthy, strong relationship with your dog which, in turn, facilitates good behaviour and obedience from your dog.

It’s so uplifting to see more and more dog owners choosing clickers and treat pouches over corrections and choke chains. And our dogs are much happier and better behaved for it.