Dog Behavior Training and Advice

Archive for March, 2010

At a recent Southern California Dog Trainers forum we had an interesting meeting where many people discussed the various seminars they have attended. One person’s account of using non familiar training techniques struck me as particularly interesting.

Without the familiar training tools, teaching the dog a new behavior was a novel experience. The novelty seems to transcend human preference and includes the dog as well. From the trainers account it appears the dog was also conditioned to a certain familiar style of training. The dogs conditioning brings up some interesting points. The first is that it may be possible for dogs to learn a learning strategy adapted to the handler/trainers preferred style of training. I believe the idea that certain dogs are better adapted to particular training styles is seen in the field of protection dogs. I have talked with a successful competition protection dog trainer who has mentioned that in Europe, training clubs breed dogs with traits best suited to the clubs style of training. Again we see that evolution and environment follow a similar course. It may be that the practical application of the nature – nurture debate is not about either nature or nurture. It could be about adaptation.

When I hear these stories I always think about Captain Haggerty saying he was a dog trainer. Not a this kind of trainer or that kind of dog trainer, but a Dog Trainer. Now many dog trainers I know didn’t like Captain Haggerty or his style of training, but I liked the Captain. He wasn’t a clicker trainer or a leash and collar trainer but he was an extremely knowledgeable Dog Trainer.

Even though the Captain is no longer with us he can still teach us many good lessons about dog training. One of those lessons is to move past our prejudices for or against training methods.

I like positive reinforcement training. But I recognize the limits of teaching with all positive reinforcement. The biggest problem with positive reinforcement training is that positive reinforcement is not the default behavior of people under aversive control. Most people contact me because their dogs are doing something the people don’t like. If you don’t like a behavior, that behavior is most likely aversive. The fist response most people have to adversity in their lives is emotional. That emotional response is the precursor to action. The action is usually in the form of offering some aversive to the one causing discomfort. Seldom do we want to reward those who cause us trouble. Desires and wants are emotions.

I do think as a culture we can learn how to be more positive reinforcement oriented. I also think that dog training is one of the best places to learn how positive reinforcement works. But, I do not think I have ever met what I would call an all positive reinforcement dog trainer. I have met plenty of dog trainers who primarily use positive reinforcement dog training techniques.

When someone hires me they are expecting results and I try to give them results with training techniques they can implement with the most ease. Even when working with and complimenting the owner’s human nature there is still a huge amount of new information the owner/handler needs to learn. The handler also need to develop new behavior patterns and needs to change many old behaviors. While I can introduce the new handler to reinforcement theory and techniques with a package of lessons, I probably can’t change the emotional responses to aversives in that time. It’s also unlikely I can change years of learning and conditioning within the time it takes to train the dog. However, learning the positive training techniques can begin to condition new patterns in the handler.

If someone really wants to change their moral character and how they interact with others I have developed two seven step programs. At this time I have not found too many people who want to change from a competitive and confrontational orientation to an accepting all positive one. For the time being I will match my training techniques to the underlying orientation of the paying owner/handler.

Wishing you the very best in dog training and in life
Andrew Ledford

I always think of Daylight Saving Time as the beginning to the dog training season. Now the average pet dog owner will have extra daylight hours to invest or squander. As I study the human/dog experience I’m always amazed at how important a variable time is. How we use our time determines what we will accomplish. Time is our most valuable resource. The importance of time is mentioned quit a bit in my book “Dog Training Best Friends Learning Together”

If we use our hours wisely we can accomplish more that the average person. It’s the dog training instructor’s job to show pet dog owners how they can accomplish their training goals in the shortest amount of time.

Wishing you the very best in dog training and in life,
Andrew Ledford