8 Myths of Positive Dog Training
The mere mention of positive dog training will get you some odd looks. People will snicker and even mention some common myths mentioned here about dog training. But once you see the lasting effects of positive training, you will be convinced that positive dog training is the way to go.
Myth 1: Clicker Training is a new Fad
Clicker training is actually based on research from the behaviorist Skinner. While you may not know who Skinner is, surely you have heard of Pavlov. He was the guy that trained dog to expect food when a bell rang. The bell rang and they began to salivate.
The same principle is used in clicker training. You train the dog to associate positive action when it hears the sound.
Myth 2: Positive Training is Too Difficult for Anyone But Dog Trainers
While there is tons of reasoning and science behind positive reinforcement, you do not need to know it in order to train a dog. All you have to do is learn a few basics on why your dog acts the way it does. When you know that, you can train your dog to behave in an appropriate way.
Myth 3: It Takes a Long Time to Train Using Positive Reinforcement
Actually, the opposite is true. It takes a minute for your dog to catch on, but when it does your dog will start learning fast.
For example, when you want your dog to come, you can put it on a leash and pull it to you as you say come. Most likely, your dog will fight and pull, not to mention not like the word come.
However, if you say come and you are holding a treat, watch your dog run. Over time, you start giving treats less often and switch to praise. Eventually, your dog is just coming for the praise.
Myth 4: You Should Not Give a Dog a Choice
Dogs have a choice no matter what you do. You can either teach them to behave out of fear or behave out of love. Dogs behaving out of love will behave whether you are there or not. This is why I recommend positive dog training.
Myth 5: In Positive Training, You Must Always Have Treats or the Clicker
In the beginning, you will want to have your clicker and food with you when training. The dog will need a hard association between the behavior (come) and the reward (treat). However, you also teach the words with the clicker just as you associate praise with the treat. In the end, you say the word and give the praise with an occasional clicker and an occasional treat.
Myth 6: Positive Reinforcement Trained Dogs Won’t Work Without Food
Food works great. There is no doubt that food works fast and wonderful for training. However, you do not have to use food all the time. A favorite toy or a good old fashion play session works well for training as well.
I actually eliminate food from my training pretty quick. Once my dogs associate the behavior with food, I transition the food out. I start giving more play and less treats. Notice, the play is given even in the initial food stage. So even a beginner dog will associate food and play with the behavior.
Myth 7: Punishment Works Better
Punishment works because dogs have a natural fear of pain and punishment, but think about how well that works for you. When you got in trouble in school for talking, did you stop talking or did you learn how to talk without getting caught? Dogs work the same way. As long as you are around and have the punishment handy, they will behave out of fear.
Now let’s look at kids learning to use a remote. Toddlers learn very quickly how to turn on the TV because they get the immediate reward of the TV coming on! You don’t even have to try to teach a child this because they are naturally rewarded for the behavior. Again, dogs work the same way. You don’t have to teach a dog to greet you at the door because every time you come you reward the dog with attention.
Myth 8: Positive Dog Training Does Not Work with Barking and Aggression
While you will get immediate results with a shock collar, you can train a dog not to bark without punishment.
I did this with my parents’ dog. She barked every time someone knocked. My mom went outside and knocked. The dog barked. I said quiet and held out a treat. As soon as she stopped, I handed her a treat. We repeated this over and over until the dog ran to the door and sat down looking at me expectantly.
My mom now keeps treats in a cookie jar by the door. Her sweet yippy Chihuahua runs to the door and sits. Sometimes she gets a treat and sometimes she does not. However, she loves when people knock because she is going to get attention and possibly a puppy biscuit.
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