Opening thoughts:
The dog training world is filled with very vocal voices about what singular type of dog training is the best and only way to train a dog.
First things first:
There is more than one way to train a dog
Different dogs require different methods
Plain and simple. You have to do the type of training that is right for you and your dog.
I have been using balanced dog training techniques for over 10 years and can proudly say that I have helped many dogs achieve happy and healthy lives with their humans, keeping them from being returned and out of shelters.
What is balanced dog training?
Balanced dog training teaches a dog desired behaviors using both reward-based techniques and fair corrections which the dog will be introduced to once it associates a behavior with a command.
The intent of the correction is not to punish the dog, but rather to change the dog’s behavior. When applied, the pressure (spacial or leash pressure) delivers just enough information to understand that the choices they make will either result in a reward or a correction. In circumstances when a correction is required, the dog understands why it happened and can learn to avoid the same situation in the future.
Pressure does not equal pain. As with horses, the rider applies pressure to get them to either stop or go faster. When they do the behavior, the pressure stops.
Predictably, due to its occasional use of corrections and the use of a variety of training tools and equipment, balanced dog training receives a lot of criticism and negative attention.
5 common misconceptions:
1. Balanced training is not “based on science”
2. tools like prong and e-collars are “cruel,” “abusive,”and “cause pain.”
Proper professional use of these tools NEVER causes pain or fear and can make the difference between a dog living a great life and them getting surrendered to a shelter or euthanized.
3. the word “aversive” is misconstrued to mean “abusive.”
In aversion therapy, patients give up an undesirable habit such as smoking by learning to associate it with an unpleasant effect like a bad smell or the snap of a rubber wristband.
4. Dogs don’t have fun during training
5. Dogs only comply because they are afraid of the
consequence or the trainer
These accusations typically come from dog trainers, owners or advocates who are well intentioned but simply misinformed or ideology driven.
Balanced dog trainers actually have quite a few things in common with other popular training styles.
We both:
Encourage and use play in training
Use reward-based methods
Play recall games
Teach boundaries
Use clickers and marker training
Value praise
Use counterconditioning
Use motivation and drive to create behavior
Practice relaxation and calmness with our dogs
An inconvenient truth:
Some dogs like to push their boundaries, are unwilling to accept and obey your commands, are dominant with other dogs and people and if there’s no “consequence” for ignoring commands or for engaging in bad behaviors, they will simply carry on doing these behaviors until there is a consequence.
Dogs know this, they “correct” each other all the time, most people are simply not reading these situations accurately.
These behaviors include but not are not limited to:
- ignoring commands
- jumping on people
- pulling on the leash
- dog to dog aggression
- dog to human aggression
- running away
- prey drive such as chasing and killing squirrels, rats etc.
- territorial aggression
- scavenging for food
These are all behaviors that I work with frequently and I have found the balanced dog training approach to be extremely effective.