Training style question/ looking for opinions on both

[Anonymous]

The two types of dog training- positive and the cross over that uses prong collars and E-collars. Looking for people who've used one or the other and efficacy and fall backs of each one. I'm talking to both types and want real people's opinions.

[Anonymous]

I will admit that I was skeptical of positive training as the dogs we had growing up were all trained with aversive methods/ negative reinforcement. When we got a giant breed puppy at 8 weeks all of the breed-specific literature as well as the vet recommended only positive/rewards based training as this breed is known for being sensitive and can be fearful and anxious if not trained right. The more research I did the more sense it made that you should teach a dog what to do instead of what not to do. I wasn't sure about turning your back/ignoring when a dog jumped, but after about 2 weeks of being consistent I have a dog that doesn't jump on people. I didn't know how I was going to train a dog to walk on a leash without corrections but with lots of loose-leash walking and treats it all came together. I was concerned about how to address unwanted behaviors (like counter-surfing or picking up a chicken bone off the sidewalk) but learned that giving a dog an alternative cue like "go to mat" or "leave it" can be just as effective as yelling "no". Did I ever have to scold my dog with "no"? Of course, but the training really made me rethink how I interact with my dog. As a bonus, it is also mentally exhausting for them to try to figure out what behavior they have to do to get the reward.

I'm not going to lie - it was a ton of work and took time. It was a little challenging to be consistent across the household and DH was a lot more inclined to yell at the dog and was not really into the classes or training sessions. We did a combination of private training and classes so it wasn't cheap but in the end it was totally worth it because now I have a confident, happy, (mostly) well-behaved 125-pound pup who is great with kids, adults and other dogs and who follows the house rules. We also got lucky in finding a great trainer who has Karen Pryor certification and was able to individualize the training even in a group setting. I'm sure there are some dogs out there who need a heavier hand but I'd put in the time with the positive training before trying something with aversive methods like a shock collar. Remember that the training is just as much for the human as for the dog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I will admit that I was skeptical of positive training as the dogs we had growing up were all trained with aversive methods/ negative reinforcement. When we got a giant breed puppy at 8 weeks all of the breed-specific literature as well as the vet recommended only positive/rewards based training as this breed is known for being sensitive and can be fearful and anxious if not trained right. The more research I did the more sense it made that you should teach a dog what to do instead of what not to do. I wasn't sure about turning your back/ignoring when a dog jumped, but after about 2 weeks of being consistent I have a dog that doesn't jump on people. I didn't know how I was going to train a dog to walk on a leash without corrections but with lots of loose-leash walking and treats it all came together. I was concerned about how to address unwanted behaviors (like counter-surfing or picking up a chicken bone off the sidewalk) but learned that giving a dog an alternative cue like "go to mat" or "leave it" can be just as effective as yelling "no". Did I ever have to scold my dog with "no"? Of course, but the training really made me rethink how I interact with my dog. As a bonus, it is also mentally exhausting for them to try to figure out what behavior they have to do to get the reward.

I'm not going to lie - it was a ton of work and took time. It was a little challenging to be consistent across the household and DH was a lot more inclined to yell at the dog and was not really into the classes or training sessions. We did a combination of private training and classes so it wasn't cheap but in the end it was totally worth it because now I have a confident, happy, (mostly) well-behaved 125-pound pup who is great with kids, adults and other dogs and who follows the house rules. We also got lucky in finding a great trainer who has Karen Pryor certification and was able to individualize the training even in a group setting. I'm sure there are some dogs out there who need a heavier hand but I'd put in the time with the positive training before trying something with aversive methods like a shock collar. Remember that the training is just as much for the human as for the dog.

I really appreciate your insights. I too have a large breed (BMD) and have friends/acquaintances who have used the prong/shock collar to train and I'm not comfortable with that and have come to find these are sensitive dogs. My acquaintance who has used that method indicated it was her job to society to make sure this animal is under control and not pose a threat to people. I'm just trying my best and so far my pup seems very keen on treats and learning quickly the basic commands but still has moments when she goes berserk (trying to jump on random dogs), back talking to me when I tell her no for a bad behavior.