Dog training philosophy - which one is "right"?
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Anonymous
| I am looking for a great dog trainer for my new puppy,. and have realized quickly that there are different philosophies. For example, some really promote the idea that dogs are pack animals and one must establish dominance. Others are very against that idea. I feel like I am back in the middle of the "cry it out" thing when the babies were born. Can anyone really help me understand these differences - how key are they? How do I decide what is right for us? To be clear I don't want to be harsh with my puppy but even within that framework it seems that there are believers in the pack idea and non-believers. |
Anonymous
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Dogs are pack animals. Watch Planet Earth.
However, establishing dominance need not be harsh or cruel at all. My dogs are very well trained and I have never been the least harsh to them. Like children, no extreme philosophy is likely to be effective. |
Anonymous
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BTW, a few tips: eat before your puppy eats. Have the puppy sleep beside you but not on the bed. Teach sit/lay down/come and praise success. Habe your dog walk beside you but never in front.
Most of the disordered dogs I see walk in front of their owners, true story. They feel the burden of being in the lead and problems result. |
Anonymous
| Watch Michael Ellis videos on Leerburg.com |
Anonymous
This is similar to how we raised our dogs. I went to training that followed Ian Dunbar's methods and believe in his gentle ways to teach obedience. Check out his books or his website Dogstardaily.com, he has Ted talks as well. Look for a trainer that has CPDT-KA. |
Anonymous
| What is CDT? |
Anonymous
From my limited personal experience, all that is necessary is to not be the first one to look away, when you and puppy make eye contact. Eating first, being the first one through the door, etc training just seems like micromanaging, and no one likes that. Dogs are pack animals but they also can tell the difference between a dog and a person. |
Anonymous
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As a biologist, I recommend Karen Pryor's training books, rooted in experimental science, as well as Patricia McConnell's behavioral science book, The Other End of the Leash. The pack animal and dominance theory has been oversimplified and not well applied to domesticated animals. I don't recommend you base your training on it. What matters most, OP, is that you understand your dog's signals as an individual, and that he understands yours as an individual. This is the beauty of canine: they are capable of connecting with humans beyond a list of prompts. |
Anonymous
| Positive reinforcement |
Anonymous
This is a very old fashioned philosophy - and it's not what today's reputable dog trainers would say. Seek out a trainer who uses positive training methods. At least give that a try before you turn to punitive methods, or these (debunked) "alpha" methods. |
Anonymous
certified dog trainer a lot of people call themselves dog trainers, but don't have any actual training or certification themselves. |
Anonymous
As someone who works in animal welfare, I agree with these recommendations! |
Anonymous
| Just like in parenting there is no one size fits all for dogs or families. Try one and if it does not fit, try a different one. |
Anonymous
+1 The right philosophy is the one that works the best for you and your dog. My personality and my husband's are different and so are those of our two dogs (we each brought one into the marriage). The trainer I had used was more of the dominance school, but not in any rough way, just walking in front of the door on stairs and through doors, etc. My husband never used a trainer of any kind for his dog and had a much harder time with the thought of having a very structured relationship. We got a new dog and found a trainer that we both liked that was somewhere in the middle. If you (and your spouse and kids) or your dog is not comfortable with a philosophy, then don't use it. |
Anonymous
+1 |