Helping Dogs Thrive - An Overview of How to Train
After my last blog (link here), you might be thinking that if using aversives/force on dogs is bad, then what can you do? And I do think this is part of the problem, that in general there just isn’t common knowledge of positive reinforcement/reward-based methods and how to use them. This is part of why it’s important to work with a qualified professional dog trainer.
1. Positive Reinforcement
To teach basic foundation behaviors - sit, down, stay, leave it, come when called, etc. - all you have to do is reward dogs for performing these behaviors, then add cues (signals) to let dogs know when to do them.
At first: get the behavior, reward (reinforce) the behavior - and repeat.
Work on gradually increasing the difficulty level (while always mixing in easier repetitions as well) - for example, you might work on stays of 1-3 seconds at first, and then build up to 4 seconds, then 5, then 7, 10, 15, 20 (with some easier reps mixed in while gradually increasing the duration the dog can stay). You can also work on adding in distractions like stay behavior while a tennis ball is bounced or rolled past the dog. And we’ll get multiple correct responses of each repetition before changing the level - meaning we would reward 5 good stays at 3 seconds, before working on 4 second-stays.
After this: give the cue, get the behavior, reward (reinforce) the behavior - and repeat.
Is it more complicated than this? Yes. In some ways. There’s more factors to consider such as the timing of the reward, where to deliver the reward, how quickly to change criteria (difficulty levels for each training repetition for individual dogs), etc.
Once the dogs learn how the training system works, they start to learn behaviors incredibly quickly. They also don’t have negative effects from force-aversive training like being afraid to try new behaviors or being in pain, etc.
2. Solving Basic Behavior Problems (barking, jumping on people, digging, etc.)
Once you’ve taught the foundation behaviors, you can use them to interrupt and get your dog to do a desirable behavior instead. If a dog is watchdog barking at the front door, simply call him and reward him - then extend the behavior out by asking for a relaxed behavior like lay down on a dog bed. If a dog is jumping on people, simply reward him for keeping his feet on the ground. If a dog is pulling on-leash, then teach him to walk by your side for rewards (note: I am currently working on creating a free dog walking behavior and training course).
3. Working with Upset Dogs (reactivity, fear, and aggression)
Now we get to the behaviors that confuse people including “trainers” that don’t understand force-free training. For behaviors where the dog has a negative emotional response to something (a trigger), the goal isn’t to ask for a sit and reward/reinforce it. The goal is to change the dog’s negative associations into positive associations.
For example, if a dog is afraid of a visitor to the home and aggressing towards the person, the goal is to make that person (and all the things he does - approach the dog, make eye contact with the dog, reach towards him, touch or pet him, talk to him, stand up from sitting, etc.) now predict good things (such as high value tasty treats) for the dog. This is counterconditioning - changing a negative emotional response into a positive conditioned emotional response.
Is it more complicated than this? Yes. Good trainers will be able to read the dog’s body language to evaluate when to increase the criteria/difficulty level of any training repetition - they will keep the dog below an upset-threshold (using desensitization so the dog doesn’t get sensitized - or more scared/aggressive/reactive and doesn't bite), they will implement management strategies to keep everyone safe, etc.
In addition, you actually can use positive reinforcement and foundation/obedience behaviors to resolve some of these other behaviors, but it again involves keeping the dog below an upset-threshold while building a positive conditioned emotional response to the triggers/things that bother the dog as an effect of the reinforcement. So this usually means using a more gradually built plan - not exposing dogs to things/stimuli that cause them to react. And this is why you don’t see positive reinforcement trainers with many videos of reactive/aggressive dogs, because we simply don’t put dogs into those position (it’s not because we don’t take these cases - it’s because we don’t push dogs over-threshold, which makes their behavior worse like people using forceful/dominance punishments on dogs do).
4. Plus…
Part of a good training plan includes providing for dogs’ needs and welfare. Not only do we have good reward-based techniques that help dogs modify their behavior, but we also recommend providing things dogs need - such as enrichment (fun activities), including walks with plenty of sniffing allowed, playing with toys, and other dogs if they don’t have aggression, etc. This has multiple benefits including dogs’ bodies releasing endorphins in their systems (which makes them feel good and less stressed).
Good training also involves setting dogs up to succeed - we can modify things in the environment to help dogs get the behaviors correct, so we can reinforce them, which is a huge contrast to people who make the dogs fail on purpose so they can deliver harsh punishments. That is completely unnecessary.
Conclusion
The whole of our training plans provide for dogs’ welfare, which leads to them being in a good state to learn (they aren’t afraid), it furthermore protects them from negative feelings/emotions/pain, which allows them to try new behaviors, learn quickly, succeed and thrive while building a special, loving bond with their people (not a nightmare-relationship of submission and fear, anxiety, panic, or learned helplessness).