Although we have changed their behavior a lot, dogs are still very instinctive animals that need to adapt to our world. If we want them to live with the family, with society and with other dogs without causing problems, we have to educate and train them properly.
There are different dog training techniques to get dogs to behave as we want them to. As we will see, these techniques can be more or less recommended depending on the character and attitude that we want to achieve. In this article on our site, in collaboration with SoloEsUnPerro Dog Training, we review the main types of dog training, with their pros and cons.
Positive dog training
Positive dog training techniques are based on rewarding the dog when he performs a behavior that we like. In this way, the animal associates this behavior with something pleasant and, therefore, is willing to repeat it. The prizes or rewards used are known as positive reinforcements and usually consist of food or caresses.
This type of dog training has many advocates and is the most widely used today. It's because strengthens the bondwe have with our dog, improves his psychological well-being and increases his ability to learnnew tasks.[2] Plus, this type of dog training can be a lot of fun, making both dog and handler eager to learn together.
As a drawback, we can point out that some trainers defend that this type of canine training is not enough, especially in working dogs. However, the evidence says otherwise.
Positive dog training types
Positive training goes far beyond giving dogs rewards, that is, not only positive reinforcement is given. In fact, it includes numerous techniques that have proven their effectiveness. These are some of them:
- Clicker training: consists of getting the dog to associate the sound of a clicker with a reward, and then associating said sound with the task we want it to perform. Thus, we get the dog to associate the task with the reward, whether we give it to him or not.
- Extinction: consists of not reinforcing unwanted behaviors. For example, if the dog barks at the neighbors, we should not pet it to calm it down, since we will be rewarding this behavior.
- Incompatible behavior: we order the dog to perform a behavior to avoid another that is not desirable. For example, if we want to prevent him from getting into a fight with another dog, we throw him a ball so that he goes to fetch it.
- Mark of absence of reinforcement (MAR): if we order the dog to do something, but he does not do it, we do not reward him and we indicate with a gesture that we are not going to do it. That way he knows there's no reward if he doesn't do what we say
- Counterconditioning: This is about changing the emotion caused by a stimulus. For example, if he is scared of bicycles, we will give him a treat when one of them appears to make him feel something pleasant when seeing them.
- Desensitization: is to reduce the intensity of an emotion. For example, if our dog is afraid of other dogs, we will condition him to be less afraid of them.
- BAT (Behavior Adjustment Training): consists of eliminating the stimulus that arouses fear or aggression, such as the presence of another dog, only when their behavior is not aggressive. Thus, the animal will understand that being calm will also achieve what it wants: that the other dog disappears.
Traditional dog training
Traditional training is the most controversial dog training technique. It is based on negative reinforcement, that is, when the dog performs an unwanted behavior, its handler applies a punishment. It can be physical punishment, using tools such as choke, spiked or electric collars; or psychological punishment, such as scolding or locking him up.
This type of training has been and is highly criticized, since today we know that dogs do not usually understand punishment. In addition, damages the bond we have with them and reinforces their fears. In fact, punishment has been associated with greater excitability and aggressiveness, making them less sociable and cheerful animals.[1] Also, dogs trained with punishment have more difficulty learning.[2]
Although there are still staunch supporters of this type of dog training, it is becoming less frequent due to scientific evidence that denies its effectiveness and a growing concern for animal welfare.
Mixed dog training
Mixed dog training consists of combining positive training with some traditional training techniques It is therefore a question of reinforcing positively desired behaviors and punish undesired ones. Electric collars are usually used, so that the animal does not associate pain with its trainer. However, this type of collar can harm the animal's physical and mental he alth, as we explain in this article: “Is an anti-bark collar good?”
This type of dog training is not as hard as traditional training, but it is less friendly than 100% positive training. For this reason, from our site we encourage positive training because it is the one that obtains the best results without harming the well-being and he alth of the dog.
Other types of dog training
The above dog training techniques are the main ones and are based on dog learning theories. However, they can be combined with other types of complementary training. Here are some of them:
- Ethology-based training: Based on the dog's natural behavior and instincts. Above all, the social group instinct is encouraged.
- Basic Obedience Training: the dog is conditioned to perform useful behaviors in everyday life, thus adapting to our world. Positive training is often used to teach basic commands.
- Training for special functions: Working dogs have different training than pet dogs. This is the case of rescue dogs, guard dogs, protection dogs, therapy dogs, drug detection dogs, guide dogs, sports competition dogs, etc.
Which dog training technique is best?
A dog training technique is good if your dog can understand it and you can teach it easily. In addition, the most appropriate thing is that it is based on the dog's natural behavior and, of course, that it is not violent so that both of you can have fun together learning new tricks.
You should also keep in mind that each dog is different and, therefore, so are his behavior and her needs. Therefore, if you want to train your dog, go to a trusted canine trainer such as SoloEsUnPerro, where positive dog training techniques are used. In this way, you will learn together with a professional how to train your best friend, communicating more efficiently with him and achieving a behavior that makes you both happy. In addition, in SoloEsUnPerro you will also find different training courses focused on different objectives, such as the canine skills course or the therapeutic smell course.
Dog Training Tips
Here are some tips to help you get started with dog training:
- Relieve stress: The main cause of behavior problems in dogs is stress.[3] Therefore, before starting any training we must reduce your stress and the factors that cause it, such as lack of stimulation.
- Be patient: training a dog requires a lot of time and effort, so we must be patient until we appreciate the results. In addition, it is a constant task that we must do throughout the life of the animal.
- Communicate: Humans and dogs don't speak the same language. Therefore, we must make ourselves understood and learn to understand them if we want to communicate with them. If your dog doesn't obey you it's because he doesn't understand you, not because he can't learn[4]
- He's just a dog: Your best friend isn't messing around just to spite you, he's just because he's a dog doing dog things. Don't be mad at him. When an animal behaves "badly" or we are not able to train it, it is usually due to our mistakes, both in training and in its daily care.
