1) Dog trainers are all the same
People choose dog trainers for several reasons, with the most common being timings, location and cost.
One person chose us because I had their cat's name – fate, right?
Choosing a trainer It's a decision that is hard to navigate and research as there are lots of acronyms and services that can look the same to the untrained eye. Not all trainers are the same, far from it. It's an unregulated industry. Unfortunately, bad training can make things worse. We celebrate when anyone asks us about our qualifications, experience and ethos. Positive reinforcement, group suitability, environment, and the trainer's training dept of knowledge are essential.
2) Group classes will help socialise my dog
Whenever you go to the park, it feels like dogs are everywhere, living their best lives and getting some much-needed exercise. But for every dog you see, many stay at home because their behaviour is too challenging. Why? Because, as humans do with each other, dogs have emotional responses to other dogs, and they're not always positive.
"Sociable" looks different for everyone. For example, meeting lots of people doesn't make introverted people more sociable and can make them more anxious. A class isn't the ideal starting point if a busy and sociable environment triggers your dog. Even if your dog isn't nervous, teaching an over-exuberant pup to be calm in a stimulating environment does not set them up for success. Learning how to control emotions close to the trigger isn't effective. Think of your impulse control around something like cake. It's harder to say no the closer you are to it.
Stressed brains find it hard to learn. Dogs find unknown dogs stressful. Studies have shown that cortisol (the stress hormone) increases when dogs don't feel safe in the same environment as unknown dogs (Lotchev et al., 2013). Therefore, the atmosphere is vital in determining how successful training will be. How your dog behaves depends on many factors, including health, genetics, previous learning, if they are tired, and their environment.
Learning skills before having to put these into practice is the best. It's best to start training where your dog feels calm. Often this is home, so yes, you can train your dog in your slippers and PJs! There are many skills you can teach your dog before coaching them in different environments, such as response to their name, confidence, and responsiveness to you, to name a few. You can also take this time to learn about body language.
There are too many variables in a class to set your dog up for success. It can be challenging when you're learning how to help your dog and they're struggling, so it's essential to put your dog's needs first.
3) I've been to a class previously, so there is no point going again
Specialists are studying dog behaviour and cognition all the time, which can benefit you and help your dog. These studies bust myths, so it's a good idea to stay up to date on the latest advice.
As both dog owners and trainers, we do our best with the knowledge we have until we know better. This means that techniques are constantly changing. We read, keep up with regular CPD and see other specialists with our own dogs. This then trickles down to you. You're not expected to know as much as us, but learning more about dogs is key to unleashing their potential.
4) There is only one way to train a dog
There are a couple of ways to train a dog, though not all of them are recommended by us. You can train positively or with intimidation, balanced training. We're crossover trainers. I came from using intimidation (only training my dog for 15 years, never professionally) and now am a progressive R+ trainer.
I grew up in a tiny Norfolk village and was allowed to have a dog as soon as I got a job. So I went to the local pub and got my border collie, Murphy. The other stipulation was I had to train my dog and go to classes. This was 25 years ago, and under the direction of my mum, I went to an obedience class.
That class used choke chains, startle disks, clickers and a few treats. It was intimidation based. Murphy became dog reactive, I was stressed, and we didn't trust each other. So we looked for another option. I soon realised we needed to trust each other, and I needed to understand him, and things improved.
Do your best until you know better, right?
If you want to have an emotionally balanced and confident dog with a relationship based on trust, then positive reinforcement is the path for you.
Murphy has been my best teacher. We learned a lot together, but I also made mistakes. Thanks to him, I live and train very differently now and have the best, most fulfilled relationship with my dogs, as do the people that work with us.
There are many great local ethical, qualified and experienced trainers to choose from now. I went to an intimidation class with Murphy as that was the only choice. With the progression of online training, there is no need to go to low skilled trainers.
5) Positive methods don’t work
This is where positive R+ methods are the most powerful. This is not only the safer option but scientifically more effective. We use R+ for all types of dogs. R+ is used from puppy training right through to high aggression cases. It can set up dogs and owners for success and rehabilitate struggling dogs. The goal is to change how your dog feels about a situation in a lasting and sustainable way, rather than short term quick fixes. Using aggression to fight aggression only ends up with someone getting bitten. Using a tailored plan looking at "what's the function" and addressing this enables issues to be handled with compassion, knowledge and understanding.
6) Dogs need a pack leader
Under the guidance of my family, I was the pack leader for my family dog growing up. I walked out of the door first, pretended to eat out of his dog bowl, and punished him for showing bad behaviour. I didn't feel right. I'm so glad we've moved on and learned much more about man's best friend. Dogs need effective leadership, not dominance, which is a widely misunderstood term. It's often misapplied and causes stress, lack of trust and escalation in unwanted behaviour. My childhood dog bit 3 people due to how we misunderstood him. Dogs generally want safety, security and things that make them feel good. Focus instead on rewarding good behaviour, facilitating opportunities to do normal dog behaviours, and setting your dog to be successful within boundaries.
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