How to Choose the Right Trainer, continued from front page.

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Volume 1, issue 3

into compliance.  If a tool is forceful it can create not only medical problems for the dog but also cause unwanted side effects.  These side effects can include serious problems like aggression which means that your dog may end up behaving worse than she did before the training started. Dominance If a trainer you are interviewing makes use of the word dominance, this may be a red flag.  Unfortunately, because of the lack of regulation of dog training, most use this word incorrectly.  Even more alarming is the fact that the use of the word usually causes owners to assume that their dog is trying to take over and that they must be forceful with the dog to prevent this.  That fact is that dogs are domesticated.  Domestication by definition means that dogs are dependent on people.  Furthermore, dogs are just like people they are only trying to get what they want.  Attributing a dog’s unknown motivation to “dominance” is almost always inaccurate.    Punishment When interviewing a trainer, ask what type of punishment they use. The answer you are looking for is time out,

removal of rewards or negative punishment. Any trainer that uses objects that are thrown at dogs, or spray bottles used to intimidate a dog, should be avoided. Leash yanking, shouting and hitting are other forms of undesired punishment. The reason it is important

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

to avoid anything that intimidates or causes fear in a dog is that these methods cause side effects. These side effects can include other new problems, your dog becoming aggressive or your dog becoming so fearful that she is unable to learn.   Certification While there are some excellent dog trainers available that are not certified, there are many certifications available at this time that are a good starting point. Here is a list of certifications that require rigorous study.   CAP2, Clicker Assessment Protocol level 2 www.LearningAboutDogs.com CPDT, Certified Pet Dog Trainer a certification connected to www.APDT.com CDbC, Certified Dog behavior Consultant offered through Two other organizations that offer endorsements they are www.NADOI.org and www.IIACAB.com The certifications listed above all take years to get. They require study, experience and a completion of some form of testing. Avoid any trainer who was required to train for weeks to be certified. Dog training is based on the

science of behavior and that takes years to truly understand. There are many questionable certifications available that are granted after less than a month of training. Abuse There are trainers in every state that have been charged with animal cruelty. While these people are not truly trainers, they are usually smart marketers and know how to fool people into using their services. They frequently offer in board training and it is common that they do not allow people to observe their training because it is “secret”. The secret is that they are using abuse. If a trainer does not let you watch the training process, pass on hiring that trainer. There are no secrets; dog training is based on the science of behavior this information is available to anyone with a commitment to learning. Abusive training will cause a dog to go into a state called learned helplessness. In learned helplessness a dog is very quiet and shut down. This is what some people want from their pets so they mistakenly think the dog has been trained. The reality is that training modifies behavior not personality. Learned helplessness will fade over time, if the abuse isn’t continued, and frequently the dog will then display aggressive behaviors. Joy Just like people, dogs learn best when the training is fun. Learning to sit, down, come, stay and so forth can be taught as games that are enjoyable to both the human and the dog. By making what you need your dog to learn a fun game both you and your dog are much more likely to comply. You are more likely to practice, and your dog is more likely to respond to the cues that you give her. Trust and Compliance When you find a trainer you trust and like, stick with that trainer. It is important to make a commitment to the training process so it can be successful. Changing your trainer’s instructions or including things you have seen on TV or read in a book can undermine your dog’s learning. Most of all, the goal is for both you and your dog to feel happy during training, that is why we have dogs to have a fun companion to bond with.

Previously Published in:  The GulfCoast DOG Magazine 2008 Fall Issue Written by Angelica Steinker, M.Ed., CDBC, CAP2,NADOI and ILACAB endorsed

 

may be you who is making the mistakes in your communication and blaming your dog.  As you learn how dogs think and perceive our actions and language and consistently apply that knowledge your dog will automatically become better behaved. Honest! The reason is because all this time your dog didn’t understand what you expected or the cues you gave the dog meant something entirely different to the dog than it did to you.

How Dogs Learn, Cont.