Frequently Asked Questions About Animal Training

With positive reinforcement training, you can and should start as soon as your new friend comes home. They need to eat, so they may as well work for it! Of course, the animal must get its proper ration, and age restrictions in ability, both physical and mental, must be considered. Within the first days and weeks, no matter what the species, they learn the rules to become part of your life. They set about finding out what pays and what doesn't. If you are indulgent when they are cute and small and wait until they are big enough to do real damage before you teach them anything, you will undoubtedly have many bad habits to work on. A good rule of thumb is to not let your puppy (or kitten, or...) do anything now that you won't tolerate them doing as an adult.

No living creature is naturally 'eager to please' another without some benefit to themselves. So, technically speaking, there is no natural way to train obedience. However, if one method comes close, it is food-based training. Animals don't naturally obey or have good manners; these are human rules. We want our dogs to go to the bathroom outside. We want them to walk nicely on a leash. We want them to leave the food on the dinner table alone. When visiting with people, we want them to sit politely. None of these would be considered an issue in a dog's world. Wild dogs don't consider obedience. All animals work for food. Squirrels search for nuts. Cats hunt mice. Frogs catch bugs. Dogs scavenge for food. That is their job. Food-based training capitalizes on this drive; animals willingly work for their food. Of course, animals must get their full daily ration of food. There is no need to deprive an animal of food to achieve results. Owners can enrich their pet's day by using food in many ways. Treat balls and busy toys can be filled with a portion of the dog's daily food. Kong toys can be filled and smeared with peanut butter or cream cheese to assist in crate training or separation conditioning. A portion of the dog's daily diet can also be used for training basic skills in an area free from distractions. Special treats do have their place in positive reinforcement training. When working in distracting environments, bring out the good stuff. Food is an excellent motivator. Make sure the dog is getting something it wants to earn. When an animal enjoys its job, owners will find that new skills come quickly and easily.

MilkboneIf used correctly, food should not be used indefinitely. During initial training, you should be generous and consistent with food rewards. This helps your dog quickly learn the difference between correct and incorrect responses. Next, it is important to apply these skills to real-life situations. Your dog needs to learn how to use obedience in the real world when surrounded by distractions. At this point, you would continue to use food rewards. However, once your dog has mastered a skill, it is in your best interest to wean it away from treats. Dogs behave better when they work for a wide variety of rewards. They also obey better when rewards are unpredictable and random. We show owners how to wean away from food rewards as quickly as possible to avoid creating a 'show me the cookie dog.'

A clicker is an event marker that indicates to an animal exactly what behaviour is being rewarded. Just like whale trainers use a whistle, a clicker pinpoints the correct behaviour even when a primary (food) reward cannot be given at that moment.

The 'click' is a distinct sound that is not duplicated in the environment; thus, there is no confusion on the dog's part. When owners want to mark good behaviour and a clicker is not available, we recommend using a short word like "yes." It offers greater precision than a 'good dog,' which may be confused with praise or affection. We prefer to save 'good dog' for general praise and not use it as a marker of correct behaviour. With new trainers, the mechanics of organizing your dog, treats, and clicker might be too much to start with. Thus, we train the dog with both the 'click' and the 'yes' to mark correct behaviours.

No. The clicker is a teaching tool. It is used to teach new behaviours actively. Once a dog has mastered a skill, it is no longer needed because the dog has learned the exercise.

I do not believe in using pain or fear to correct dogs. Withholding the reward provides enough feedback for most dogs. It learns what was wrong because a treat was not earned. Being positive does not mean that owners should be permissive. Structure and boundaries are very important. Dogs are rewarded for doing the right thing but are not permitted to run amok. It's like teaching a child a new skill, such as math. Poking, prodding, verbally correcting, or spanking are not necessary. In fact, those tactics can cause harm. Instead, the child should be kept at an appropriate level with the structure and boundaries that support learning. Similarly, dogs do not need physical corrections, verbal reprimands or poking and prodding. They need an owner who keeps them at an appropriate level and teaches them the basics really well. Corrections should always be positive and constructive.

This is an individual choice. Classes are a great way to practice basic training with your dog around distractions and allow you to meet other dog owners in your community. Private training is more costly but delivers faster and more individual results. Sometimes, private sessions are your only option if your dog suffers from specific behaviour issues (aggression, territorial, fear, etc.). Please feel free to contact me and discuss your training options.

No, and I would be very wary of trainers who do. Behaviour depends on many factors, the most important being the trainer's commitment to the task at hand. The success of any training plan depends on too many variables, some of which are beyond my control. I guarantee that I will be committed to the latest methods offered by the scientific community and continue to keep myself up to date in education. I am certified by the Certification Council for Pet Dog Trainers and Karen Pryor Acadamy and have pledged my dedication to a better approach to training.