There seems to be such a strong division among people about the right approach to training their dogs. The basis stems down to the questions of using treats or corrections. Truth be told, the most important thing to do is to first understand your dog, build a relationship with him and see what he responds to. Is it a treat, a toy, praise… whatever it is, it needs to be valuable for your dog. Using treats to train a dog is never a bad idea, as long as you mold the behavior. That is to say the dog must understand that whatever the reward is, that it is linked to you and his behavior. If this connection is made with your dog, then he will be well balanced. That being said, there are times when a correction may be necessary. Unfortunately most people do not understand the difference, or choose not to spend the effort to try and figure it out. Other than aggression, a dog should not be corrected (physically) for something that he has not been taught.
Balancing the Scales: Thoughts on training with rewards
Correcting a dog takes on many interpretations. A correction can be forcing the dog into what we are trying to get him to do: i.e. pushing down on his behind to get him to sit, popping up on the leash, or withholding a food reward until he sits. The difference in the approach is big in the dogs mind. If you force him into the sit physically, he will learn to sit to avoid being popped on the leash or having his butt pushed down. Withholding something he wants will make the dog think, “what do I need to do in order to get what I want?” For the most part this makes the most sense in training. Its also important to note that pushing down on a dogs back to force the sit, builds resistance. The harder you push down, the more the dog resists, the sloppier the sit becomes. We want a dog that pop into position, not one that is forced.
My biggest concern in training is that the training must always be fair for the dog. It starts with this concept, and ends with this concept. Being a jerk to a dog creates a dog that has very little connection / bond with its owner.
The key thing to remember is that training must show structure and the trainer must maintain his position as the dogs leader / teacher. The key thing I’ve seen people err on the side of is the extremes. Most correction based trainers lack the compassion to “teach” the dog, and many reward based trainers lack the strength to give the dog structure and guidance. The well balanced trainer will give the dog both…. and all the while remaining neutral and focussing on the most important aspect of dog training: Never letting your dog fail.
Training should be the most fun activity for your dog. I never end a training session on a negative note, and if I am not in the right mental place to train a dog, I don’t. Starting out with a bad attitude is going to make for a session that goes nowhere. If I introduce something new to the dog during a particular session, or if the dog is having an issue with a particular task, I will always end the session on a high note. That is either I will stop when he gets the new task, or I will stop the session by having him do something that he already does well. The end of a training session is a celebration where the dog is made to feel very special and ends with a special treat that the dog loves: treats, toys, affection, playtime, etc.