10 MarWhat is “Good” Dog Training?

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In the most recent episode, I've broken down some of the ways we refer to the kind of training we do here at School For The Dogs– we like to just call it “Good” dog training. 

Among the other labels given to this type of training are: Science-based training, reward-based training, force-free training, and clicker training. Here is a breakdown of these terms. 

Clicker Training

Many trainers use a clicker, which is small plastic box that makes a sharp sound. Like all the trainers at School For The Dogs, I use a clicker frequently, and I think it's a great tool, but it isn't essential to dog training. It would be kind of like calling writing “pencil moving.”

Reward Based Training

“Good” dog trainers definitely make use of rewards. Figuring out what is rewarding to your dog is one of the very first steps any one should take when training their dog. But I worry that calling “Good” dog training “reward based” training implies that we are just goody-dispensers, when in fact, you don’t have to use “treats.”  People also often conflate the terms “reinforcement” and “reward,” when “reinforcement,” technically speaking, just refers to encouraging a behavior… and it's easy to both reinforce things you don't like. Reinforcement also comes in two flavors, one of them being negative reinforcement, which is usually a really bad call. Water boarding is an example of how you can manipulate behavior using negative reinforcement.   

Science Based Training

“Good” dog training is indeed “science-based,” because we are indeed using what we know about science to help teach dogs how to live in a human world. This means taking into account the latest research in the fields of biology, behavior and beyond. But my issue with calling “Good” dog training “science based” is that you could train using painful techniques (generally rooted in negative reinforcement or punishment, but even pain can sometimes be positively reinforcing) and you would be operating in the realm of “science” as well.

Positive Reinforcement Training

Positive Reinforcement means that a behavior is being encouraged by the addition of something, and it is a kind of go-to short hand way to refer to “Good” dog training, and I use it a lot. But I do find it has its problems. For one thing, while we do use a lot of positive reinforcement, we also do sometimes use punishment. Even if you vow to never use punishment, the fact is that punishment is a part of life, and we inadvertently punish our students (and ourselves and each other) all the time, often without even realizing it. How can you tell? Just think of anything you used to do that you don't do anymore. Or anything your dog used to do that he doesn't do any more. If partaking in those behaviors resulted in any kind of consequence that resulted in you (or your dog) being less likely to perform that behavior again, it's likely that was because of punishment. 

Also: it is easy to misinterpret the “Positive” in “Positive Reinforcement” as having something to do with smiley face emojis. The “positive” in this context just refers to addition. It has nothing to do with being friendly and nice — two qualities that are not-essential to being a positive-reinforcement dog trainer. It should also not be confused with “positive thinking.” Thinking good thoughts about your dog may or may not solve your problems, and in my opinion shouldn't really factor into dog training. It is also doesn't involve simply focusing on only the goo things a dog does and ignoring everything else, and shouldn't be confused with “positive psychology,” which is a legitimate field that has very little to do with dog training. 

My last issue with “Positive Reinforcement” as a term is that many people give themselves more credit for understanding it than they should. There is no question about the fact that your behavior is being affected by positive reinforcement in a thousand ways every day, but it probably isn’t the first thing you’d say if someone asked you why you are doing any given thing. We also make use of positive reinforcement frequently when we are trying to get people to do something. Only thing is, we too often don’t use an appropriate reinforcer, or our timing is lousy, or we’re not generous enough. Frequently, we are even using positive reinforcement when we think we think we are using punishment…

Once I saw how positive reinforcement could be used effectively in dog training, it felt like almost every issue in life could be reduced to some kind of dog training problem that inevitably had a solution rooted in the effective use of positive reinforcement.

“Good” Dog Training

This is not really an official dog training term, but it's my preferred way of referring to, well, training that is good! It is “good” in that it works, “good” in that it is kind, and also “good” in that both people and dogs tend to like it.

The “good” methods we use at School For The Dogs are not the only ones that can be effective when training a dog. Much of the dog training that has been used for the last century has produced desired results, but most of it was crude, if not harsh.  More and more studies are finding that training that is rooted in positive reinforcement leads dogs to experience faster and more effective learning, with the least amount of fallout, or unintended consequences. I will explain the drawbacks of other methods. However, even if you don’t want to use the “good” dog training we champion, this text will be a useful primer on the science of behavior, and will only help you train more effectively using whatever method you choose.

Good dog training is efficient, requires little investment or equipment, and generally produces long lasting results. In many cases it will literally involve you not doing anything. It’s so easy to do that “not doing” may be part of the job.  It also happens to be a lot of fun, both for dogs and humans. The fun-factor is not why it works— it’s just a happy byproduct of this style of training. In fact, it’s so much fun that I don’t understand why everyone doesn’t become a dog trainer! 

Here are some ways you can recognize “good” dog training:

“Good” Dog Training…

… helps dogs live comfortably and happily with us. Dogs did not evolve to live in our homes, but training can help them learn to have happy lives within the human domain.

… does not require being born with any kind of special knowledge, and doesn't require you to attempt to read a dog's thoughts. Anyone can do it.

… can keep dogs out of shelters. Behavioral problems are the number one reason that dogs are relinquished, and are also the number one cause of death for dogs under the age of three. A small amount of training can do a lot to save a dog's life.

… increases the bond between a dog and his person, and provides a joint past-time that can be fun for both species.

… requires neither causing a dog pain nor inciting fear in order to get them to comply with our wishes. The more fear or pain a dog feels, the more likely he is to bite; nearly 5 million Americans a year are victims of dog bites.

… helps build both patience and observation skills in both humans and dogs. A well-trained dog will build skills to help him figure out on his own how to please you, and how to get things he wants without resorting to inappropriate behaviors.

… will make you a better person! If you can figure out how to bring out the best in your dog without using punishment or coercion, you will find ways to influence people as well.

… produces long-lasting results with upkeep that is efficient, and requires little investment, time or equipment.

… focuses on prevention rather than punishment. If the undesired behavior never happens, it won't need to be punished.  If there is no problem, then you don't have to get rid of it!

…doesn't stop when a training session is over. It's an approach to molding behavior that makes it hard to unsee the fact that behavior is happening all the time.

Featured photo by Milla Chappell