Dog training is, regrettably, a completely unregulated industry. To make it easier for animal guardians to find qualified trainers, the PPG has developed ten questions to ask a prospective trainer and examples of answers that are in line with modern, evidence-based training. Our answers are below.
What dog training equipment do you use when training a dog and what equipment do you recommend I use? A properly fitting harness, different length leashes, treats, and toys.
What happens in your dog training program when the dog responds in the way you want him to? When your dog chooses to perform the behavior he is asked for, that behavior will be reinforced with a reinforcer (treat, toy, play) that he has determined to be worth working for. The learner gets to choose what is motivating enough!
What happens in your training program when the dog responds in a way you do not want him to? Nothing happens to the dog if he does not respond as we hoped. We can reassess and understand why the dog couldn’t or wouldn’t do what was asked. Is it clear to the dog what is being asked, is there something in the environment that is preventing the dog from cooperating, are there too many distractions and what is being asked is too much? Setting the dog up for success is absolutely critical to learning and we can get a lot of information from “failures”. Training and behavior modification have a lot to do with tweaking and making small adjustments. That must be done in the context of close, detailed observations. The good runs and the bad ones both give invaluable information to keep us on the path to success.
How will you punish the dog or advise me to punish the dog if he gets something wrong or exhibits a behavior I don’t like? While this seems like a straight forward question, it can actually be more complex when thinking of punishment in terms of operant conditioning. Answering the more commonly understood question about punishment; we won’t punish the dog and I won’t advise you to do it, either. Punishment, in the normal sense, is a very ineffective way to teach or change behavior. There are a number problems with it (see post), all of which can be completely avoided by just using a technique that would be more effective anyway. One of the most serious problems with punishment is that using it can cause trust and fear issues. Going to a trainer and coming away with a less stable relationship with your dog than when you started or the dog has even hints of fear of you or the training process means that is the wrong trainer. The amount of force used is inversely proportional to the skill of the trainer.
How do you ensure my dog is not inadvertently being punished? Reading body language is the best way to make sure an the animal isn’t inadvertently punished. Stress signals range from very subtle to frighteningly obvious (see post). Undesirable consequences (causing a behavior to be less likely in the future) can impede learning and the effects can be so mild as to be go unnoticed. Low level signals that the dog is uncomfortable can go unnoticed, too. Constant and accurate observation of what the dog says with his body makes sure we don’t encounter any of the unintended consequences of punishment.
How do you know that the type of reinforcement you have selected to train my dog is appropriate? The dog gets to choose that! The reinforcer (what the dog gets because he did what he was asked) must match the level of effort he puts into the work. Sometimes it takes a bit of exploration to find out what works best in different situations. It is also important to consider what intensity of response you would like and adjust the reinforcer accordingly.
How will you know or how will I know if my dog is stressed during training? Reading body language is the only way we have to understand the emotional state of dogs (see post). Again, there is no substitute for close and constant observation coupled with understanding and interpretation skills. Discussing basic dog body language happens organically in almost every session we do, but we also take time to discuss this skill separately and with handouts.
Which professional dog training associations are you a member of? Mary Katherine is a member of the Pet Professional Guild, a membership organization representing pet industry professionals who are committed to results based, science based force-free training and pet care. Kevin
Will you guarantee your training results? No. It is impossible to guarantee the behavior of any other autonomous being. The best anyone can do is use tools to make behavior more or less likely within an appropriate training plan.
How do you think a dog’s behavior should be addressed if the dog is growling or snapping at other dog’s? Growling and snapping are a dog’s version of yelling that something is wrong. The very first step is to respect the dog’s communication and stop doing whatever it is that is causing the growling or snapping. Identifying what is causing the behavior is essential because the next step is to manage the situation so that the dog is never put in a situation that he feels that level of communication is necessary. The third step, and these should all happen quickly, is to call an experienced and qualified professional to help with any issues. There can be many variables in situations like these. The right trainer will be able to correctly identify the issue and choose the best plan to remedy it.
DO NOT PUNISH a dog for communicating in this way. Almost certainly, the dog has been showing signs that he is uncomfortable and they have not been recognized. When those less threatening signals were ignored (intentionally or not) he has had no choice but to increase the intensity of his communications. If he is punished for this, there is the likelihood that he will not growl or snap again, but skip straight to biting.