No Pain Dog Training
There are people who still believe that, in order to train a dog, it is necessary to inflict pain. It is called a “correction”. For an error, the dog is collar corrected with a snap of the leash and given a physical pain reminder that it has done something incorrectly.
A pain focused method of dog training is primitive and totally unnecessary.
The training of killer whales, sea lions, dolphins and other animals has shown that it is possible to have excellent control of behaviour without physical punishment. The killer whale is controlled and taught tricks through a series of food rewards. The behaviour is shaped so that the whale learns what is wanted, what earns a food treat and what pleases the trainer.
The whale does not learn through the administration of pain.
The dog knows what is causing the pain and who is causing the pain. It ruins any sense of trust that the dog may have in the relationship. The dog enters the relationship wanting to please. If the dog makes an error, it is the human’s fault for not communicating clearly what is wanted. It seems absurd that the dog is punished because the human has failed to communicate clearly. How would that pain methodology apply to a killer whale? How would one punish a killer whale?
The killer whale works and learns through food rewards, head rubs, pats on back, verbal praise and smiles from its trainer. The dog can learn in exactly the same manner, without physical punishment. The argument will be that the dog is working just because it is being bribed. Is that a reason against using rewards for work? Do people go to work for the mere enjoyment of the job or is there ultimately a ‘food reward’?
Training a dog with food rewards is effective, quick and fosters a solid relationship with the dog. There is not one good reason for not using a food / positive reinforcement methodology. Pain simply does not have to be part of the training protocol.
Catherine Forsythe
Tags: communication, dogs, food, killer whales, pain, positive reinforcement, training
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