Traditional or Positive Dog Training?
Training our dog is a very particular process. There are many theories, philosophies, and opinions about how, when, and why… So how can we learn what the best choice is for us, our dog, and our family? To give you a proper and comprehensive answer, I need to explain the types of training, their philosophies, and perhaps some of their techniques. Let’s take it step by step…
1. What is training?
The cultivation of mental and/or physical abilities and skills of a creature achieved through systematic teaching and exercise.
2. How is it achieved?
Fact 1: All living beings seek to satisfy their needs. Along the way to achieve this, we encounter situations that bring us pleasure (pleasure) and situations that cause us discomfort (physical or psychological pain). Naturally, all healthy beings seek to repeat situations that bring us pleasure and avoid situations that cause us pain. With Fact 1 as a basis and over the centuries, humans began to develop various methods of training. In today’s era, we have concluded that training is like a currency and like all currencies, it has two sides. On one hand, we have Punishment, whose aim is to reduce undesirable behaviors, and on the other hand, Reinforcement, whose aim is to strengthen desirable behaviors.
Fact 2: By the term “behavior,” we mean the set of actions or manifestations with which an individual responds to the stimuli it receives.
2a. Reinforcement and Punishment
In turn, the two sides of this currency of training are divided into two final subcategories… Positive (+) and Negative (-). Thus, we have:
Positive Punishment, also symbolized by +P.
Negative Punishment, also symbolized by -P.
We also have:
Positive Reinforcement, also symbolized by +R.
Negative Reinforcement, also symbolized by -R.
I remind you that the purpose of Punishment is to reduce a behavior, while that of Reinforcement is to increase it. The difference between Positive and Negative lies in the way the trainer manages situations in order to:
– Increase or decrease behaviors.
– Help the trainee cultivate their mental and/or physical abilities and skills.
Fact 3: The process of training is influenced by many parameters (trainer, trainee, physical and social environment, emotions, and psychological state of the trainee). The better the trainer controls (or helps the trainee to control) these parameters, the easier the trainee understands and responds. Ideally, each trainee starts their training in a controlled environment (classroom). As the trainee progresses, less controlled environment is needed.
2b. Adding (+Positive) and subtracting (-Negative)
What?
Anything (although I disagree with some, and I will explain why below). Food, water, petting… Voices, hits, pulls… Water, soil, stones, toys, activities… Really, the things we can add or subtract are endless. They are only limited by our knowledge, experience, and ingenuity… However, whatever we add or remove from the environment should (at least in the initial stages of training):
– directly influence the trainee
– be consistent
– have the right intensity
– be presented in such a way that the trainee can correlate it with behavior.
If what we add or remove from the environment directly, pleasantly (pleasure), consistently, and correctly influences the trainee, consciously or subconsciously, they will develop the tendency to repeat the behavior that brought them pleasure. The same applies to punishment. The difference is that punishment, instead of pleasure, causes discomfort (physical or psychological pain), and the trainee, consciously or subconsciously, develops the tendency to avoid the behavior that caused it.
How?
As mentioned earlier, whatever we add or remove from the environment should (at least in the initial stages) meet four prerequisites: immediacy, consistency, intensity, and manner.
Immediacy
Especially in the initial stages of training, the dog will associate reward or punishment with what it did at the moment it received it (perhaps even one or two seconds earlier). Anything different just confuses it. In more advanced stages, we can have words or signals that inform the dog that what it is doing at the moment pleases us (and will be rewarded later) or that what it is doing at the moment displeases us (and if continued, there will be consequences, e.g., walk stops, going outside, taking away the toy…). Such words or signals may be yes or no, the sound of a clicker, or clapping, the way we look at it (as long as it sees us to understand it). However, for our dog to cope with all this, we must start from the beginning; otherwise, it is like asking a three-year-old child to tell us how much is 12 squared and getting angry because they do not respond.
Consistency
Consistency, consistency, consistency. If we ask our dog to come to us (“Come”) and sometimes we give it a treat, sometimes we do nothing, and sometimes we scold or leash it, what meaning will the word “Come” have for it? At all stages, we should maintain consistency.
Intensity
Whatever we add or remove should have the right intensity. If it’s too strong, it can trigger bursts of excitement, anger, and fear. If it’s too weak, the dog may ignore it or misinterpret it. Each dog has different reaction levels to each stimulus. The trainer’s job is to read the dog and adjust the intensity accordingly (in my opinion, without the slightest hint of violence).
Manner
We may be direct, consistent, and with the right intensity, yet our manner may be wrong. If our dog soils inside the house and we scold it at the moment it does its business, the most likely thing it will understand is that we don’t want it to do its business in front of us (it will go to other rooms or hide under tables or behind sofas). We can shout at the exact right moment (precision), every time (consistency), with the appropriate tone (intensity), but our manner may be wrong. We don’t help it understand that we don’t want it to soil inside the house (if you have such a problem, read “Soiling where it shouldn’t”).
Where?
As we have already mentioned, everything starts from a classroom (controlled environment). The same applies to us humans. Try teaching a 4 or 5-year-old child to count in a playground or while their favorite show is on TV… We always start from a calm environment without stimuli that may distract the trainee.
Purpose
The purpose of training is not to turn the trainee into a robot but to enhance their mental/physical abilities/skills and teach them that their behaviors have consequences that affect the environment and creatures around us. Both the trainee and the trainer are influenced by this process. The ultimate goal of training is for both the trainer and the trainee to develop a better version of themselves.
Reality
As we have concluded, training is a coin, and like all coins, it has two sides (Reinforcement, R, and Punishment, P), and each side is divided into two parts: Positive (+) and Negative (-). Reinforcement increases the occurrence of a behavior. Punishment decreases the occurrence of a behavior. Positive adds something to the “equation.” Negative removes something from the “equation.” Let’s see some examples in our daily lives.
Positive Punishment (+P)
We start the car without wearing the seatbelt. A few meters later, the seatbelt alarm starts ringing. Conclusion: We started without wearing the seatbelt. Punishment: The annoying sound of the alarm starts. Something unpleasant (+P) is added because we didn’t wear the seatbelt. The tendency not to wear the seatbelt before starting decreases.
Negative Reinforcement
The seatbelt alarm of the car starts ringing annoyingly because we didn’t put on the seatbelt. We put on the seatbelt: The annoying sound stops. Conclusion: We put on the seatbelt. Reinforcement: The annoying sound stops. Something unpleasant (the annoying sound) is removed as soon as we put on the seatbelt (-R). The tendency to wear the seatbelt increases.
Fact: Whatever we add or remove in the environment should have the right intensity, otherwise it may leave us indifferent (low intensity). Intensity depends on the learner. Some will ignore the alarm, while some will rush to put on the seatbelt at the first beep.
Negative Punishment
We park somewhere we’re not allowed: Traffic police removes our license plates.
Conclusion: We parked somewhere we shouldn’t.
Punishment: Something pleasant is taken away from us, the ability to move our car (-P).
The tendency to park where it’s not allowed decreases.
Fact 1: If what we remove (or add) has high intensity for the learner, it can trigger explosions of anger (enthusiasm or fear). Many of us will get angry just by reading the example.
Fact 2: Consistency. Every time we have a behavior (parking where it’s not allowed), there must be consistency (ticket, removal of plates, impoundment). Without consistency, we ignore what they’re trying to teach us. Unless the intensity of punishment is so high that it causes temporary or permanent fear.
Fact 3: Fear can block behavior but is uncontrollable, disrupts the teacher-student relationship, and most of the time causes more problems…
Positive Reinforcement
As the ION almond advertisement says:
• You slept at noon.
• You sat quietly during that visit.
• You wore your best clothes…
Conclusion: All of the above…
Reinforcement: You got ION almond.
The tendency to do all of the above increases (+R).
Back to our topic…
How to train my dog. Positively or Negatively?
Generally, when we say “Positive trainer” we mean someone who primarily doesn’t use Punishment, trains with Reinforcement.
And when we say “Traditional Trainer” we mean someone who primarily trains with Punishment.
In reality, the concepts of Punishment and Reinforcement are so subtle that they often depend on the perspective from which you view them.
Example
We have a treat and, using various techniques, we make our dog sit and immediately give it to them (+R).
However, if they don’t sit, we don’t give it to them. This can also be interpreted as Negative Punishment (-P).
If you ask me, the choice of whether to use traditional or positive training methods depends on the skills, knowledge, and consciousness of the trainer who applies them, not the type.
The essence is to use as little (if any at all) VIOLENCE as possible.
VIOLENCE
The (material or mental) pressure exerted by someone on another to impose their will.
I’ve seen people use positive training techniques and, due to lack of knowledge, experience, and/or consciousness, do it with violence…
I’ve seen people use traditional training techniques and do it with so much care and talent that it wouldn’t be considered violence…
The important thing is not to send your dog for training but for the trainer to teach you. You will live with your dog! Your relationship needs to be strengthened!
If training is done by the trainer, the dog will develop a relationship with them (see “The price of sending your dog for training”).
You will have missed the opportunity to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills needed to guide/help them for the rest of their life.
My only objection is that traditional training and its techniques require more time, practice, and physical strength to conquer and apply (by the owner). Also, in case of mistakes, the chances of the dog showing anger (aggression) or fear are greater.
I know how to train both Positively and Traditionally, however, I have abandoned the traditional approach as the Positive one is easier to understand and apply by owners.
