Ethical Puppy Training and Positive Reinforcement

21.45 in and, Dog, ethical, positive, puppy, reinforcement, training

So you got a new puppy and couldnt be happier with your new little bundle of joy when they chew your favorite shoes, piddle on your rug, and jump all over your visiting in-laws. Oh no! Just like baby humans, puppies love to cause trouble and make messes! Also like baby humans, new puppies need to be taught how to behave properly.

When adding a new puppy to your family, good training is vital to ensure a happy relationship with your pet. There are so many ways to train a puppy, but your cute and fuzzy new friend deserves ethical puppy training. 
Ethical puppy training means using positive reinforcement for desired behaviors and avoiding punishing bad behaviors. Your job as an ethical puppy trainer is to make the desired behavior as attractive as possible to the puppy and distract them from unwanted behaviors. For example, if your puppy loves to chew, provide plenty of chew toys and praise them when they chew the toy. When you catch your puppy chewing furniture, calmly redirect their attention to the toy. You will have to repeat this often before it sticks!

Your puppy needs you to work with it to learn how to behave properly. Starting as young as possible, practice walking on a leash without pulling. If your puppy likes to jump on guests, ask someone to help you practice by going through the visitor scenario over and over again, rewarding your puppy when they remain calm.
Reward-based training will not only improve the behavior of your pet, it will improve your relationship with your pet. You will enjoy your pet much more when they are well behaved, and your pet will trust you and see you as a source of treats and love. 

If you are busy, search for a pet trainer who specializes in ethical puppy training to assist you in giving your puppy the best possible start in life. If your once well-trained pet is suddenly exhibiting unwanted behaviors, get them to a vet for a checkup - a health problem may be causing the pet to act up.

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Bringing clarity to clickers and positive reinforcement

02.47 in and, bringing, clarity, clickers, Dog, positive, reinforcement, to

You hear the words "Clicker training", "Clickers", "Positive Reinforcement" etc... but whats it all mean? Let me try to help clarify some points:

1. Using a "Clicker" doesnt mean a person doesnt use "punishment" (hopefully not at the same time)... 
2. Positive Reinforcement doesnt mean a person doesnt use punishment.
3. Positive reinforcement doesnt mean a person doesnt use physical force to get what they want! 
4. Using "punishment" doesnt mean a person uses physical force or inhumane methods to teach. 
5. There are two types of "punishment":

• "Negative Punishment": Taking the good thing away
• "Positive Punishment": adding something the animal wants to avoid - a smack, shock, choke, prong in the neck, citronella spray, loud noise, being pinned, etc...

Why do I bring this up? A couple of reasons. There are some trainers out there that say theyre somewhere between "A clicker trainer" and a famous trainer who uses physical force, flooding, fear tactics, and downright "old fashioned" training methods. (Sorry, name withheld to protect privacy and CMA)...

I wanted to say to this person: "What does being a clicker trainer mean to you?" It certainly isnt exclusive to causing no harm to an animal - its just another tool in your trainers toolbox, as it is mine. It "marks" the behavior you wanted your dog (or any animal) to perform...not much more. 

I use a clicker as one of my training tools. I also use "punishment". As a matter of fact I spoke about it today in my Manners Class at the Inquisitive Canine studio. However, the type of punishment I use and teach has to do with "reward removal" -  not hitting, beating, shocking, spraying, coercing, forcing, or bullying! 

No animal learns that way without resulting in some nasty (usually "emotional") side-effects. Do animals learn through beating and force techniques? Sure they do - or should I say, "we" do... But what else are they "learning" besides what the owner/parent wants? - which is usually not the first or main thing they learn... 

My final example: I was coming home from a run, heading in the opposite direction of a man and his dog. Im sure I looked "weird" to the dog...hat, sunglasses, water bottle belt, running right towards it. This can be perceived by dogs as "threatening", right? Something weird running at it... So the dog did the most logical thing it could do in its little canine brain - it started barking at me - I didnt blame it at all. Unfortunately the owner did - and proceeded to smack it repeatedly on the head! The dog looked at me, barked, got smacked and yelled at. I cringed! I think I yelped myself! Then screamed at him to please not hit the dog!!! Why is he hitting him! it doesnt teach him what you want! 

I know, that can be pretty punishing to someone - being yelled at it public. As for "positive punishment" towards humans - of course Im against it (unless its self defense) - However, I did have a secret desire to smack the owner and take the dog... Hopefully they will end up in one of my classes - either at the studio or Ventura College, so I can supply an education in positive reinforcement, learning by both association and consequence, proper ways to get rid of unwanted behaviors, and clickers (or not). 

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Positive Reinforcement and dog training what is is

21.56 in and, Dog, is, positive, reinforcement, training, what

The term "Positive Reinforcement" is such the "in thing" to say nowadays when it comes to training your pet dog - but what exactly does it mean? In a very small nutshell, it means adding something, or giving something, to an animal they find pleasant after a behavior is performed in order to increase the frequency of that behavior. For example: you ask your dog to sit, she does, you give her a cookie. With consistency, she will probably start offering this behavior (sitting) more frequently because of the pleasant outcome. As you can see, it is the consequences that drive the behavior. 

So how can those folks who use squirt bottles when punishing their dogs, or jerking the collars, or rolling them onto their backs call themselves "positive reinforcement" trainers...? As far as I can tell by reading the dogs body language, being squirt, rolled over with force, or jerked and yelled at is not the most pleasant thing...and certainly doesnt tell the dog what you want. 

My philosophy and methodology at the inquisitive canine is centered around positive reinforcement. Which means I like to motivate the dogs with anything and everything they find pleasant and rewarding... food, petting, praise, toys, belly rubs, tug of war, and all sort of other fun and games... Life is full of enough aversives...why add to it - especially when it distorts learning, yes? 

I recommend everyone be inquisitive themselves when looking for a trainer - think about how well you would learn a new skill... being spoken to in a language you understand, being motivated by something you find to be pleasant...not afraid of. Its not just the words, but the actions of the trainer themselves.

Come check us out...sign up for one of our classes... you may be positively reinforced as well. 

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Article on Progressive Reinforcement in Dutch Dog Mag

09.15 in article, Dog, dutch, dvd, in, mag, on, progressive, reinforcement, released, seminar

Last month an article written on Progressive Reinforcement Training by Esther Teunissen was published in Me & My Dog. I am very pleased to see interest in Progressive Reinforcement growing!

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PROGRESSIVE REINFORCEMENT TRAINING MANIFESTO

16.01 in Dog, manifesto, progressive, reinforcement, training

By Emily Larlham

The Need for a New Term:

A type of animal training exists that involves no forms of intimidation, confrontation, violence, reprimands, or domination.

This non-violent type of training has gone under many names: “Clicker Training,” “Positive Training,” “Positive Reinforcement Training,” and “Reward Training,” among others. However there is a need for a more specific, more accurate, more inspirational term. This is because the above terms have been used so loosely in recent years that they may soon lose their original meanings altogether. How has this happened? Trainers who use compulsion methods may incorporate a clicker (a noise maker to mark desirable behavior) and refer to themselves as a “Clicker Trainers.” Trainers who use painful or intimidating methods may include food or toy rewards in their training and refer to themselves as “Reward Trainers” or “Positive Reinforcement Trainers.” It is already possible that a member of the public may seek the guidance of a trainer who claims to be “Positive,” only to find out that this trainer routinely uses physical violence towards animals.

I propose a new term that trainers and members of the general public can use to refer to this type of modern training – a training system that is not only humane, compassionate, and reliable, but is also based on the latest scientific studies. Because this form of training constantly incorporates the latest and most reliable scientific findings, and because it furthers an evolutionary movement toward a more harmonious relationship between humans and the animals who live with them, it shall be referred to as Progressive Reinforcement Training.

READ THE REST OF THE MANIFESTO BY CLICKING HERE

CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE READ THE MANIFESTO AND WANT TO USE THE PROGRESSIVE REINFORCEMENT TRAINING LOGO ON YOUR WEBSITES

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Venice Italy Seminar Footage

13.14 in canis, Dog, footage, in, italy, manifesto, progressive, reinforcement, seminar, the, training, venice

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The Art of Trick Dogging Set of 4 DVDs

18.17 in 4, art, article, dog, dogging, dutch, dvds, in, mag, of, on, progressive, reinforcement, set, the, trick

Here is the link to The Art of Trick Dogging DVDs:
http://www.tawzerdog.com/product/info/1017/The-Art-of-Trick-Dogging--Emily-La...

Produced by: Tawzer Dog LLC

Copyright© 2011, all rights reserved

Run Time: 7 hrs 40 min

The Art of Trick Dogging: Two Day Workshop by Emily Larlham

Trick Dogging is not only a great way to bond with your dog, but it increases your dogs confidence, strength, fitness, balance, flexibility, and bodily awareness. It is also a great way to increase ones own training skills.
In this DVD you will learn how to teach the core positions, movements and placements of trick dogging from which to build very simple to the most complex tricks and behaviors.

Some topics covered are teaching backwards tricks, advanced object holding, paw work and double dog tricks.

This DVD also goes over the most important skills for getting your pet into commercials, movies and magazines, as well as how to train your dog fun service dog skills such as putting laundry away, and turning on light switches. It also covers the basics of getting the perfect start in teaching Freestyle Frisbee.

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The Progressive Reinforcement Training Manifesto in Canis

19.27 in a, canis, does, Dog, have, in, manifesto, progressive, reinforcement, the, training, waist, your

The Progressive Reinforcement Training Manifesto by Emily Larlham was published in Canis Magazine. A wonderful dog training magazine here in Europe!

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