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Victoria Stilwell on positive dog training
This is a great article from Victoria Stilwell and love her statement
Either you’re OK using methods and equipment when working with dogs that cause pain, fear, and purposeful discomfort, or you’re not.
I am not.
https://positively.com/…/its-simple-really-the-debate…
positively.com
Post: It's Simple, Really | Positively.com
Either you’re ok using methods and equipment when working with dogs that cause pain, fear, and purposeful discomfort, or you’re not. I am not.
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12 Replies
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The key to all of this is body language and empathy.
If you care about dogs and can read how they feel, why would you want to hurt them in order to get some form of “obedience”?
To me, it’s as simple as that.
At DD, we don’t do “dog trainer wars” and in general, I stay out of the fray on other platforms. No keyboard warrior has ever landed a convert.
Let’s just keep helping folks read their dogs and enjoy them more. The training methods will align, or the people who don’t want to practice that art will move on.
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good point – I am in the Pgh area and its the LAND OF BALANCED trainers. Very few positive only. Feel like a lone soldier. Debby McMullen, who I used for training, directed me to CATCH and I am so appreciative that she did.
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I can completely relate. The pickin’s are slim where I live too, and it can feel really lonely. So glad you found CATCH and Digging Dogs. We’re here to support you! Have a great day. 🙂
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Thanks everyone for touching on this. I’ve been watching this on social media. I understand that there is now some discussion around New Jersey creating a dog training licensure. Did CATCH get to provide input into this?
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Great question, @sandy – CCPDT and APDT are the drivers behind the Alliance for Professionalism in Dog Training, which is the org that has drafted model language for legislatures, so some of us in CATCH have responded to surveys they’ve sent out. The Alliance seems so be doing a great job responding to feedback. You can keep up with their efforts here: https://prodogtraineralliance.org/
prodogtraineralliance.org
The Alliance for Professionalism in Dog Training
The Alliance for Professionalism in Dog Training
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Oh yes, I’m already a part of this one!
Separately, there’s a piece of state legislation in now, Bill A5364.
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Hi Elaine!
Thank you so much for sharing this article! I am with Victoria. I am not OK with any aversive methodology, even if it’s “mostly positive” with just a hint of scary or hurtful stuff sprinkled in. NO WAY.
Why do I feel this strongly? I was a product of spankings and very long groundings… I was raised with aversive methods being used as a method of “changing my behavior”. (Yes, I got treats, too, from time to time.) My parents weren’t evil, but they didn’t know how to parent without using force or spankings, things were different in the 70’s and 80’s. I grew up and I knew I was loved. Fine. But, yes, scars are still there. When I had my own kids in the late 90’s and early 2000’s I chose to motivate them on rewards based methods…I have not used those methods on them. My mom confided to me on a few occasions that she wished she’d known how to motivate my brother and I without fear or physical punishment. You know: I really believe her. She was also a product of harsher punishers.
Sometimes, aversives are a way people think motivates behavior…but it’s not without cost to the trainee. There is never a reason why I would choose to instill fear into a dog to make them compliant. My own goals for the dog aren’t that special and there are lots more ways to motivate with happy tails! What I find objectionable is choosing to not be educated with the best methods possible!
I know we are all of the same mind here on DD! It’s a safe environment for all of us R+ types! Thank goodness for having this wonderful platform. ❤️
Thank you for listening to my little rant about my childhood. ????; it truly motivates me to be the best trainer to dogs, because they deserve it!
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Glad you found your way to the R+ world and glad that you found this article helpful!
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There is never a reason why I would choose to instill fear into a dog to make them compliant. – Paula M.
Love this Paula. That’s the bottom line in all of this – better relationships.
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agreed
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Today’s dog training is indeed very toxic. I also try to stay out of the “wars”. I just try to teach my students to build a good relationship. That’s the key. If your relationship with your dog is positive the rest becomes much easier. I do think we have to be careful of what we define as positive and what is aversive. It’s what the dog thinks. I like Catch because we don’t get into the dog training “wars”.
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Well said Bruce, thanks!
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