Dog Training Myths
I want to talk about some basic myths in dog training so that you will better understand my method and why it works so well. I warn you now, exploding these myths (as well as what we have discussed previously) will probably make me unpopular within the training industry, and with many dog trainers, as much of what has been/is being developed is strictly to make money and accommodate the many competency levels of trainers. But, it's time it happened. The myths we will look at and discuss are:
1) You can't train a dog before it's 6 months old
2) The different obedience class levels
3) Puppy classes help ready a pup for obedience classes
4) An "8 week/1 hour per session" obedience class is necessary to train a dog
5) My dog can't be trained, it needs a dog behaviorist/psychologist
6) A dog for everyone (or how to pick the perfect breed for you)
Exploding the myths and exposing the training industry can only help owners become informed and improve their relationships with their dogs.
MYTH #1: You can't train a dog before it's 6 months old
This, in my mind, is the most detrimental myth out there. It leads owners to believe that a dog is incapable of learning obedience until it has reach six months old--a certain magic age. This is based on, primarily, two critical issues.
The first is that, using traditional, choke collar training methods, a very young dog of eight weeks to about six months old can't physically handle the immense spinal, throat, and tracheal abuse that occurs when the "snap-n-jerk" method is used. This method is physically and psychologically hard and because pups are just learning their world, it can be extremely damaging to them, destroying their confidence in their skills, the world around them, and their owner's trustworthiness.
Dogs, at age six months or even older, can become shy, fearful, or even aggressive in self-defense, when trained using the choke chain method. They certainly won't think the person who owns them is someone to trust as they have been hurt by them repeatedly with this type of training. It is NOT a method I would ever use on a young, emotionally and physically, developing dog. It would, in all probability, scar them for life or leave them with shaky self-confidence. I have only needed to use a choke collar twice in all my time of training.
Some 45+ years ago it was deemed by scientists and behaviorists that using choke chains to train resulted in "learned helplessness" on the part of the dog. Obedience was gained not by the innate willingness of the dog to follow leader-established rules, but because repeated pain and fear had been administered the dog simply didn't try to do ANYTHING. (Hey, guys, I didn't make this up...it's a fact).
The majority of trainers fall into two categories; a) those who rely on choke chains/pinch collars, a method predicated on harsh, domineering techniques that doesn't require a trainer to adjust their training to the personality, age, breed, or emotional development of the individual dog, and b) what I call the "treat" method which bribes a dog to behave. (This is not a viable method as it adds unnecessary calories and is VERY slow and undependable unless an immense amount of mindless, repetitive work is practiced. The bribes are then very important to hold the attention of a dog bored to death with rote practice. And as we all know with bribes, the minute something more important comes along, the ante is upped or you are ignored completely.) Choke chains require a dog with some "body" to him in order to be able to withstand the abuse. Bribing is slow and results in erratic constancy of response in non-bribed conditions. Owners know, in their gut, that both these methods are not right.
There is an old belief that one year of a dog's life is equivalent to seven years of a our life. Veterinarians have determined a much more realistic development table which blows this out of the water. On the average;
5 months (age of dog) = 10 years (human age)
8 months=13 years
10 months=14 years
12 months=15 years
Everyone knows a normal parent would NEVER allow a child to reach the age of 11 years without ever having said "no" and enforcing it, teaching the child about the world, the people in it, and how to behave. Not only for the child's sake, but for the parent's and family's mental and physical well-being. So, why would any caring owner allow their dog to develop that long without teaching these same skills? Because owners are told not to begin obedience class before the dog is 6 months old. (This is now changing a bit. The industry is pushing Puppy Classes, but we will look at that in Myth #3.)
Here is the inherent problem with age-restricted training. By the time the dog is six months old they have developed some bad habits and have the size, speed, determination and strength to engage in inappropriate behavior causing owners to pull their hair out and begin to really dislike the dog they once loved. It also makes the dog crazy as it tries to understand the rules and accommodate an always emotionally-changing owner. One day the dog receives love and positive attention as it hasn't done anything to tick-off the human. The next day the owner is at his wits end and punishing the dog. No one--not dog or owner--is happy or secure.
In the past few years puppy classes have begun to spring up. Nice...But, most are simply modified social classes with overtones of adult dog classes and puppies actually acquire bad habits in many of these classes. After completing this training your are instructed to plan to bring the pup back, at about 6 months old, to begin adult training. This is an industry gimmick to make more money and we will explode it.
MYTH #2: There are different levels of obedience
This is a great myth. Many trainers, and the dog industry, get a LOT of mileage and bucks from this one. Why would anyone charge once for training when they can charge three or four times? Let's tell the truth here...you deserve to hear it. After all, every one of you works hard for your money. You probably have to do some serious schedule rearranging to make time for obedience classes. You are the people that love the dog, but have to replace the couch, hold onto your temper when faced with a dog that is ignoring your command (which is usually only given for the dog's safety.) and worry yourself sick that your pet may be hurt, or killed, as it takes off down the road or across a field in hot pursuit of something. It is you that feels a failure when your dog "doesn't get it" and does poorly in obedience training. Here is how obedience classes work now, for the most part.
Beginning obedience (pay once). This seems to mean that your dog learns to lower his hind end to the ground. (Hopefully upon your command, because I can guarantee you he knows how do it without your telling him.) Intermediate obedience (pay twice) seems to mean that you return to the trainer to teach your dog to lower his hind end to the ground and stay in one place while you stand for a specific period of time. Advanced obedience seems to mean you take another class (pay three times) to teach your dog to sit on command, stay in one place while you walk away or around a corner and, possibly, do this all off-leash. (Please understand this is a simplistic, condensed version of what is happening, but it doesn't make me happy to see dogs and owners go through unnecessary and prolonged training at great monetary expense.)
Here's the truth, unvarnished and totally without tact. There are NO different levels of obedience. Either your dog is obeying or it isn't--right from the beginning. When I train--by establishing behavioral expectations and rules--I get obedience for which I don't have to specifically train, it is a natural extension of pack behavior to follow the rules and the dog finds it easy to comprehend and comply. Both of us are happy.
Here is another area in which I differ dramatically from the established methods of training. I hold certain truths to be self-evident. I believe both people and dogs can think, reason, learn, and apply what they learn, IF they understand what is being taught to them. How well they can apply this knowledge depends upon a variety of factors. Still, these factors can be modified, or improved upon, for a higher consistency-rate of good behavior. I KNOW that most of the problems within obedience classes and between owners and dogs occur when owners don't communicate in a way that dogs understand. The owner says one word, their tone indicates something different, their body language communicates a third thing and their actions throw the fourth, and final, monkey-wrench into the stew. The dog is confused. The owner frustrated and doesn't even see what the dog is communicating.
When I teach obedience the very first lesson, for both the owner and dog, is to learn to respect each other, become calm, think about what is happening, and practice self-correction. Each dog is an individual, with individual traits at different levels in such things as stubbornness, timidity, or willingness. While the basics of good behavior are taught, they are tailored to the individual dog/owner. The dog determines the level/form of communication and discipline needed to insure they believe you mean what you say. Dogs are NOT stupid. When they misbehave and you effectively communicate disapproval, if faced with a consequence (such as not being allowed to play during socialization time, continuing a walk, being returned to a kennel, or verbally reprimanding in a no-nonsense tone, to name a few) dogs don't tend to repeat the mistake if the owner understands and knows how, when and how forcefully to correct their individual dog. This method is humane, instructive, easy to understand and quickly assimilated by the dog as it is exactly how they would be corrected by a higher-ranking dog pack member.
MYTH #3: Puppy classes will help a dog get ready for obedience classes
This is a mixed-bag myth. It is absolutely correct if the trainer is using a standard, one-method form of training. It is a giant myth if you are speaking of what a puppy can actually learn.
We know dogs' brains are much like a human's. That their learning is condensed due to rapid maturation is known by true dog handlers and evidenced by the age table above. We also know that the optimum time for socialization of a pup is between eight and sixteen weeks of age. True dog handlers have always known it is also the optimum period for basic obedience in that a pup has few learned bad behaviors, is receptive to social development, and yet is still young enough accept, easily and quickly, the rules as laid out by the owner. What a trainer can not do is train a pup as if it were a more physically and emotionally mature dog. Corrections, training time lengths for specific behavior (such as sit,) physical limitations, their concentration span, and more must be taken into account and/or modified when teaching puppies in a class setting. But, puppies CAN be trained with ALL THE BASICS of obedience in place between ages 8-16 weeks. As a matter of fact, it much easier to train a pup than an older dog. The older dog has learned how to manipulate and ignore in order to simply do what it wants. That results, many times, in a battle of wills between owner and dog to change bad habits. Look at it from the older dog's point of view. Why should it change doing something it has gotten away with for months and enjoys, just because you've decided it's old enough to do it differently? The easiest thing is not to let the dog form bad habits that will need to be broken later. That means training it as a pup and educating the owner.
A pup of 8-16 weeks is totally capable of holding a sit command for long periods of time. What a good dog handler understands and incorporates into training is that the pup, also as part of training, will need supervised play, exploration, social and love time. These are important skills which all dogs should learn, but they still need guidance as to appropriate behavior patterns. I will put a pup in my regular class. I don't hold a puppy-only class. The pup will learn rapidly if the class has mixed ages and all dogs attending benefit. There are some aspects of behavior which only dogs can teach to dogs. Keep the different ages segregated and dogs miss a valuable social interaction lesson. A true dog handler, however, can immediately read, and has generalized knowledge about, the dogs in class and knows which dogs will not respond well with others, regardless of the situation. It's the handler's responsibility to warn owners which, or when, other dogs should not be approached.
MYTH #4: An "8 week/1 hour per session" traditional obedience class is necessary to train a dog
This myth is certainly convenient for trainers. If the dog isn't "getting it", no matter the reason, the trainer can put it back on the owner and claim the client didn't practice that week. The truth is that a dog, if the communication is correct, will understand the basic rules (not necessarily the specific vocabulary, though I'm never surprised that they figure out what we want) in just as little as half-an-hour. The owner may take a lot longer. Dogs, if obedience class is clear communication and fun, will frequently work on a variety of skills for two or more hours easily (this will not, many times, hold true for puppies as using their brains takes a lot of energy and their basic energy output is high to begin with.) Any good handler can tell you a bored dog is hard to direct. They can be destructive, easily distracted, not listen, become hyper-active, or in the words of one of my clients," ...act like complete idiots, jump like jesters and run as if the Alien is after them." I train dogs to think. Think when it hears a correction sound. What am I doing that isn't correct? Then think what he was doing before he heard the sound. The majority of dogs will self-correct almost immediately without any other incentives needed to obtain the desired behavioral response.
The methods most trainers use to alter behavior is to slap a choke chain on and jerk the dog around, or bribe them to behave with treats. The first hurts and is often used incorrectly and/or too much by well-meaning owners who have been poorly trained and corrected themselves as to timing and communication techniques by dog trainers. The second gets the dog to focus on food as a reward, not quickly and permanently changing behavioral response, as it is not truly self and pack beneficial.
There is a third method, the one I use and build on, one which dogs want more than almost anything in the world: Acknowledgment from their owners that their behavior is right, acceptable and pleasing as it applies to their relationship. The best behaved, least troublesome dogs have one thing in common--a feeling of security and an owner who is a confident leader and gives of himself as the reward for being a valued, trusted and loved companion. Why wouldn't a dog behave if that were the pay-off? The owner has a dog that can be trusted and so the owner offers opportunities for the dog to have fun, and interesting or enjoyable experiences because the owner knows that it takes very little to correct a behavioral mistake, even at a distance.
If a dog hears my correction sound due to inappropriate behavior, then self-corrects, it is allowed to continue with life, not made to practice a good behavior. The dog understands quickly not engage in, or stop exhibiting, unwanted behavior. In my training, to ignore a correction warning is to guarantee the owner will administer some form of discipline. The discipline may be something as simple as bringing all activities to a screeching halt, but only because the dog did not respect the correction sound and self-correct his behavior. Most methods either make the dog come, lie down and stay (stopping all behavior so the dog can't make or learn from any kind of mistake) or spend an inordinate amount of time practicing "good" behavioral responses--usually with bribes. These, to me, are silly methods. People and dogs learn from mistakes. The goal is not to allow the dog to make a mistake that will result in physical harm, yet still respect the warning, both as it pertains to the immediate situation and future. How do people teach this to children? By a warning. Let me give you two examples as they offer a clear demonstration of the difference in how I look at teaching dogs, and people, to get a desired behavior.
Here is one simplified example; If the child ignores an initial verbal warning not to touch a hot stove, in a controlled warning method the mother steps in before harm can happen and takes the child's hand, now sternly warning him again not to touch and, at the same time, physically removing him from proximity to the stove. The child is allowed to continue playing, helping, or whatever. The child has now learned two things simultaneously, a hot stove, specifically, is off-limits according to mom, and it is important, in general, to listen to and respect her warnings. The child will heed future warnings because mom has taught the child that she will step in and administer sterner discipline for ignoring a first warning. Touching the stove, will not happen if mom has proven in other, less dangerous situations she is serious and not to be ignored when she issues warnings, not to continue with a certain behavior. The child will think twice before doing something after hearing her warning. Usually this is because the child knows what mom will do if she is ignored, but doesn't know what the stove will do. The point of this example is not the danger to the child, per se, but that it is the verbal warning administered that alters the behavior, not a reward or practice system, that immediately achieved the desired behavioral response. This is exactly the method I use to train dogs and they understand it perfectly.
Time and again I hear, "My dog is great on a leash, but let him off and he won't come when he's called." Most trainers now will bribe with treats to get a dog to learn to come. Or, using the older method, they will put a dog on a long rope, command "come" and pull sharply to make the dog obey. Once again, I say these are silly methods. Most trainers do not explain to owners what the dog may be thinking or what the owner is communicating emotionally, or setting up in the way of habits that inadvertently trains a dog NOT to come, and finally, how to change the dog's response by changing owner's habits and behavior.
When this problem is presented to me, the first thing I discuss with the owner is what I think they probably are doing, and I'm usually right. The owner only allows the dog off-leash in their yard, for a myriad of reasons. They call the dog to come only for specific reasons i.e., come in for the night, eat, possibly to go in the car someplace. And therein they begin to set the wrong habit. The owner then decides to take the dog to the park, a field, out in the country, or maybe to a friend's place in order to give the dog an opportunity to romp and play in a larger space. At a time of the owner's choosing he calls the dog back intending to load-up and return home. Now, put yourself in the dog's place, you've been having a wonderful time and aren't ready for this brief, infrequent fun to end. You know, for the most part, when your owner calls you the fun you've been having stops. You ignore your owner's call. The owner calls again. Ignored again. This could go on an indefinite number of times until the owner has finally had it and goes and gets the dog (which may, or may not, be easy depending on how many times this scenario has played out and how well the dog has learned to avoid being caught.) Bringing the dog back, the owner pops him in the car, goes home, fun ends--again. Now tell me why, if you were the dog, would you voluntarily stop having fun to go back to the same old things and be bored? You wouldn't. Not even for a treat, which simply can't be as much fun as all the new smells and experiences of the field.
What has the owner taught the dog without meaning to? The dog has learned that to come means an end to fun (extend this and you will see how coming when called will probably become a real issue in other places/times. Coming=end of fun. To continue fun--ignore owner.) That the owner will call at least three times before actually making the dog pay attention and obey (dog now learns to count and ignore you until a certain tone of voice or number of calls is reached) and that the dog needs to get out of the car and as far away as fast as possible in order to prolong fun, is another learned behavior. Just not one that endears the dog to the owner.
Here is one way that I teach a solid come that my, and other people's, dogs simply don't break. It is so rock solid, even if they are chasing something, that if dogs don't come we all know that they are either defecating, can't hear due to wind or distance, or they are in serious trouble. I teach the owner to take their dog, be it backyards, fields or parks and let the dog play and run (it is best to begin in a backyard for instruction purposes and safety.) While he's playing, call the dog back at diverse times (7, 10, 23 minutes after play has begun--vary these specific recall times each time you do this) it doesn't matter. The dog comes, sits (for various lengths of time--2, 9, 20 minutes--you pick it), is petted once, possibly talked to calmly and quietly, and then given the release command. The dog will cease to believe that coming is an end to fun because you called him and then let him return to fun. He learns that he may just be called to be told he's loved. It may be to go for a walk together. It may be to explore a new place or play a game (do any of these occasionally after calling a dog in and having him lie down.) It MAY be the end for the day, but the dog will not know and so will not look at coming as an end, but the possibility of something new or pleasurable.
The other problem owners bring to me is that they can't get their dogs to hold a "stay". Again, trainers tend to use the same two methods of training--bribery or punishment--for not staying. Let's, again, look at this from a dog's view point. Most of the time when a dog is put on a "down/stay" it is for one of three reasons; 1) the owner doesn't trust it to come when called and puts the dog on a "down" so that they will know exactly where he is, 2) the dog is doing something wrong and the best way for most owners, with standard training, to punish or gain control over the dog is to make it stay in one place, and 3) because the dog WON'T stay down, the owner has been told to practice.
Now let's look at #1, #2 and #3, as they're closely related from a dog's point of view. What dog in their right mind is going to willingly come to a peeved or truly angry owner and lie down where they might be susceptible to discipline or end their fun? Most dogs will probably think, "I'm in trouble, best way to deal with this is stay out of my owner's way until he calms down." This doesn't work well as it usually makes the owner more frustrated and the dog not want to approach and the vicious cycle begins. Or, "I'm not ready, I'm still having fun." Either way you cut it, it's a negative in the dog's mind.
Here, again, I teach owners a different way. First, you need to remember that if the owner is using the correction sound, the dog should have self-corrected, stopped engaging in inappropriate behavior of their own volition and the problem is resolved. But, as far as teaching a dog to "down" or "stay" in one spot, regardless of the reason, and wait patiently until the next command, I teach owners to put the dog on a down before engaging in a desired, pleasurable activity. The dog will VERY quickly learn that holding the "down" means doing something fun. If you were told to sit/lie down and when you did so the result was enjoyable (tickets to Tahiti, splurge money, dinner out, etc.) you'd hit the ground in anticipation. It is the same for the dog. Conflict ended. "Stay" taught and dependable. The angriest I have ever been was when I read an article by a national president of a nationally certified training association in which she stated it could take up to three years to get a solid, dependable "down/stay" on dog. I threw the magazine across the room, wrote a fairly nasty email and then proceeded to tell everyone I knew about this stupid statement and why it showed that certification doesn't mean a thing except that a piece of paper doesn't prove you know, or can train, dogs. One of my clients, upon reading this article which I passed around dog class, said, "I'd be in the nursing home if it took three years." Another commented, "After three years, my dog would have me trained." Yet another asked, "What is she doing that it takes her three years when we all did it about 15 minutes?" Now that's a good question.
Almost any dog can learn all it needs in the way of obedience in an average of two to four hours. (I will be happy to supply all the references wanted. This is why my Dog Camps are becoming so popular. ) There are many variables that often lengthen the time that it takes a specific dog to accept a new behavior structure. These may range from early upbringing, individual willfulness of the dog, length of time with current owner, to owner's individual character strength and communication abilities. All play a crucial part in the time span it takes some dogs to accept the "new rules" being put in place, but they do learn--usually in a matter of hours--not weeks or years.What may take an extremely long time, possibly forever, is teaching the owner how to communicate correctly and be consistent about rules and corrections. I hold four Dog Camps yearly. At that time owners bring their dogs for two or three days and we work. Hard. We spend quite a bit of time in the beginning learning about dogs. How they develop emotionally, physically, psychologically and socially. Not only academics or theory, real dog knowledge from dogs themselves and my experience. (Sometimes academics and theories don't dovetail with how dogs truly respond to corrections, stimulation and their environment.) How dogs communicate amongst themselves. How dogs teach other dogs acceptable forms of behavior. During this portion of the Camp dogs are in attendance and learning. Learning patience, to sit quietly, wait for release commands, learning the correction warning sound, learning that their owners are becoming consistent in their expectations and responses and much, much more. Owners admit that they see a complete change in attitude and behavior by lunch. This is because by lunch owners are more knowledgeable, look at their companions differently and communicate and respond in ways that dogs understand. I cover all basic commands for dogs, but tailor the work to the individual dog and owner, fine-tuning owner's responses, attitudes, communication methods and physical cues. Each owner may video tape only their dog's work to take home and use as a "refresher." By the end of the three days, if not sooner, most dogs have been working off-leash and everyone is happier.
A caveat is necessary at this point. A dog will always be a dog. The best dog handler/training in the world cannot alter certain aspects of inherent dog behavior. No handler can guarantee 100%, mistake-proof behavior. Dogs still have a will of their own. Just like people, they will sometimes do things they know they shouldn't, or break a rule in the face of known consequences. Training may be able to modify certain behaviors, but it cannot make them disappear completely or forever. But, on the whole, the true dog handler will be able to bring out the best in you and your dog.
MYTH #5: My dog can't be trained, it needs a dog behaviorist/psychiatrist
I just love this one. Because the one-method trainers couldn't, for some reason, train your dog, the industry developed an entirely new sector that allows a person to pursue a high-paid profession in which they have more room to try different methods to alter the behavior of your dog. (This is merely another form of a trainer/training, but you get to pay large sums of money where one-on-one someone, who never actually handles your dog, gets to tell you how to do it on your own at home.) True dog handlers, from the beginning of training, are also behaviorists, teachers and psychologists. Why? Because all of these things must be incorporated into the way they deal with the dog and owner as a whole for training to be successful.
MYTH #6: A dog for everyone (or how to pick the right breed for you)
I'm going to advocate solely on the dog's side in this one. Sometimes we just shouldn't own a dog. Forget whether there is a "right" breed or not. We aren't at a place in our lives where we can do what is best for the dog. Maybe because of a work schedule and we'll be out-of-town a lot. Or maybe the daily schedule keeps us away too long. It might be that there has been a major upheaval in your life. (Being under loads of stress is NOT a good atmosphere into which to introduce a dog. No matter how much better you might feel with a companion, think about the dog and how it feels living with a very upset owner.) If you're in the military and subject to transfer orders where the dog may not be able to accompany you, don't get one. If adopting, you need to expect some emotional/behavioral issues will arise. If you're not will to deal with these and/or lay out money because training is needed to improve behavior so the dog will feel love and acceptance, don't get one. If you can't understand and accept that you're responsible for keeping a dog for life, don't get one. If you want a dog, but another family member doesn't, until you both agree totally, don't get one.
If you're not willing to accept ALL the responsibilities that go with owning dogs (of any kind), DO NOT GET ONE.
Having said all of that, if you are ready to get a dog, let's talk about what is a good dog for you. Many people try to be responsible and do their homework as far as what kind of breed would best fit their lifestyle. I applaud you all, but look further. Will the temperament of the individual dog mesh with you/your family's? Are you a loud group with active children that make sharp, sudden movements? Bad match is a pup/dog that is easily startled or shy (too much pressure), or movement-oriented dogs (they will be nipping heels, quickly.) Do you have lots of people come and visit, or have a business where the dog will be spending time? Bad match is a dog/pup that demonstrates a high degree of territorial imperative. Are you in the human health care profession? Bad match is usually a dominant dog, you'll have problems getting control of behavior. Are you a dominant personality that likes quick reactions to your commands? Bad match is a "light" dog (one which doesn't handle tonal changes or emotional pressure well.)
These are some of things you need to think about when picking a dog in order to make life easier for both of you and be better companions. If you're not sure about what kind of personality is in a pup get a copy of the dog personality test to help point you in the right direction. Remember, though, all dogs go through a final personality change at about two years of age and that is what you will end with. I have seen very active dogs settle at about two. I have seen easy-going dogs change temperament drastically and start picking fights. (These are extreme, I concur, but a change does happen and you need to know it.) Beware and be aware. If choosing a pup/dog from a breeding kennel talk to people who have purchased from the breeder and have pups/dogs from the same cross. Ask them how the pups have developed and allow leeway for individual character traits and handling. You will see some similarities that may help you decide. Really, do a lot of homework on the breeder. Too many "backyard breeders" are popping up and selling dogs without any real genetic knowledge of the lineage and serious thought into behavioral and breeding goals for the proposed litters. Too many of my clients have purchased expensive and problem-ridden pups through "hobby" and show breeders! It has then been a real issue to return the dog and claim a full-payment refund!
All dogs, just as people, can modify behavior to a point. But, a bad match from the beginning sometimes can't be fixed. Susan Overfield
