Over the years many different dog training methods have been developed to help pet owners teach their canine companion how to mind as well as teach good manners. Many of these methods could be considered “fad training methods.” Although they may be helpful in some cases, they often leave the pet owner frustrated, unable to accomplish their training goals. Why don’t these fad training methods work with so many dogs?

There was a theologian by the name of Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones who once made a profound statement when he said, “…there is nothing more likely to lead to error than to begin with the part rather than the whole.” As a society we are rapidly becoming a people of fragmented parts, seeking the latest new thing that might be the magic bullet that will solve all our problems.

The dog training industry is no different. Perhaps this emphasizing “the part rather than the whole” may be the reason why so many behavior and obedience problems go unresolved for years. There are number of different methods that can be used to train a dog. So why are some more effective than others.

The reason that fad methods of training have their limitations is because fad methods usually only use part of a learning model. Learning models are proven, scientific theories that have shaped dog trainers and behaviorists thinking for over a hundred years. The two main streams of thought are referred to as Classical Conditioning, developed by Dr. Pavlov and Operant Conditioning developed B. F. Skinner. Although these learning models may not be complete in themselves, they do lay the foundation (the principles) in which to build our methods of training around.

For example, if I were to ask you if you ever heard the term, “positive reinforcement,” most people would respond, “of course.” If we ask our dog to sit, and the dog complies with our request, we reward the dog with praise or a treat. The reward is the positive reinforcement. Reinforcement is another word that means to strengthen or to increase the likelihood of the dog repeating the behavior (sit) the next time we make the request.

Positive reinforcement is only one part of a four part learning model. Do you know what the other three parts are? Unless you have a degree in psychology, you will have a hard time answering the question. My point is that many of the contemporary training methods emphasize the part (positive reinforcement) rather than the whole learning model. This is why so many people become frustrated when attempting to train their dog. The trainer teaching the latest fad method is only telling you part of the story. Try disconnecting the negative terminal on your car battery, and see how far you get. Unless both the positive and the negative polls on your car battery are connected, you won’t go too far.

Contact Information

Tom Beitz is the owner of the Academy for Puppies and Dogs and is an authorized dealer for Pet STOP Hidden Dog Fences. Tom can be reached at (716) 628-0651 to answer your questions or he can be found on the web at www.smartdogtrainer.com . E-Mail: Tom@Smartdogtrainer.com

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