"To the many dog owners to whom it is simply obvious that it's not okay to hurt and frighten their dogs in order to train them, You are your dogs' guardian angels."

- Jean Donaldson

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Beware Positive Reinforcement
By Lisa Patrona, Dip. DTBC, CPDT-KA and Devene Godau, CPDT-KA

"What?!?" we hear you exclaiming. "Why would a school that teaches positive reinforcement methods, tell me to beware of it?"

Because "positive reinforcement" has become a catch phrase in the dog training industry, and is the method that many trainers advertise and claim to use, but as we will see, this is NOT always the case. The best way to make sure that you're really getting what you think you are in a training program, is to be well informed as you begin the process.

As you'll see, the most outstanding difference between true positive reinforcement trainers and all the others, is the quality of the consequence used to teach or modify behavior and how it is applied and/or manipulated.

In a nutshell, "Positive Reinforcement" trainers teach exclusively using techniques that add or manipulate consequences that are pleasant or desirable to the dog. There are 2 ways to do this - by adding something good (i.e. treats, toys, affection) following a desirable behavior - or by taking away something good (like attention/social interaction, game playing, etc) for an offending behavior.

For example, when your dog sits, you give him a treat and therefore positively reinforce the behavior of sitting. If your dog jumps on you (presumably an undesired behavior), the good stuff (i.e. petting and attention) is taken away. So when a behavior is "positively reinforced" we add a pleasant consequence, and when we use "negative punishment" for a behavior, we take away the pleasant consequence.

Trainers that do not use positive reinforcement, use techniques that add or manipulate consequences that are unpleasant or undesirable to the dog. Either they add something unpleasant (i.e. a shout, a smack, squirt from a water bottle, etc) for an offending behavior, or they take away something unpleasant (i.e. the choke on the chain releases, the shock stops, the pinch pn the ear stops) when the desirable behavior happens.

Choke chains and other such equipment link prong, pinch or shock collars are used to teach behavior by manipulating consequences that are clearly unpleasant to the dog. Trainers that use these methods will usually use terms like "correction" or leash/collar "pop." For example, if the dog is asked to "sit" and he does not, the unpleasant consequence starts (dog is choked, pinched, shocked, etc) until the dog does sit, at which time the choking, pinching, shocking, etc., stops. They will then give the dog praise or perhaps a treat, and will qualify this as "positive reinforcement." What's scary is that most who use these techniques claim to only use positive reinforcement, and most don't understand the difference themselves! But, if a trainer teaches behavior by manipulating unpleasant consequences like these, they are not using positive reinforcement, nor is it a technique that a true positive reinforcement trainer would use - period.

Here are some examples that may help to further clarify things:

There is a popular training show on TV where the trainer claims to use "only" positive reinforcement...and he does use it sometimes. But this exact same trainer (even though he does not use harsh equipment like choke or pinch collars) uses "corrections" by jerking on the dogs collar for not doing what's been asked, which in itself disqualifies this individual as an "only positive reinforcement" trainer!

Some will "only use a choke collar when teaching dogs to walk nicely on leash, because it's the only thing that works." In other cases, they will teach owners with mouthing puppies to put their fingers down the pup's throat, or to pinch the pup's muzzle closed until they screech. Still others advise their students to knee jumping dogs in the chest, or step on their paws. Some even go so far as to suggest shock collars for whining and barking. Clearly these are all methods that employ unpleasant consequences, and the most disturbing thing is that all of this advise came from trainers that claim to only use "positive reinforcement"!

It's a little disconcerting isn't it? But now that you have an understanding of the terminology and how "positive reinforcement" trainers really work, here are some additional suggestions that will help as you learn to "Beware Positive Reinforcement!"

* Observe a class - Warning: If you are told that observing is not allowed, look elsewhere! When you do watch a class, remember that trainers who say that they use positive reinforcement techniques should only be employing methods that manipulate pleasant consequences to shape and change behavior - physically punitive methods should not be used. If anything makes you uncomfortable, leave and keep searching!

* If there is a dog in class that barks a lot or isn't focusing, pay close attention to how the instructor and assistants handle it. If you hear the use of words to describe the dog's behavior like "bratty", "spiteful", "obstinate", pay close attention to what you've learned reading this article - is the instructor advising techniques that qualify them as a "positive reinforcement" trainer?

* See how the instructor and staff interact with both the dogs and their owners. Are they able to answer the questions with confidence, understanding and patience? Do their suggestions employ the techniques that a positive reinforcement trainer would use?

* Don'e be afraid to ask questions. If you are told that only positive reinforcement methods are used, yet you hear that "corrections will be introduced..." or "prong collars are used it..." you'll know that you are not dealing with a true positive reinforcement trainer, and you need to keep searching!

* We will be happy to answer any questions you may have on finding the right trainer for you and your dog. Feel free to call or email woofologist@yahoo.com if you have any questionsor need hfelp finding a trainer in your area.

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