The use of pleasure (positive reinforcement) is used to create new behaviors. It is also used to insure responding to commands is extremely pleasurable.  The use of negative reinforcement is used to insure responding to commands is also reliable.

The Question is What Form of Negative Reinforcement?

Usually the choices are the choke chain, pinch collar (prong collar) and the remote collar (electric collar). Clearly, the choke chain appears to be the least aggressive. Then the pinch collar runs a very distant second choice, and the remote collar not even in the running.

If we are compassionate towards animals, and love our pets, our choices change as we take a closer, more educated look.

The Choke Chain

In order for a choke chain correction to be effective it requires a strong hard jerk that releases instantly. The point where the choke chain corrects the dog is when the skin, ring and chain all meet together. In the process the skin is often brought into the collar. As a result the choke chain can easily cause bruising. That bruising is easily seen in dogs with white hair and or pink skin.

More importantly, choke chain corrections have been shown to be capable of producing actual damage to vertebrae. What seems like the obvious choice is actually the most aggressive and violent of corrections.

Pinch Collar

To the uninitiated, the pinch collar typically appears to be extremely painful. It has prongs which stick in towards the neck. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. It happens to be a very verifiable truth.

All that is required is a visit to a pet shop. Just place a pinch collar on your bare arm. You will find that the prongs laying against your skin is not painful in the least. Just a light pressure evenly distributed around your arm. The next step is to pull on the collar as would be done for a correction. You feel an increase of pressure but surprisingly no pain!

Unlike the corrections from choke chains, corrections from pinch collars are non-aggressive and non-violent. As the pressure from the correction is evenly distributed around the neck they are far more effective then those of the choke chain. As pinch collars are more effective, they require far fewer corrections. No pain, less corrections. The pinch collar is the obvious, and more compassionate choice, when compared to the choke chain.

The Remote Collar

Like the Invisible Fence, remote collars use electric stimulation to administer corrections. Naturally, a collar that uses any form of electric corrections would seem to be harsh and painful. In actuality, it turns out not to be the case.

The electric stimulation used in remote collars is the same as that used in muscular therapies. Also the same stimulation used in most chiropractic offices, in physical therapy and health spas and now even used to tone facial muscles. For the uninitiated, it’s nothing more then a tingling sensation.

That tingling sensation can be controlled up to ½ mile away, depending on the collar. As the correction is just a tingle, in comparison to the choke chain it is neither painful, nor violent. In comparison to the pinch collar, the ability to administer corrections effectively off-leash from a distance makes it more useful for off-leash training.

Conclusions

As negative reinforcement is required for reliability, one of our core training principles is “As much of a correction as needed, and as little as possible”.

Naturally out of compassion, the need for effectiveness and our training philosophy we have made the remote collar an essential part of our work with dogs. Nevertheless, there are also times that the flat collar is more useful in training, and at other times the pinch collar.

When it comes to dog training the question of positive versus negative reinforcement inevitably comes up. The answer is very simple, as far as our experience goes, there is no question – both are absolutely necessary.

Naturally we would all like nothing more then to just use positive reinforcement. There are plenty of dog training centers that promote it. If you have any questions as to whether it producers highly trained dogs off-leash regardless of the situation there are two things you can do to test it.

Testing Positive Reinforcement – Theory

On a very simplified level dogs do everything to either experience pleasure or to avoid pain. What if we motivate with only positive reinforcement? Then a source of pleasure comes along that is far more pleasurable then the one that has been used to create and reinforce a behavior.

Let’s test it. Let’s use for an example calling your dog. If every time your dog is called he or she gets a juicy rib eye, most dogs are going to be HIGHLY motivated!Let’s say your dog has strong prey drive (desire to chase something that moves). Now a rabbit runs by right in front of your dog. Your dog naturally starts to chase the rabbit. The source of pleasure could not be higher. You now call your dog. Your dog has had a rib eye EVERY time he or she is called. Does your dog stop and turn around to come? If the source of pleasure of chasing the rabbit is greater then that of eating the rib eye then the answer is no, your dog is not going to come.

The second problem with this equation is that of diminishing return. The pleasure derived from eating the ribeye is less the hundredth time then it was the first. The pleasure from the five hundredth  steak is less then the one hundredth one, and probably far less then the first. By the one thousandth steak, you’re getting less and less of a return on your investment.

Testing Positive Reinforcement – Practically

After finding a school that subscribes to only positive reinforcement, ask to see a dog that has gone through their off-leash program. Then ask to see their fully trained dog off-leash on the busiest street in your area (in Boston it’s Newbury Street in New York it’s 5th Avenue, at the busiest time of day. That should convince you.

A second source of research might be to find a family that subscribes to only positive reinforcement in raising their children. No punishments. No losing privileges. Just pure pleasure. We all know instinctively what that would be like.

The Million Dollar Question

Your dog is running into the street, chasing a rabbit. He or she is about to be hit by a car. Do you want your dog consciously, or unconsciously, basing his or decision by which is going to be more pleasurable? Or do you want your dog to come to you instantly because of knowing he or she MUST come, and yet to thoroughly enjoy it in the process?

The Place for Positive Reinforcement

Our approach is to use pleasure to teach new behaviors. The source of pleasure is dependent on the dog. For some dogs it’s food combined with praise (utilizes the senses of sight, smell, taste and hearing). For others it’s motivating by toys such as tennis balls and Kongs. First is to understand what is most motivating, and most useful.

Once new behaviors are created we use extreme amounts of pleasure to reward them. Extreme amounts pleasure because we want our dogs to be extremely happy when responding to a command!

Communicating with a Dog like a Dog (it’s for the birds!)

Dog behaviorists, and trainers alike, have for ages subscribed to communicating with a dog as a dog! They don’t word it that way, but they teach it. We see it everywhere from veterinarians specializing in dog behavior at universities to popular television shows. It usually begins with the dog is a pack animal, much like a wolf, and always ends the same – you must be the “Alpha” in the relationship. Each trainer or behaviorist has his or her own version of what must and must not be done if an owner is to establish pack order and maintain it.

The more common philosophies are to always be above your dog. Never lay on the floor with your dog above you. Never have your dog sleep in bed with you, lay on the couch beside you. Never let your dog walk through a doorway ahead of you. Steer at your dog until he or she looks away. Place your dog on his or her back to make him or her submit. Speak in a commanding voice. The list goes on. All potentially effective to some degree. All very limiting. All very primitive.

Must You Act Like a Dog just to Effectively Communicate with One?

If your dog learns to respond instantly to your first command, regardless of the situation, who is in control? If your dog can be running at full throttle while playing with another dog and with one command to “come” stops immediately when called, who is in control? If your dog can be running across the yard after a ball and with one command to “down” he or she lays down, who is in control? If you can do this anywhere, anytime, under the most extreme distractions, who is in control? Yes, you are!

If you are in complete control of your dog, anywhere, anytime, do you really need to do all this unpleasant posturing? If you can have this high level of control with a command said once in a pleasant tone, is there any purpose of using a less-then-pleasant “commanding” tone? Now let’s say you want to lay down on the floor beside your dog, do you think suddenly your dog thinks he or she is now “Alpha”? More importantly, if your dog obeys you instantly does it really even matter?

The Art of Living or “Being” with a Dog (A Philosophy of Dog Ownership)

We have a few core principles concerning living with a dog that we subscribe to. The first is “as much control as necessary, and as little as possible” If you can control your dog anywhere, anytime why have your dog under control unless it is really needed? Is it not more enjoyable for your dog to be free-spirited. As long as he or she obeys on-command and has impeccable manners, why not allow him or her to express themselves. Yes, even walk through doors ahead of you!! It is sooo enjoyable for a dog who has this level of control to be off-leash, free spirited and yet well mannered. That’s why we say a naked dog is a happy dog!

In most communities there are leash laws. In most communities pet owners with unruly pets break leash laws on a regular basis. Let’s put aside the leash law issue and whether or not it should be, or always has to be, obeyed.

What if your dog could walk out the front door with you, off-leash, across your yard to the sidewalk.? What if your dog walked ahead of you down the sidewalk knowing not to step into other neighbor’s yards or into the street? What if once reaching the edge of the sidewalk he or she waited for you automatically? How would that freedom change his or her experience of going for a walk? How would you feel seeing this level of freedom, yet knowing at any moment your dog would sit, down, come to you or be right by your side with a simple command?

It’s not about breaking leash laws. It’s about applying these principles as you see fit into every aspect of your life. Your dog can enjoy as much freedom as you will allow him or her. You can probably allow him or her far more freedom if you have complete off-leash control. You combine that with impeccable manners and resolving those behavioral issues and life is very different for everyone.

Our Approach: Understanding Your Dog’s Way of Thinking and Experiencing Life.

It all begins with understanding. All dogs share in varying degrees a similar way of thinking and experiencing life. Yet each dog also has their own unique way processing and responding to the world around them. Not to mention his or her own unique personality, nervous system (ability to take in and respond to stimuli), makeup of drives and instincts.

In order to create change within any dog we must first understand him or her as an individual. We begin this process with a basic overview of your pet. This is accomplished by our on-line questionnaire. This basic understanding is then expanded upon through our initial consultation. Naturally, to gain a more complete understanding we do so upon meeting your dog in person. That understanding continues to unfold in the coming days and weeks of working with him or her.

Therefore the specifics when it comes to training is very individualistic. What most training programs have in common is that they are broken up into three phases: Creating Behavior, Maintaining Behavior and Finishing. Our website goes into greater detail about these three phases. What’s most important to understand is your dog will enjoy all three phases. His or her personality should blossom as a result of the training while learning how to respond consistently off-leash.

Conclusion

Leave acting like a dog to a dog (or to behaviorists!). Instead gain complete off-leash control of your dog. It does require sending your dog to us in Boston for schooling. If you haven’t already, someday your children will probably go off to school. You’ll miss them but for their benefit it’s worth it. The same is just as true with your dog.