Keep it Positive!

by Heidi Atwood

You are likely reading this post because you are interested in taking a positive path to training your dog, and this is a great thing! Some of us have undoubtedly witnessed “old-school” methods of dog “training” from relatives, acquaintances, or even strangers who may have made negative contact or yelled at a dog for having an accident on the floor, jumping and nipping from overstimulation, or simply acting like a playful puppy. 

Since BAXTER and Bella is a positive behavior-based training program, we do not recommend using any training methods that could cause fear, anxiety, pain, discomfort, or distrust. Newer studies have shown that reinforcement based on trust, reward, and forming positive relationships is more effective, long-lasting, and ethical than dominance-based training methods. Plus, it simply makes handlers happier when we are using positive methods to help a puppy learn everything they need to know, and beyond.

You may have grown up with a dog that wasn’t trained at all, or maybe with “sit” or “shake” being the extent of their training. While my family always had at least one dog when I was a child, they were just there, hanging out with us. They may have known how to sit, but we didn’t really bother to teach manners, tricks, or even leash walking skills. Your world can open up a bit when your dog can be taken to new and potentially exciting places, or you can relax knowing that they can be trusted to rest at home for a few hours while you are out. It’s a comfort to know that our dogs will respond to other handlers’ cues as well as our own. I want my dog to become my companion, experience fun adventures with me, and be able to handle all sorts of real-life situations. 

A well-adjusted puppy will become a well-adjusted adult dog who needs less and less supervision. Dogs are interested in activities and behaviors that benefit them, so we need to consistently show them that making the right choice is worthwhile, rather than allowing them to find their own entertainment, which can often be an unsafe choice. 

There are many different opinions on the subject of dominance and intimidation-based training. It is an outdated perspective that a dog needs to be shown who the “boss” is. Pinning a dog down, holding their mouth shut to stop barking, pinching their lips with their own teeth to discourage biting, or taking a handful of their food out of their dish while they are eating can encourage even more unwanted behaviors. The setbacks in trust can affect your relationship with your dog for the long-term. 

Trust is so important! I want to trust my dog to demonstrate the correct behaviors that I have taught and encouraged, but since they are living, breathing animals, of course there are times when things don’t go perfectly. Trusting in the process, repeating the praise and rewarding our puppies when they are responding to our cues will help them learn that it is beneficial for them to make good choices. We also want our dogs to trust us and know that we will always help them if they are uncertain or fearful. This means that you may need to work a little harder initially, but putting in the extra time and effort now will make your future much easier. Help your puppy learn that following the rules is worthwhile. Reward them with something that they love and are willing to work for, whether this is food, a positive voice, a favorite toy, or a belly rub. Build trust and help your dog learn that positive behaviors create positive and rewarding results.

Aversive measures such as physical punishment, intimidation, and shock-based devices can cause setbacks in training and create lifelong anxiety and fear. The vibration of a device is unpleasant even if it is not painful. Sometimes these devices don’t work, and they can cause more problems than you had to begin with, such as a dog being terrified of their own collar or even the person who puts it on them. In general, I don’t believe people want their puppies to be afraid of them. I assume you chose to explore our training program because you want to feel good about your training methods, and in return, enjoy your time with a happy and well-behaved dog. 

One of my first dogs as an adult was a rescued 6-month-old puppy who had obviously not been treated well in his young life. All we knew about him was that he had spent most of his life chained to a tree. We “tried him out” for a weekend when we found out that he was being rehomed. He was so petrified about the whole world around him that we knew we couldn’t take him back to that situation. 

Those first few months of mistreatment took years for him to recover fully and gain confidence, as he was treated with love and respect in his new home. I remember absent-mindedly rolling up a newspaper in my hands one day, and this dog literally hit the floor in fear. It was so sad, and I knew that he had gone through some very negative experiences with this type of item. I made it a point to be sure I didn’t accidentally repeat my behavior, and instead, helped him slowly and gradually become acclimated to being safe and to understand that there was no reason to fear newspapers or anything else in his new home. 

Let’s put this in the perspective of raising young humans. If we are constantly yelling “no!” and children are not acknowledged when they make positive choices, the positive choices don’t seem to matter. Quite often, an act of inappropriate behavior is a way of gaining attention, and negative attention is still considered attention. 

Puppies respond well to structure and knowing what to expect. If we are showing them every day that their positive behaviors are rewarded with food, praise, play, life rewards, and attention - all the good things - they will be more likely to make the best choices. If your puppy has the freedom to make undesirable choices, taking them angrily to the crate and slamming the door does not help them learn. Yes, they may need some rest and restriction of freedom; in fact, you may need a break as well! Take a deep breath, guide them casually to the crate (or exercise pen if they are able to settle down well in it) to offer some positive downtime while preventing destruction, biting, jumping, and other unwanted behaviors. This is another reason why it is important to help your puppy develop a positive relationship with their crate by helping them associate their crate with downtime, rest, and a safe, cozy spot to chew on a favorite toy rather than a place of punishment. 

If you are frustrated with your dog, your dog also becomes more frustrated. If you are happy-go-lucky and downplay unwanted behaviors while celebrating your dog’s accomplishments, they will pick up on this approach as well, making it a win-win situation, and one that just feels better. 

If you are feeling stressed about training your dog, or if you can’t seem to make progress, please reach out to us. We can help you and your puppy work through any problem you are encountering and move forward…I’m positive!