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Reward-Based Dog Training from Grisha Stewart

August 7th, 2009

Patricia McConnell, Ph.D., is a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist and one of my personal heroes in the dog training world. She is known worldwide as an expert on canine and feline behavior and training, and for her engaging, knowledgeable, and accessible books, which are available on her website or through Dogwise.com.

I’ve asked Dr. McConnell why she chooses to use reward-based training:

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I’m not sure if there was a specific moment in time when I became aware of how powerful and satisfying reward-based training is, but here are some highlights from the past that I remember:

~ When, in 1968, I took the first dog I owned to “dog training class” and the trainer hung a Basenji when he wouldn’t sit on command. The trainer explained that his dominance was being tested by the dog, and that he had to win the battle. He held the dog up in the air, on a choke collar, with all four paws off the ground, as the dog struggled and gasped and growled. As I stood, horrified and transfixed, my adolescent Saint Bernard had the sense to get up from his sit, turn around and face the other way. He lay down and… I’m serious here.. put one paw over his face. I took one look at him and left the class, never to return.

~When I heard Ian Dunbar say “There are a hundred things a dog could do wrong at any given moment, and if you correct one behavior, what is to stop him from doing something else you don’t want? Why not teach him what you DO want him to do? How else is he going to know?” I’ll never forget sitting in the audience and thinking about how clear and logical and sensible that was. It was as though the clouds had parted.

~ When I first used a treat to teach a puppy to sit, and discovered that in a couple of sessions my 8 week-old pup had learned to sit, lay down, and wait at the door on cue. It was easy, it was fun and it made using collar “pops” seem antiquated, ineffective and well . . . I don’t know any other way to say it: stupid.

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Dr. McConnell’s blog is http://www.theotherendoftheleash.com

For seminar and book information, http://www.patriciamcconnell.com

I can’t help but put in a quick plug for a 2010 seminar with Patricia McConnell in Seattle on dog aggression and play. Info is on the Ahimsa website http://ahimsadogtraining.com/workshop.php

Tags: dog, dog training, reward based training, training
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