Wag. Zazie Todd
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what to do instead. Unfortunately, this relatively new understanding of dog behavior, learning and training has not become common knowledge amongst the general population and the old paradigm persists. It’s up to those of us who have this new understanding of dogs to share our knowledge far and wide to make the world a better place for dogs.”
—KATE MORNEMENT, PhD, animal behaviorist at Pets Behaving Badly
Puppy classes
A good puppy class can help with socialization. A study in Applied Animal Behaviour Science found that attendance at puppy class was associated with a lower risk of dogs being aggressive towards unfamiliar people in the home or outside.20 (This study also found that attendance at adult dog training classes was associated with a higher risk of canine aggression, perhaps because people are more likely to attend if they are having problems with their dog, or because of the methods used in the class, which were not assessed.) And we know that a one-off puppy party is not as effective as a six-week, reward-based puppy class.21 Over a six-week class, puppies get the chance for ongoing socialization with other people and other puppies, and these encounters will help them to generalize those experiences. Puppies can start puppy class at 7 to 8 weeks of age and should have their first vaccines one week beforehand.22
A study by Dr. Janet Cutler, an animal behavior consultant at Landmark Behaviour and post-doc at the University of Guelph, asked new puppy owners what they were doing to socialize their puppy, whether or not they went to puppy class, and—if they were one of the 49 percent that did—what happened there.23 Cutler told me, “We found that people that did go to puppy classes were less likely to use punishment-based discipline, in particular yelling at their dogs or holding their dog down on its back. And we also found that the puppies of these people were less likely to respond in a fearful manner to some noises and also to crate training.” The results are correlational, and it’s possible that a different kind of person chooses to attend puppy class than those who don’t.
The scientific literature does not have guidelines on how much socialization is enough, but for the purposes of Cutler’s study, “not enough” was defined as up to ten new people and up to five new dogs in a two-week period. “The people that went to these puppy classes ended up exposing their puppies to more people and to more dogs,” said Cutler. Still, about a third of puppies in this study were not getting enough socialization. She noted, however, that the quality of the experience is important. Forcing a puppy to meet people and dogs is not socialization; it is a potentially frightening experience that may do more harm than good.
Cutler noted that many classes don’t habituate puppies to loud noises (such as fireworks), which may help them to not be afraid of loud noises as adult dogs. She also highlighted that many classes did not include handling exercises, which can help get the puppy used to the kind of handling they will experience at the vet’s throughout their life. But she concluded, “I recommend that everyone takes their puppies to puppy classes, as long as it’s one that’s providing positive experiences. I’m a behavior consultant myself, and I have a puppy right now, and she’s enrolled in a local school because I don’t teach classes. So I’m going to puppy class with her even though I know about socialization, know what I should be doing. I still think that they’re valuable things.”
A good puppy class will ensure that all the puppies are having a good time by keeping shy puppies away from more boisterous ones, and letting puppies hide by their owners if they want to. Play opportunities must also be positive for all the puppies involved. If you’re not sure, the trainer should do a consent test by separating the puppies. If the puppy who appeared to be victimized runs back to play, you know the play was okay. But if they don’t, keep the puppies separate. A good trainer will ensure puppies don’t get bullied and will use barriers or exercise pens as needed.
HOW TO CHOOSE A GOOD DOG TRAINER
TRAINING CLASSES ARE not just for puppies; adult dogs can also benefit from classes, including obedience or specialist classes on topics like greeting guests or liking visits to the vet. For behavior problems, private dog training is probably more appropriate.
When choosing a dog trainer, look for someone who will use food to train your dog, partly because this approach automatically avoids the use of physical punishment (such as prong collars, electronic collars, and alpha rolls) and because food is easy to deliver as a timely reinforcement. For some problems, it may be necessary to see your veterinarian, a veterinary behaviorist, or animal behaviorist (or a combination of your vet and a suitably qualified trainer). If no one is available locally, some trainers offer internet or telephone consultations.
“IF YOUR DOG is aggressive, scared, or destructive; or embarrassing, jumping up, and playing deaf . . . I promise it can almost certainly get better. Your dog can get better—and your relationship with your dog can get better. If you can commit to training your dog, however this ends up looking—taking a reactive rover class or working one-on-one with a qualified trainer, for example—there is help to be had. And when you come out on the other side with new skills for both human and canine, a slightly different setup at home, and some treats in your pocket, you’ll be amazed that such a colossal change was even possible. So if things are tough and what you’ve tried isn’t helping, reach out now. It gets better.”
—KRISTI BENSON, CTC, dog trainer and staff member at the Academy for Dog Trainers
HOW TO APPLY THE SCIENCE AT HOME
•Use positive reinforcement, which is an effective way to train dogs and does not carry the risks of a punishment-based approach. If you want to know more about the science of dog training methods and how they affect welfare, I keep a list of research articles on my website with places where you can read about them online (look for the page called Dog Training Science Resources).
•To translate theory to practice, try to see problem behaviors from your dog’s perspective. If your dog is doing something you don’t like, remove the reinforcement for the problem behavior and/or provide better reinforcements for the behaviors you do want. Think about reward-based ways to manage the situation. If you think your dog is afraid, see chapter 13.
•Ask questions. When looking for dog training classes or hiring a private trainer, ask about the methods they use and ensure you are happy with the answers before you hire them.
•Look for a certified dog trainer who is a member of a professional organization, who takes part in ongoing professional development, and who will use food to train your dog. Well-respected certifications include the Certificate in Training and Counseling (CTC, from the Academy for Dog Trainers), the Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA CTP) designation, the Victoria Stilwell Academy Dog Trainer (VSA CDT) designation, and the Pat Miller Certified Trainer (PMCT) designation. All these programs have websites where you can search for trainers.
•Look for a puppy class that emphasizes positive reinforcement and socialization, separates shy puppies from more boisterous ones during play, and encourages puppies (rather than forces them) to interact with other people.
•Set aside some time each day for training. A few short sessions are better than one long session. Make sure everyone in the house is on the same page, especially if you are dealing with behavior problems, so as not to undermine the training.
•Consider taking your adult dog to a class. Classes for adult dogs cover everything from basic obedience to fun activities like tricks or canine nose work (see chapter 10).
4
MOTIVATION AND TECHNIQUE
ONE TIME I saw a man walking a German Shepherd. Even from a distance it was clear the dog was nervous: his posture was low to the ground and the way he was walking made me wonder what kind of equipment was on him. As I waited at the traffic lights, I got a chance to see. The dog had a prong collar, tight, positioned high on his neck. There are easy alternatives, the simplest being a