Old school technique.....:(

[claire_88]

Reward based training:
seen fantastic results with this method of training and it is one i will continue using with my dogs and any others i encounter that ask for my help...

Here's the sad part of this thread and one i cannot get my head around no matter how much i contemplate it.........

People today still seem to consider it okay to hit or kick a dog and i'm hearing it a lot more than usual!

Titon was 'trained' with my oh's fist and i hated it, we would argue and i'v told him in no uncertain terms he is not to use this method with skye or titon any more.

does any-one else come across stubborn egotistical idiots that see a 'trained' dog as one that's incurred punches and kicks?

this is not just my OH i'm slating, it is people everywhere that are not afraid or ashamed to admit they do it, they seem proud that the dog does as it's told else it'l get the boot

[sams mum]

not punches and kicks but i was bought up to think it ok to smack a pup/dog when dirty indoors etc and rub nose in it..and give a good smack when chew something out of bounds..being honest. thats what i thought as what i was taught in childhood and what was seemed the done thing. always had happy dogs and always loved them but wish id learned when i was 18 what i know now.. dennis was my baby and died a fine age 2 yrs ago. was a perfect retriever but i did train him(not that it is training)/bring him up in this way and he had some proper smacks/ as a pup.. didnt know any better.
we only had family and the odd friend to listen to/copy who were naive and also didnt get what we all know now if we would listen.
. we didnt have the internet with forums/new teachings and expert advise at the click of a finger..

. hubby the same but he knows never to lay a hand on my dogs and although joe is his he wouldnt smack him now either...and i think he coming round to my way of thinking die to what i have learned in the last few years.... i ignore when bad and reward when good and always will..
its the only way and so satisfying for dog and owner...

[Sylvieliz]

Think if anyone touched one of mind they would get the boot up the arse

[claire_88]

I play fight with mine.....like ruffling their heads whilst in a head lock and doing the flappy hands around their faces but they know i'm playing and wouldn't have thought that was classed as abuse..

But full on belting a dog because it didn't sit when asked i think is disgraceful......

If i knew what i know now when titon was teeny i would have done exactly the same and used only reward based training and like you say ignore the bad behaviour.
It is such a shame people don't listen because there method 'works' for them.....

What about what works for the dog???!!! arghh getting frustrated

[claire_88]

Originally Posted by Sylvieliz

Think if anyone touched one of mind they would get the boot up the arse

I'd lay my life down for both of mine

[Caryll]

Well, the thing is, years ago it was the accepted way. Nobody really knew any different.

Having said that, my dad always trained a dog without violence & he was considered odd. He always had really happy, well adjusted dogs, but I think people thought that it was despite his training, not because of it!

I also play fight with Dempsey (although not so much now he's full grown cause he gets too carried away!), but I don't hit him. He's been trained with rewards/kindness & although it may take a little longer to get a result sometimes, the results are much, much better. After all, I'd always prefer to have a dog that's obedient because it wants to be rather than because it's afraid not to be.

[wrigley20]

My Olli would do anything for a liver treat; no need to punch or kick. Yet I remember my old man(RIP), when he was a dog handler in the RAF and we were based in Gibraltar in the early 80's. He would hit, kick and scream at Remus our GSD.

Even the RAF had misbehaving GSD back then.

I just seen that has being an acceptable repsonse to his disobedience; I now know different.

[banger]

I dont agree. I believe in checking and correcting having had a very difficult dog Max who we brought up with the reward method and it simply didn't work ignoring a dog who was going to attack another dog.

We went to see a rewards based behaviourist in Middlesboro and the first thing she did was throw treats to keep Max interested, she said to let him off the lead, we had already told her he had been going up to people threatening them, but she insisted. She then stopped throwing treats and he went up to her face barking, I was worried.

We have learned that not all dogs can use the reward method. I was a great believer in it but Max taught me different.

[claire_88]

Originally Posted by Caryll

Well, the thing is, years ago it was the accepted way. Nobody really knew any different.

Having said that, my dad always trained a dog without violence & he was considered odd. He always had really happy, well adjusted dogs, but I think people thought that it was despite his training, not because of it!

I also play fight with Dempsey (although not so much now he's full grown cause he gets too carried away!), but I don't hit him. He's been trained with rewards/kindness & although it may take a little longer to get a result sometimes, the results are much, much better. After all, I'd always prefer to have a dog that's obedient because it wants to be rather than because it's afraid not to be.

Yes that play swipe of the paw can bloody hurt!

I noticed that the dog's were barking this morning so i went out to see what was causing it i didn't speak to either dog just sauntered along past them......as i turned to walk back into the house titon was cowering..... this is what made me submit this thread. I didn't like that he thought he'd done wrong by alerting me to a presence (ok it was a leaf blowing but that's not the point )

[Caryll]

Originally Posted by banger

I dont agree. I believe in checking and correcting having had a very difficult dog Max who we brought up with the reward method and it simply didn't work ignoring a dog who was going to attack another dog.

We went to see a rewards based behaviourist in Middlesboro and the first thing she did was throw treats to keep Max interested, she said to let him off the lead, we had already told her he had been going up to people threatening them, but she insisted. She then stopped throwing treats and he went up to her face barking, I was worried.

We have learned that not all dogs can use the reward method. I was a great believer in it but Max taught me different.

I accept that the sort of method the trainer used didn't work with Max, but that doesn't mean that violence should be used. Hitting/punching/kicking does not get the sort of results that will last a lifetime. They will produce quick 'results', but the dog may, in the future, become immune to the threats & attack the hitter.

Positive reinforcement is by far the best way forward, but there are different ways of acheiving what you want with this method. The other way, all you have is fear.