A shepherd and a pit bull stand side by side wearing harnesses. The shepherd opens its mouth to catch a piece of cheese.
Force free dog training is a style of dog training that does not use force, fear, intimidation, pain, dominance, punishment, or corrections as a behavior modification strategy. This training primarily utilizes positive reinforcement to strengthen the behaviors we want our dogs to display, while also applying management techniques to prevent the behaviors we do not want our dogs to display during the training process.
While force free dog training primarily uses positive reinforcement, it’s only the tip of the iceberg. When working to modify behavior, force free trainers also dive deep into counter conditioning and systematic desensitization to ensure they create the desired outcome. Force free dog trainers work to not only change behavior, but to change the underlying emotions causing the undesired behavior, creating lasting change and impact on a dog.
Additionally, a dog’s mental wellbeing is always put on the forefront. Prior to starting any training or behavior modification plan, a force free trainer will work to rule out underlying pain, discomfort, or stress along with increasing a dog’s welfare by implementing an enrichment plan. This step is crucial as many behavioral issues are caused from an underlying pain issue or lack of needs being met.
Force free dog training sounds nice, but what’s the problem with punishment? Potential side effects associated with punishment based training can be detrimental. Cross species research indicates animals who experience punishment in their day-to-day life may demonstrate increased avoidance, aggression, and fear. Punishment based training is also linked to chronic stress and overall decreased responsiveness.
Punishment doesn’t teach a dog what it should be doing and can inhibit learning. When we jump to punish behaviors, we entirely skip considering why an animal may be displaying that behavior in the first place. Animals can also develop unintended negative associations through punishment, negative associations with other dogs, people, the environment around them, and of course, the person who is applying the punishment.
But what about dominance? You may be thinking, “Don’t I need to show my dog who is the boss or the alpha?” Luckily, you don’t because dominance theory has been debunked.
That’s right. When your dog is acting out, it isn’t trying to be the alpha and you shouldn’t try to be either. Dr. David Mech, the scientist and wolf researcher who originally made the claim on dominance/alpha theory has stated the theory is misleading and inaccurate when describing how wolves communicate with each other in a pack. Wolves aren’t trying to dominate each other, and your dog surely isn’t trying to dominate you either. This theory was debunked in the early 2000s, yet it is still a common misconception when it comes to dog training and behavior.
So if dominance theory is a myth and punishment is proven to be harmful, why are so many trainers still using these methods? The answer may shock you.
Dog Training and Behavior is a fully unregulated field, meaning anyone can legally open a dog training business. Trainers are not required to go through any formal education or testing, and they do not have to obtain any specific certifications to train dogs. No regulation means no standard practice. This is the cause of all the skewed advice and misinformation out there.
You likely wouldn’t trust a doctor without a degree who is using outdated and inaccurate approaches when it comes to medicine, so don’t trust a dog trainer without a certification who is using outdated and inaccurate approaches when it comes to dog training and behavior modification. Force free dog trainers often hold multiple certifications in both dog training and behavior modification. Certifications such as Karen Pryor Academy (KPA), and the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC) hold these trainers to a higher standard of practice and require continuing education to hold those certifications.
The time to ditch outdated, harmful, and punishing dog training methods is now. Hire a trainer who puts your dog’s welfare first.
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