Dog Psychologist On Call

FINDING A GOOD TRAINER. Linda Michaels, M.A., Author and Speaker

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BY LINDA MICHAELS, M.A., DEL MAR DOG TRAINER – SPECIAL TO THE UT SAN DIEGO

One of the most important decisions you will make in paving a path to happiness with your pet is choosing a competent and kind dog trainer. The absence of standard credentials required by law, or established professional ethics, makes it problematic for pet parents to find a great trainer in an unregulated field.

Journey, wolfdog ambassador of WolfCreekRanch, admiring his harness.
Journey, wolfdog ambassador of WolfCreekRanch, admiring his harness.

However, science and culture are moving away from punishment/pain-based methods. Behavioral scientists resoundingly endorse dominance-free, reward-based training as the most effective, long-lasting and safest method, particularly for aggressive dogs who may bite if underlying issues are not adequately addressed.

Use of a front-clip harness or head collar is recommended for hard pullers — a step-in harness for puppies and small breeds. Medical injuries caused by collars constricting the airway passages are well-documented.

The Pet Professionals Guild adheres to the “do no harm” ethic and a strict code of conduct for trainers, holding pet welfare as the top priority. It’s the right thing to do for those who cannot speak for themselves. Search www.PetProfessionalsGuild.com for a trainer near you. These trainers use the least aversive leash-walking equipment and behavior-change protocols available, including these:

• Find a trainer both you and your dog like.

• Reward behaviors you want repeated.

• Manage environments to prevent the opportunity for unwanted behavior.

• Remove reinforcement to stop or decrease a behavior.

• Teach alternative behaviors for behaviors you want to change.

Talented trainers can manipulate the resources we control in order to get the behavior we want. They don’t resort to force or pain-based methods.

Killer whales, dolphins, wild animals at the progressive San Diego Zoo and wolfdogs trained with purely positive reinforcement methods are clear examples of the power of positive methods. It can work for your dog, too.

Linda Michaels, “Dog Psychologist,” MA, author and speaker may be reached by email:LindaMichaelsPositively@gmail.com for private obedience instruction and behavioral consultations near Del Mar and the San Diego Coast. Please visit us atDogPsychologistOnCall.com

Originally published in the U~T San Diego, Scratch n’ Sniff. Chris Ross, Editor.

 

Debra Simpson

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9 responses to “FINDING A GOOD TRAINER. Linda Michaels, M.A., Author and Speaker”

  2. Readers can also find force-free positive reinforcement (reward-based) trainers on the Truly Dog-Friendly website: http://www.trulydogfriendly.com/blog/?page_id=4

    Karen Pryor Academy (KPA) graduates who are Certified Training Partners are reliable as force-free trainers. Upon completion of the 6 month- long intensive training program, they are required to sign an agreement to adhere to the force-free clicker training principles taught in the KPA and a code of ethical conduct.

    Readers should understand that they need to ask specific questions about equipment and methods a trainer uses, where the trainer received his or her education, etc. Just being a member of an organization does not guarantee that a trainer uses force-free methods.

    Additional articles about how to find a good trainer can be found here: http://www.dubuquedogtraining.com/links.html

    • Hi Cindy,

      Thank you for your thoughtful comments. Ah…I could have written a WHOLE lot more, but I am limited to “x” number of words and that’s it. I have to pick and choose carefully what I feel is most important to say.

      One goal was to refer pet parents to a large, international trainer search/organization (Pet Professionals Guild) that will remove any trainer who is found to be practicing aversive methods. I’m very excited about PPG and their principles. Also, I didn’t even mention the VictoriaStilwellPositively.com trainer search http://positively.com/dog-training/trainersearch/
      which is also a resource for force-free method training, where trainers must abide by ethical principles or be removed…and I’m one of their licensed trainers! And let’s not forget to mention the “Harvard” of dog training academies, the Jean Donaldson academy http://www.academyfordogtrainers.com/course/course_overview.html
      Not enough room in a short article.

      In terms of equipment and methods, a complete list of methods and equipment that are recommended and those to avoid are neatly available in a journal article written by veterinarians who specialize in behavior. It’s in the peer-reviewed Journal of Veterinary Behavior, Volume 1 that is available on my website on the the About Us page–right navigation bar. Best of the best and includes easy to read bulleted lists. http://www.dogpsychologistoncall.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Good-Trainers-Journal-of-Veterinary-Behavior-pdf1.pdf

      I totally agree about TrulyDogFriendly.com and have been on that list myself for many, many years. Great group! KPA refers pretty much exclusively within the speciality of clicker training. I prefer to refer to a broader base of force-free trainers. A clicker is a terrific tool and training technique often used by force-free trainers, including me, but not necessarily to the exclusion of other effective force-free techniques, in my opinion. There are some great, seasoned, clicker trainers. I really admire Emily of Kikopup for example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veAS2QMkLvw
      I see that you are a KPA graduate. I see you have a master’s degree as well. May I ask if it’s in a field related to animal behavior?

      Hmmm….asking where someone received their “education” is a tricky question, in my opinion, and often leads to a lot of confusion among pet parents because there are so many claims to credentials in an unregulated field.

      I personally believe all trainers should be required one day soon, to have an academic/formal education in both respondant/associative/classical/Pavlovian/fundamental conditioning, as well as instrumental/operational/Skinnerian/quadrant-oriented conditioning, and support a well-rounded view of behavior-modification within the +R spectrum.

      Thank you again for your kind and helpful comment, Cindy! Good info!
      Warm wishes,
      Linda

      • I understand about word counts — been writing professionally for 40 years.

        I was a charter member of the Pet Professional Guild, the first in Iowa.

        My master’s degree is in higher and adult education and I have completed graduate coursework in animal learning, canine biology and behavior, pet nutrition and behavior modification. I am also a registered nurse. My master’s thesis was on the study of the effectiveness of concept mapping used as a learning strategy by critical care nurses to perform acid-base blood gas analysis for which I developed my own copyrighted blood gas analysis test using a sample of critical care nurses from across the country. You can read more about me on my website: http://www.dubuquedogtraining.com.

        I founded the first force-free therapy dog program in the world, Canine Connection Positively Trained Certified Therapy Dogs. Dog candidates must be trained without any force, i.e., shock, choke chains, leash corrections, prong collars, dominance, etc. and evaluators are selected from the best of the best and must demonstrate a commitment to force-free dog training and low stress handling. You can read more about it in this press release, http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/7/prweb9704358.htm and on my website.

        • You write too. That is so great! Together we will change the dog world! Charter member…I wish I could claim that status. Thank you for leading the way.

          OMG, speaking of having a proper academic background to teach others about animal behavior, I cannot overlook one of the greatest pioneers in our field, Dr. Ian Dunbar, Ph.D. and DVD. Dr. Dunbar’s contribution to our field, is, in my opinion, unparalleled. He truly changed the dog training paradigm. His background in animal behavior as well as medicine make him uniquely credentialed to make continuing advances in the field. When Dr. Dunbar speaks, I listen. I cannot say that I ALWAYS agree with him, but his heart is always in the right place and I agree with him much more often than not. Additionally, he is one of most entertaining speakers I’ve had the pleasure to find myself in standing room only seminars to hear– as well as an intellectual giant. He knows behavior theory and loves dogs in the deepest part of himself. That’s obvious. So I cannot leave out http://www.dogstardaily.com from my list of Best Trainers.

          Back to you! Thank you for sharing. That is so outstandingly noteworthy, Cindy, that you founded the first force-free therapy dog program. Kudos to you, big- time! Every nook and cranny of dog training, as well as all of the dog-related professions needs our attention. Thank you for all you’re doing to help the animals.