The Most Balanced Dog Training

Here in Austin, you can search and call up any dog trainer that will say “yes!” and take your money. But why get any dog trainer when you can get a qualified trainer that offers balanced, reward-based training that also follows a commitment-based philosophy?

When finding the right dog trainer, it can be very tricky, as there are a lot of misconceptions on dog training. Dog training should be based on your dog’s behavioral issues and your training goals, and these should factor into the training plan that the trainer creates for you. It’s not a cookie cutter process, or where every dog has to follow the same exact training guidelines, use the same exact training tools, work at the same exact pace as all other dogs, and so forth.

Most importantly, I believe that the best type of dog training is one that is balanced, and not subscribing to any extremes.

Dog Training Austin BlogWhat I mean by this is that for a dog to learn, they not only need to understand how to do the right behaviors, but they also need to understand boundaries and what is considered inappropriate behaviors. At Longhorn Dog Training, my reward-based training follows the idea of setting the dog up for success, and eliminating as many opportunities for failure. This is not about making the dog a shut-in, where they are never exposed to any problem-causing stimuli, but rather approaching it where the dog can easily focus without distractions, especially in the beginning stages of training. Once we create and lay a foundation of obedience and focus for the dog, then we can start reintroducing distractions and triggers, so that the dog has a better shot at dealing with them and overcoming their poor behaviors!

Positive reinforcement is a term that is coined a lot in the dog training world, because it sounds like the best thing in the world. And it truly is! But people have different ideas on what positive reinforcement actually is. To break down and actually define the phrase, positive reinforcement is “adding something to encourage the desired behavior”. So an example of positive reinforcement is that I will have a puppy that cannot focus and will not listen to commands. I then bring in a treat or toy and use that to capture the puppy’s focus, and then follow it up with a command. The puppy follows through with the command and I reward them with the treat or toy. I added a treat or toy to encourage what we wanted, which was the puppy to follow through with a command. Positive reinforcement is great with teaching a dog what to do, and I use it a lot with my training, as we are always setting the dog up for success and reward!

If a dog misbehaves though, I can’t just ignore it and assume that the dog actually knows he’s doing something wrong. I need to be a leader and be direct with the dog. I need to correct the behavior, not punish the dog with anything harsh, or by punishing the dog by not addressing the problem and setting them up for a lifetime of frustration and anxiety. I want to show the dog that he/she actually has a choice in the matter, and that the better choice (better behavior) leads to what the dog wants – praise, love, affection, treats, etc.!

If a trainer says they train only using positive or only using negative, without any balance in their training, then run! Positive reinforcement should be part of your dog’s training, but those who take it to the level where they will not correct your dog’s bad behavior will be a waste of time. All positive might sound great, but it is difficult to teach a dog what not to do with this philosophy. Therefore, your dog will not learn, and may just be constantly expecting treat or toy bribes from you in order to behave! All negative is a bad idea too, because this could be more based on dominance and instilling fear in your dog, without any opportunity to succeed and reward your dog! Your dog should not do the right thing because he/she is deathly afraid of you…they should do it because they want to and they know it’s the right thing!

Longhorn Dog Training is committed to their clients, and also committed to providing balanced training that caters to the dog’s behavior problems and the client’s needs. If this is the type of training you and your dog need, call 800-649-7297 for questions and/or to schedule your first appointment!