Top dog trainer.

In the start of a new series, top dog trainer Sheila Bailey outlines her unique training methods and explains why she believes exercising a dog's mind is just as important as working his body.

Many dog owners get very confused when they start looking for a dog training book to buy; for starters the choice is bewildering and all too often they appear to contradict each other. This is because there are basically two ways of training a dog: you can either MAKE him do as you wish, or you can get him to WANT to do as you wish.

The conventional way of dog training, which was almost universal up until a few years ago, was to MAKE your dog do as you wished: I boss! You slave! And the oft-repeated advice in dog training classes was "Don't ask him! Tell him!"

It was a sin to use food to reward your dog for the correct behavior as "your dog should obey because he loves you, not because he is being bribed with food", and it was held that the dog was not reliably trained unless he had been compelled to comply.

The founder of this kind of dog training was Konrad Most. Colonel Most was one of the world's most experienced and distinguished authorities on all kinds of dog training and a pioneer in the study of dog psychology. He started training service dogs in 1906 while serving as police commissioner at the Royal Prussian Police Headquarters in Saarbruchen.

Most's methods were devised BY a professional trainer FOR professional trainers who were training kennelled dogs. His book 'Training dogs', first published in this country in 1954 - although it had already reached its twelfth reprint by the early fifties in Germany - is now a classic. The majority of training books produced up until the end of the twentieth century have been based on Most's methods.

Most believed that "in the absence of compulsion neither human education nor canine education is feasible" so conventional/compulsive trainers use the 'carrot and stick' technique: praise the dog for the right response; correct him for the wrong response.

Too tough.
At one end of the correction scale, the stick can literally be a stick when the dog is beaten for the incorrect response or, on the other hand, only the mildest of compulsion can be used - for example the 'tuck sit' where the handler sweeps his hand down the back of the dog and continues down to the hock. Although very mild this is, nevertheless, still compulsion.

This training method can be a very harsh one, but it doesn't have to be. It can work very well with some dogs - the 'middle of the road' dogs - if the trainer has a great deal of expertise (remember it was devised by a professional trainer for professional trainers). However, its success depends firstly on the trainer having a perfect sense of timing, as even a fraction of a second can make all the difference between success and failure, and secondly, the trainer having the knowledge, experience and expertise to make a perfect assessment of the severity of the correction required.

If a mistake is made in either of these two requirements, then at best the training will be unsuccessful and, at worst and far more importantly, it could easily destroy the bond between dog and trainer.

Furthermore, compulsive methods do not work well with nervous or insecure dogs, nor do they work with strong-minded, pushy ones. Konrad Most admitted that "certain tough types of dogs will refuse to give in despite the most energetic counteractions by the trainer" (euphemism for a severe beating!), "Such dogs are unsuitable for training," he said.

It must be remembered, however, that Most was assessing dogs for service training, and would simply discard those that would not respond to his methods - much as some police forces and, sadly, some competition addicts do in this country.

 Historically, compulsive trainers strove to achieve rank through training - an obvious route to take when dealing with kennelled dogs - and Most believed that "the order of hierarchy can only be established through physical force", so dogs were forced into the sit, down, or heel position. He believed that "the object of compulsion is to obtain the paramount and unconditional surrender of the dog."

At one time, children in school were 'corrected' every time they made a mistake. For example, those who were learning to play the piano would be rapped over the knuckles when they played a wrong note. All this taught them was to be afraid of making a mistake. It did not teach them what it was they were supposed to be learning or how to play the right note! It is much the same with dogs.

A much better alternative to the 'carrot and stick' approach is the 'carrot or no carrot' using positive reinforcement (the carrot) and negative punishment (no carrot). With this method the dog gets rewarded for the desired behavior, but gets no reward if he gets it wrong.

Training becomes play.
If this approach is adopted, then training and play become synonymous, as training becomes a series of puzzles which the dog has to solve to get his reward. If dogs are not worried about being corrected for getting things wrong, they start to think for themselves. In the process, they make more and more connections between neurons in the brain, thereby increasing their ability to learn. We also have the added pleasure of watching our dogs thinking - which is absolutely fascinating!

The advantages of this method are enormous, particularly for the inexperienced trainer, because if the dog trainer gets it wrong then no lasting damage is done. In addition, and most importantly, as both dog and trainer are having fun, it helps to build a bond between them which leads to co-operation rather than fear.

Most owners do not want to obtain the paramount and unconditional surrender of their dog. They would prefer their dog to work with them rather than work for them. My dog is my best friend and I do not wish to dominate her by adopting a sergeant major-type attitude. What I am looking for is a partnership - albeit where I am the senior partner - based on trust, understanding and respect.

 I firmly believe that dogs are much cleverer than most people realize. Dogs can and do think - give the opportunity - and many are good problem solvers.

Remember, though, that dogs think like dogs not humans!

Use it or lose it...
Unfortunately many dogs were never given the chance to think in the past, and sadly that still occurs today if the method of training is: "Do it now! Do it because I say so! Do it immediately with military precision without even thinking about what you are doing!"

 Dogs, like all mammals, are born with a large number of brain cells and if these are not used they will die. The more dogs learn the better their brain will work, but if they are not given the opportunity to think and learn they will eventually lose this ability. The same thing can happen to children who are given no stimulation, attention or the opportunity to learn, as could be seen all too clearly in the heartrending TV reports on the children in Romanian orphanages who were showing stereotypic behavior, vacant expressions and a seemingly complete disinterest in the world around them.

Early learning.
When compulsive training was the order of the day, dog training classes would not admit dogs younger than six months old. This was probably because of the use of choke chains and the physical and repressive nature of the training - but this is like telling parents that they should not send their children to school until they are 12 years old.

 We now recognize the importance of early learning and encourage parents to take their children to nursery school; it is much the same with dogs. If we do not teach puppies what we want them to learn then they will teach themselves, as every minute of the day they will be learning - whether we teach them or not.

However if they teach themselves, it is highly unlikely that they will teach themselves what we want them to learn and then, later, it becomes a matter of correction rather than of learning - a much more difficult task.

It is surprising just how much we can teach young puppies providing we remember that they have a very short concentration span and we keep the lessons short and fun. What they learn at this age is there for life.

Ask why before you try!

I call the method of training I have been using now for many years 'teaching with CONCERN', which stands for:

• Carrot Or No Carrot - as previously explained.
• Educate in an Enjoyable Environment - and I use the word educate (to improve and develop) rather than train (to improve or curb by subjecting to discipline), which explains my philosophy of teaching much better.
• Relationship based on Respect _I respect my dog's physical and mental needs and do all I can to meet them by learning how dogs think and behave, which in turn means my dog will respect and not fear me. If the correct relationship is established between dog and owner then everything else will fall into place. No training can be successful unless this vital ingredient is well established.
• Non-confrontational methods - I avoid getting into confrontational situations by using my brain rather than brawn! The most important word in dog training is not 'No!', as so many books have emphasized in the past, but 'Why?'; a sound bite I repeat at my training centre is 'Why before you try'."

Always ask yourself: "Why is my dog behaving like this?" before getting into a physical confrontation. And then stop and think of an alternative approach.

 It is also important that owners show concern for the physical and mental wellbeing of their dogs (the latter is one which often gets overlooked). One of the most satisfying feelings in the world is that of a mission accomplished, yet so many dogs are denied this pleasure. It is vitally important for most dogs that they are given mental as well as physical exercise to show you how clever they are, so that they, too, can experience the joy of a job well done.

Just taking a dog out for a walk does not give enough mental stimulation for most dogs. If you don't use your dog's mental abilities to keep him interested, don't be surprised if he makes his own amusements. Going 'self-employed' can include chasing other animals, looking for other dogs to play with, or following exciting scents - all of which he is likely to carry out without any reference to you or your recalls!

Concern for others.

Show concern for the physical and mental wellbeing of other people's dogs. It is vital that owners do not let their dogs rush up to every other dog they see. This thoughtless act causes many dogs unnecessary stress and may result in dogs getting injured physically or mentally (mental scars often take far longer to heal than the physical ones).

Many clients who come to my behavioral practice have dogs that have been labeled aggressive. In fact most of these dogs are frightened and have been attacked in the past by others who have been off the lead and out of control, so they have now learned that attack is the best means of defense.

Show concern for the physical and mental wellbeing of other animals. If you let your dog chase squirrels or rabbits, don't be surprised if he then chases sheep when the opportunity arises. Remember it is an offence to allow a dog to be 'at large' (not on a lead or under close control) in a field or enclosure in which there are sheep - and your dog does not have to be anywhere near a sheep for an offence to have been committed.

Show concern for other people's property. Owners should not allow their dogs to go into other people's gardens, allow male dogs to cock their legs on gateposts, car tires or anywhere near shops.

Show concern for the environment. Owners should always pick up after their dogs if they toilet away from home. Better still they should teach their dogs to toilet in their own gardens before going out on a walk, but they should always have some spare plastic bags in their pocket 'just in case'.

Owners should also ensure that dogs do not run free where there are ground-nesting birds, pheasants, or in areas where there are rare plants such as bluebells.

It is up to us to be good ambassadors for our wonderful dogs so that we never give the vociferous, fast-growing, anti-dog lobby any reason for complaint.

_{source Your Dog Mag.}