I recently had perhaps one of the most heartbreaking consultations that I’ve had in a while. Wonderful people came in with a dog whose reactivity they’re struggling with. They had a story almost identical to dozens of students that I’ve worked with that have come out of the same dog training, (I use that term loosely), academy. I literally get dog after dog after dog after dog after dog after dog after dog after dog after dog….ok you get the point…that fall out the back door of this place and they all have been told the same things about their dog and it’s behavior:

“You need to lower your expectations.”

“Maybe your dog has a learning disability and that’s just something you need to accept.”

“You’re just not trying hard enough.”

“You know, we may need to consider that the dog’s quality of life isn’t good and euthanizing the dog may be the best option.”

“This dog is too much of a risk to society, you need to do what’s best for humanity and consider euthanizing.”

“Medication is necessary if we are going to get anywhere here.”

These dog owners have also always been subject to incredible indoctrination and propaganda, although that’s true of any student coming out of a positive only training school not specifically unique to this place. While they would never dare to question the positive only “science” based training or as I have coined it, “limited science training,” they all have the same questions for me almost verbatim:

“If I correct my dog for reacting, how will that not make them afraid?”

“If I correct my dog for barking or growling, they’ll stop showing warning signs and then won’t we really be in trouble?”

All the students coming out of these schools have been just drilled with the same garbage over and over and over until they become little positive only robots out there in society propagating the same nonsense and not getting anywhere with their dog’s behavior. You can’t correct your dog, they’re told. Correcting your dog will cause it to be afraid. Correcting your dog will only suppress the behaviors not change them. Correcting your dog will cause your dog to hide their warning signs. Correcting your dog is abuse.

Well how about this you positive reinforcement only dog trainers, you who use shotty research, and you who deceive, the omission of correction that could eliminate these behaviors is abuse of the dog. You are dog abusers by omission. The taking of money by hard working people and having them attend class after class after class for not weeks but years without getting any results is human abuse. It’s outrageous, it’s thievery and it needs to stop.

So quickly, let’s break down some of the lies starting with the biggest one;

Will correcting my dog for reacting cause them to be afraid? No. For starters, the dog is already afraid. If they weren’t reacting and barking and lunging, they’d be cowering, hiding behind you or trying to flee. Typically, the early signs of fear are missed, overlooked or ignored. The dog is then forced into these scary situations repeatedly until they finally figure out that if they react, they feel better and the stimulus moves away.

When we correct these behaviors, what happens?
The dog will stop the reaction and initially may act fearful around the stimulus. Enter the limited science trainer (screaming, arms flailing and finger pointing), “See!!! See!!! You corrected the dog and now they’re cowering or hesitating every time you walk by that cat. Abuse! Abuse! Monster, stop the abuse! Oh the poor animals!”

But this is where you’re being deceived.
Whether the deception is intentional or the result of your trainer lacking intelligence and the ability to think logically, deception it still is.
The positive trainers are lying when they say correction will cause fear or they’re just not smart enough to realize the dog was always afraid. Once we inhibit the reaction, we see the real dog. The true dog. The dog that is afraid.

The dog’s response to stimulus is not a result of the correction, the correction is not the causal agent of the fear, again, the dog has always been afraid of the stimulus. The behavior and coping mechanism has now changed and we have inhibited the reactivity through proper correction.

This takes us to our next piece of propaganda. When you correct the dog, you simply supress the behavior. Well, this is true and you’re correct that we are supressing the dog’s outrageous behaviors of barking, lunging, screaming and generally acting a fool in public.
The piece they leave out is that suppression overtime does allow for a change in the dog’s mind.
When the dog is actually calm and in low drive, they have the ability to learn other behaviors. They also are given the opportunity to be worked through these “scary” situations in a calm state of mind which allows them to build lasting confidence and the development of productive coping skills.
Enter the limited science trainer (screaming, arms flailing, finger pointing and now likely foaming at the mouth), “Not true. Science doesn’t say this. You can only change the brain through classical conditioning and positive reinforcement. Monster. Abuser….Da-Da…Dummy...L-La…Loser.”

Well, nothing we haven’t heard before. Quite nasty these “positive” people get when you call out their lies.

Limited Science trainers always say the same thing.
Science says you have too….
Science says you can’t do…blah…blah…blah…always talking and very seldom actually producing any sort of lasting result as it applies to behavior modification, but talk they will. Louder they get. All the while, the students keep tumbling.

 I know I’m being harder than I usually am, but this stuff is important and it needs to be called out because dogs are dying here and I mean that literally. Dogs are dying in this training academy and similar academies across North America. Every student who falls out their back door tells me stories of other dogs in the class not making progress that have been euthanized.
 
These positive reinforcement “trainers” are suggesting owners kill their dogs before they will correct them.
This is not a joke.
This is real.
This is happening. Every. Single. Day.
Dog after dog after dog after dog after dog after dog after dog, is given up on first by the trainer and then by the dog owner who is left feeling completely hopeless.

And while it’s true that sometimes a dog may need to be euthanized, I plead with you dog owners to exhaust all options first.
You don’t need to lower your expectations, you need to raise them.
Expect more from your dog. Expect more from your trainer.
If your trainer has actually recommended that you medicate a dog or euthanize a dog before they’ll recommend trying an e collar or prong collar, you need to think really hard about what kind of person they are and then ask yourself what kind of person are you?
 Are you really going to kill your own dog before you’ll correct a behavior?
Has your thinking been that poisoned by these people masquerading under the guise of “science-based” training?
You will kill your own dog who you adopted, or who you raised from puppyhood?
The animal who relies on you for everything they need. The animal who has bonded with you and loves you and is a direct result of the training (or lack of) that you chose to engage in?
Are you really going to sentence that animal to death because a correction is “just too stressful for them?” Are we that pathetic as a people that we think it’s better to kill something than to correct it?
 Is this what science is telling us? Obviously not and there are four quadrants in learning theory, after all.
While I am aware that there is extra emotion in this piece, I think sometimes it's ok to get a little fired up when we're talking about the life and death of an animal. Our choices and our convictions matter. They have consequences on dog owners and on the dogs we love. Whatever the ideology, if you're holding fast to something that isn't working, I think exploring another training option- no matter what that may be- makes a whole lot of sense.

The city of Toronto has banned the use of Prong Collars (as well as choke chains and other similar slip-style collars) effective immediately, March 1, 2017.

The ban has created a tremendous amount of outcry and backlash on social media, partly because the ban went into effect without adequate public notification, community input, and against the recommendation of the committee. 
www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/ls/bgrd/backgroundfile-98542.pdf

Among the supporters trying to have this ban reversed, I have also come across a number of articles and posts from PO or so called "Force Free" trainers that are in support, or at least partial support of the action by Toronto City Council. One article in particular caught my eye and inspired this post. It was written by an individual describing themselves as a reinforcement and "Force Free" dog trainer. 

The author was not entirely in support of the ban on Prong Collars, however went on to encourage Torontonians to research and find a local "Force Free" dog trainer, explore the other tools available to them and see the amazing world of Positive Reinforcement training that they've been missing out on while stuck in this archaic world of Prong Collar use.

The author, who remember describes themselves as "Force Free", then went on to list the other incredible tools available to dog owners that can be used in place of the "painful" Prong Collar.

The tools espoused included:
The head collar (often times referred to by brand such as Gentle Leader or Halti) and the
Front clip "no-pull" harness.

Now, here is where I take issue and here is why I'm writing this article.

Number one: You cannot call yourself a reinforcement based or "Force Free" dog trainer if you recommend the use of such an aversive tool as a head collar.

Head collars, while they have nice names and conjure up a sweet picture in one's mind when compared to the medieval appearance of a Prong Collar, are abusive and aversive training tools. In this author's opinion, they are in fact the most abusive, stressful and pain inducing training device that you could ever use on a dog.

A prong collar, by design is the only training tool available today that distributes pressure evenly around a dog's neck, eliminating pressure and damage that can be caused to the trachea by flat, martingale and slip collars. A head collar has a thin cord that drapes across the muzzle of a dog, causes pressure, pain and manipulates the dog's head and neck when they begin to pull.

This is not a force free device. This tool causes lasting and often irreversible neck damage and pain to the dog. It can also cause eye damage and almost always leads to scarring on the muzzle. It's interesting that dogs can walk around bearing the scars caused by head collars digging into their muzzles and no one will judge you, but if you are using a Prong Collar, you are somehow an abusive monster and a primitive archaic caveman who must be educated.

Well I for one am waiting to be enlightened. I'm waiting for someone to educate me as to how a head collar can be deemed humane and "Force Free" when it so obviously is not. I'm waiting to see scientific evidence that less pressure is applied when using a head collar on a dog's muzzle as opposed to a prong collar placed and used correctly on the neck of a dog. I'm waiting to hear how a dog is not subject to force when they attempt to pull while wearing a head collar and then have a thin nylon chord tighten against their face.

While much has been said about the head collar, it's important to also mention the front clip or "no pull" harnesses. These are by no means a "Force Free" device and like the head collar, they can have serious consequences to your dog's health and well being. These types of harnesses do not eliminate pulling for most dogs, and instead throw off the dog's gate and force them to walk awkwardly and on an angle. Over time, this often leads to knee and hip lameness and joint pain, the effects of which are often irreversible.

The bottom line is this; a valuable, humane, gentle and effective training tool has been stripped from an entire city and in it's place we have even more aversive and physically damaging devices. Pet dog owners need to educate themselves to the real facts concerning the training tools available today and which ones are actually damaging to our dogs.

Lastly, this author has a tremendous amount of respect for someone wanting to train their own dog (that is not suffering from behavioral issue), using no force. Good for you, reinforcement training is fun! 

 I do however take great issue with the plethora of professionals out there claiming to be "Force Free", using scientific techniques, when in fact they are advocating for highly aversive training tools such as the head collar and are practicing closed minded and limited science. Dogs everywhere are suffering the consequences for this close mindedness and will continue to do so until we look at training devices based on facts and not based on emotion.

As a professional dog trainer, I set an incredibly high standard for myself and for my own dogs, so I'm always surprised and somewhat diheartened when other trainers don't seem to know how to address their own dog's behavioral issues.

Unless it is a brand new puppy, there is no excuse and no reason why any dog trainer should have a dog that is out of control, doesn't respond to cues or has behavioral problems.

As trainers it's time we start holding ourselves accountable for our own dog's behavior, after all, we are taking people's hard earned money, and more importantly their time, and we owe it to them to deliver results. How can we deliver results to our clients, if we can't achieve results with our own dogs?

 Our students put their trust in us and they deserve the best when it comes to knowledge, in practice and theory. How can a trainer in good conscious take money from someone, claim to be able to train their dog, while their own dog:

1) Doesn't respond to behavioral cues
2) Is reactive/on leash or otherwise
3) Pulls on a leash
4) Is anxious/demonstrates a clear lack of impulse control in public settings
5) Barks at dogs and people walking by

It is really important that as a client, you are paying close attention to your dog trainer's dog(s) and also listening to the way they talk about their own dogs. Does your dog trainer boast openly about their dog's problems?

If so, you should probably start looking for a new trainer.

Many trainers will also make excuses for their dog's poor behavior:

"My dog was attacked"...
"My dog is a rescue dog"...
"My dog had a bad experience with a man"...
"My dog came from a bad breeder"...
"My dog wasn't socialised enough as a puppy"...

...and the excuses go on and on.

Yes it's true that the aforementioned scenarios can cause a set back in anyone's training, (for a short amount of time). However, if the trainer's problems have lasted longer than the length of the  program they're recommending to you...

Run...

...Don't walk...

......Don't jog...

.........RUN!...

...And keep running until you find yourself a competent trainer whose own dogs can demonstrate consistent real-life obedience and whose dogs aren't in need of behavior modification, themselves.

Now, very few things in life make me angry, but this is one of them. I think I'm so passionate about it because it's such blatant robbery and scammery (not a real word I'm aware, but it should be!).

As a professional trainer, we must hold ourselves to a high standard and set some sort of code of ethics for ourselves and the first rule should be:

"A trainer cannot take money from a client to train their dog, if that trainer's own dog is untrained and cannot demonstrate the skills taught in the course."

Now, just like human beings, no dog is perfect. All dogs make mistakes, including my own. What I am saying is that there is a massive difference between a dog making an occasional mistake, and dog that is out of control, pulling on a leash, reacting out, whining and engaging in behaviors that would typically require behavior modification.

These aren't mistakes, these are seriously inappropriate behaviors and either the dog trainer is not addressing them at all, or the dog trainer is trying to address them without success as their training method doesn't deliver results. Both are equally disturbing in my opinion.

Bottom line is this; there is NO excuse for a dog trainer's dog to ever, ever under any circumstance on earth, pull on a leash, not come immediately when called or react out towards another dog/human being/small child etc. If you see this happening, take mental note and grieve because you have likely handed your money over to someone who is less than competent.

As a client, you need to judge your dog trainer based on their own dogs. Don't be fooled by flashy obedience performed in a ring, or sport style training. If you're seeking a trainer for pet dog obedience and/or behavior modification, you want to see that their dog can be calm, turn off and of course, make sure the dog does not exhibit any of the behavioral issues listed above.

You read it all the time on rescue group descriptions and facebook blurbs on dogs trying to find a new home:
"Dog requires active family"....
"Large backyard is a must"...
"High energy, hour a day walks minimum"...

It seems we are inundated by trainers and rescues reminding us that we must meet a dog's physical needs, but what continuously seems to be overlooked is the need to stimulate a dog mentally.

So much emphasis is placed on the dog's physical needs, but the dog's inherent need for mental stimulation is completely overlooked by pet dog owners and undermined by professionals.
The solution given to deal with a wildly out of control dog seems to always be the same; walk them more or run the heck out of them.

Unfortunately, this does absolutely nothing to address the main issue at hand. The dog has never been educated correctly using methods that work and the dog is not having it's mental needs met. In fact, exercising your dog at the level required to tire them out does nothing more than create an athlete.
So now we have a wildly out of control dog, who is also an Olympian. Great! 

I wonder why our shelters are stacked to the brim with dogs in need of a home? Let's be honest. No one enjoys an out of control, hyper active dog that doesn't listen and engages in rude, offensive and embarrassing behaviors. But the solution is not exercising them more. The solution is training them more by using proper methods that teach calm, reliable and lasting obedience.

There seems to be little to no emphasis being placed on the fact that dogs actually need to receive education in order to function in our society. Our dogs are starving for their mental requirements to be met, yet so many seem to put no thought into training their dogs each day.

I often wonder what would happen if instead of having volunteers walking dogs at shelters, we took one of those designated walk times per day and actually focused on a Real-World training program, teaching the dogs to hold a sit, walk calmly on a leash and build impulse control?

My guess is that if we focused less on physical exercise and more on exercising our dog's minds, we would have more dogs being adopted from shelters and far less dogs ending up in shelters in the first place.

By simply teaching your dog to hold a sit for 10 minutes a day and walk correctly on a leash, focusing on the task at hand rather than the environment, you can transform your dog's life and behavior.

Do dogs need physical exercise?

Yes.

Do dogs need mental exercise more?

Yes. The importance of which should never be overlooked or underestimated.

Exercising your dog is something that should be done for the fun and love of it. It should not be something that has to be done in order for you to be able to live in harmony with your dog.

I had a recent conversation with a colleague who asked my opinion regarding the Anatolian Shepherd Dog (or Kangal Dog and yes they are the same thing!) and if this would be an appropriate breed for them, their lifestyle etc.  I asked them why they wanted the dog and the answer paraphrased as follows:

"I want a challenge and a hard dog that can teach me something as a trainer. I want a dog that can be my hiking companion that must be able to handle an out of control dog coming at us on a hiking trail without reacting/killing the other dog and a dog that I can use as a socialization dog, rehab work etc. " 

The Anatolian Shepherd Dog is an ancient Turkish breed of livestock guardian dog and is by nature reserved and independent due to thousands of years of selective breeding for the dog's ability to think and make decisions independently of humans. These dogs are bred to cover large areas of land spanning hundreds of miles, following and protecting their stock. Sometimes these dogs would work alongside shepherds, other times they would be without any human contact for months at a time. These dogs had to be capable of perceiving a threat, addressing the threat while minimizing injury to themselves and preserving their life.

Contrary to internet claims made by uninformed people and trainers who have never even owned a LGD and unscrupulous dog breeders trying to make big bucks off of selling vicious guard and estate guarding dogs, well-bred livestock guardian dogs are not loaded guns and they are not hair trigger dogs. Their first line of defence is barking. They only use force when absolutely necessary and after being heavily provoked. Self preservation is important. It would neither serve the shepherd nor the dog to be fighting every chance it got, injuring and rendering itself useless for work. That being said, the dog will choose on it's own what is a threat and what is not and should not be put in situations where they may need to make that call unless they are working as LGD's.

This particular conversation mirrors conversations that I've had dozens of times with friends, clients and family over the years, where someone essentially wants a breed of dog knowing that they would to be going against the dog's nature in not providing an environment conducive to guarding/herding/scenting- you fill in the blank- and by putting the dog in unnatural situations where it would be in group social environments with strange dogs, people etc. In this case this person wanted this breed because a) they want the challenge and b) they want to do something that no one else has done (to prove it can be done?). But in other cases it's often that you just like the way a dog looks or want a big dog, scary dog, dog with long hair, short hair etc.

Now, I have confidence that this person could take a female ASD and socialize it from puppyhood and things would probably turn out fine. But just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. One should never put their own self interest ahead of the interest of the animal for no reason other than to prove a point. This is something that should be particularly important for all of us in the dog training profession. We need to hold ourselves to an even higher standard and we should know better than to make inappropriate decisions when it comes to selecting a breed of dog.

If an individual is honest enough to admit that their sole reason for wanting a dog is to inhibit that dog's own instinct and go against it's nature and genetics, they should be honest enough to admit to themselves that that may not be the best breed of choice.

My colleague's attitude is one of many that leads to the plethora of working dog breeds I see each year that were purchased because someone wanted them, but didn't actually want any of the characteristics that went along with the breed. They don't want to honor the breed, work with the breed, develop the breed. They want to change the breed. Force them to accept strangers petting them. Make them play with other dogs. Stop them from wanting them to herd everything. Stop them from following scent trails and taking off every time the dog is off-leash.

It is this attitude and self interest that is corrupting the working dog breeds today and undoing the noble work of breeders who developed and preserved our working dogs for hundreds and in many cases thousands of years. When we lose sight of the breed's original purpose and function and begin breeding versions of the breed that can function as couch potato pet dogs, it means the end of the breed as we know it.

Over the last 50 years we have seen the near destruction of some of the most precious breeds of dogs on earth because people wanted them for no reason other than they wanted them but didn't actually want any of the characteristics innate in the dog itself. German Shepherd Dogs, Border Collies, Australian Shepherds, Dobermanns, Rottweiler, Mastiffs and countless more breeds have all fallen victim to the selective "un-breeding" of their once desired and sought after character traits. Pet dog owners want their dogs to be friendly, soft, easy to train, biddable, accepting of strangers, lovers of all dogs and animals. They want the breed that they want, not the breed that would best suit their lifestyle. 

Rather than choosing the most appropriate breed, they will choose the dog that they want and then demand that it conforms to them. Genetics and instinct be damned. Hundreds or thousands of years of selective and purpose driven breeding for specific traits and characteristics be damned. 

So what is the fallout of selling working dogs to live as pets?
 
Behavioral issues such as destruction of property, reactivity, aggression, as well as depression, and anxiety to name a few.

Breeders capitalizing on the pet dog market and dumbing down dogs by the millions, selling them at mass to the pet dog world, utterly extinguishing the hardness and mental character that enabled them to perform a task in the first place.

We are left with shells of what were once amazing working dogs. Dogs with drive and no brain, dogs with brain and no drive. Dogs with no stamina. Dogs that can't turn off. Dogs that can't handle pressure. Dogs that continually put you under pressure.

As adults, we should be capable of making choices that are right as opposed to childlike choices that are right-now. All prospective dog owners need to do some serious soul searching when it comes to selecting an appropriate breed for themselves. Asking hard questions and then selecting the breed of dog that is most appropriate for them NOT necessarily the breed of dog that they want.

Lastly, breeders have a responsibility. A responsibility to breed dogs true to their original working purpose even if that means making far less money because there are not enough suitable homes available for these dogs. (Thankfully there are amazing breeders out there still, dedicated to breeding true working dogs. They are hard to find but do your research!) Most importantly, breeders have a responsibility to place dogs in correct homes that will honor and work the dog and not simply any home that will pay the puppy price.

Our animal shelters are overrun with surrendered dogs. There are literally dog trainers on every corner, classes filled with out of control and unfulfilled dogs. It's not until we start putting the dog's needs above our own selfishness and desires that we will see any change in this trend.

While I have been training dogs since I was, well, a tiny kid and have well over two decades of obedience training under my belt, I would consider myself relatively new to the dog sport world.
When I was young I remember building obstacle courses for my dogs. I had no clue that there was even a sport for this at the time, I just remember how fun it was teaching my dogs to jump over and go under things. I use to spend hours in the field with my BC mix rounding up cows, something I would have gotten in worlds of trouble for if I had ever been found out. I use to love playing hide and seek on my dogs, running and hiding while they waited and then waiting for them to sniff me out. These simple things brought so much joy into my life and my dog's. I still really enjoy doing this sort of thing with my dogs today, although now I have fancier equipment and a lot more knowledge on training.

I took my first real agility class a few years after coming to Ontario. I had a great instructor and the class was just really laid back, people were just there for the fun of it and fun it was. Our instructor could not carry on as we didn't have an indoor facility. (This is interestingly enough the reason that I decided to include an agility arena in the dog training/boarding facility I was building for myself. I didn't want any instructor to have to stop teaching simply because they didn't have a facility to teach in.) After my instructor couldn't carry on, I went to a different facility where the atmosphere was a lot more competitive.

To be honest with you, this type of attitude kind of turned me off to the whole "competitive-world" of dog sports.  I saw people whipping their dogs into frenzies, only to correct them for making mistakes caused by the state of mind the handler created.

I've never really considered myself to be a competitive person and I don't know if I ever will be. I've always wanted others to win and succeed and to feel good, I've never personally felt the desire to win or to prove anything to anyone. Even when I was very young, I never felt I needed to win. I have kind of always just carried on, doing my own thing and making my own way. If I succeed great, if I fail I learn from error and carry on. I think this way of living and attitude has probably led to a lot of the success I've been fortunate enough to have in my career. For me, it's always been about the dog and about the training. Not about anything else.

I have often wondered why so many of my pet dog clients are adamantly against participating in dog sports and I can't help but wonder if it's because of the "competitive" aspect. Not everyone wants to compete in something and that competitive aspect may be the turn off for many "pet-dog" people.

But you don't have to compete in a sport in order to train in it. You don't have to be competitive to be really, really good at something and to reap the benefits that the sport has to offer.
Agility and dog sports are so much fun for dogs and for people. At the core of each dog sport, herding, agility, disc, scent, it really is about having fun with your dog and challenging each other to learn and grow.

I want to encourage everyone to consider participating or training in a sport with their dog. Research sports with your family, think about what you may like to do with your dog. There are so many sports out there that are fun for you and your dog. Many sports like herding and scent detection can help your dog overcome behavioral challenges. At Mayrich Kennels, we have developed many programs including a herding and agility program taught specifically from a behavior modification perspective that look a lot different than a competitive program.

There are people of all ages involved in dog sports and people with disabilities. Every challenge can be overcome and if you don't approach the sport with a mindset that you have to compete, you can relax and enjoy and just have fun with your dog!

I say this a lot, to my students, friends, children and now...well...to you! Ideas have consequences.
And few ideas have had consequences as devastating to dogs and their mental health as the positive only movement.

So what is positive only dog training? Well, first I should say that there are many different names used to refer to Positive only training, and in fact, the term that I prefer to use is the least accurate, Positive Only dog training or PO trainers. Some of the other names include Reinforcement-Based, Force Free, Aversive Free, and so on.

Virtually all PO trainers and schools will also refer to themselves as being the only trainers to use scientific methods and claim that science backs their training and methods. This statement is completely inaccurate as PO training utilizes limited science at best as it applies to dog training and behavior modification, specifically.

So why has a movement that practices limited science, struggles to achieve any lasting results as it pertains to behavior modification, and causes massive amounts of stress and frustration for dog owners and dogs so popular today? The answer is complicated, but I think a lot of it has to do with the vicious campaign mounted by PO trainers toward other dog trainers and dog owners who utilize correction.

In years of research, some of the most vicious, vile and vitriolic things I have ever heard have spouted from the mouths of PO trainers towards Balanced and Compulsion trainers. Why is it that people claiming to do no harm and who care so much for animals think nothing of viciously attacking their fellow man? Well, bullies often do that, don't they?

The fact is, your average brick and mortar PO dog trainer has very limited knowledge and experience when it comes to working with aggression and severe behavioral issues, and most of them will tell you that success rates for aggression will be 50% or lower. (Don't believe me? Just ask them! In my research of PO trainers, contacting them for help, attending their classes, etc. I have found that if one thing, they are very honest about their inability to achieve results in behavior modification.

Most of them are more than happy to tell you to lower your expectations, and ALL of the PO trainers I contacted in my research were proud to tell me all about their own dog's reactivity, aggression, and behavioral issues that are still ongoing.) Their results are minimal, so all that's left in many cases is to attack others who are more successful and shame dog owners into thinking that by correcting their dog, they're abusing their dog.  

Unfortunately, this works in a lot of cases as humans are concerned about their images and certainly don't want to think of themselves as being abusive.

But who suffers as a result of this?

The PO trainer doesn't suffer. They will happily take your money for months and months years and years on end, delivering no or minimal results, blaming you for just not trying hard enough. In fact, this is the perfect training system from a business perspective- clients for life with absolutely zero accountability for the PO Trainer.

But you suffer. You suffer through the embarrassment of having your dog pull and lunge and bark and scream at every dog they pass and more importantly, your dog suffers. Happy, healthy and sound dogs are calm and relaxed. They don't care about goings on in the environment; they are comfortable in their skin and just happy to "be." They don't scan rooms frantically and jump up and bark anytime they see something new. Anxiety is a sickness that leads to many behavioral issues including reactivity, aggression and more and it is almost always caused or perpetuated by PO training and the Positive Reinforcement only paradigm.

​Most behavioral problems can be quickly eliminated by following a sound, balanced training protocol and using an aversive such as saying "no," or administering an appropriate leash and collar correction. Some of the most pervasive training tools that we have available today would include the pinch/prong collar or the electronic training collar. These are tools widely used by balanced, and reward based balanced dog trainers such as yours truly, that save countless k9 lives each year with tremendous success.

Unfortunately, there is a huge majority in the PO world that flat out refuse to use any aversive under any circumstance. Many PO trainers hold to the mantra of "Death Before Discomfort." If you say it quick, it doesn't have much effect. But take a minute and think about what that means.

That means that there are a HUGE group of people and professionals out there that will put a dog to death through euthanasia before they will use an aversive training tool.

That is just sick.

Sick and disgusting.

There are actually professional dog trainers out there who will recommend that you euthanize your dog before exhausting every single other option available such as aversive training tools that have been proven over and over and over again to work and to work quickly.

Why is this?

Why is it that we are giving people any recognition when they are advocating death over correction? Why is it that many humane societies and rescue groups will only recommend PO training techniques that are the causal agent for surrendering dogs into animal shelters in the first place?

There is something rotten at work here when we are killing dogs that could easily be saved and rehabilitated by a reward based balanced training system that utilizes all of the science we have available today.

There is something wrong when we have a PO dog training school on every corner, yet we have animal shelters stacked to the roof with dogs who have severe behavioral issues and lack any obedience skill, many of whom are doomed to die as a result.

Now, I love dogs, and I love dog training! I've spent the last 20 years working primarily with behavioral issues, creating some of the most comprehensive behavioral modification programs in Canada, today.

In my early life, I have trained dogs using compulsion. I have personally raised two dogs from puppyhood to adulthood using PO training only as an experiment, and for almost a decade, I have practiced reward based balanced dog training. I now utilizing all science and apply techniques on a per dog basis and have been very successful in doing so. That said, I have seen dogs trained under pure compulsion and purely positive techniques, and I can tell you that while both are extreme, I have never seen a dog die as a result of compulsion training, even when trained very, very harshly. They learn quickly; they listen, and as a result, they have homes and families and get to go on walks and get to accompany their families on outings and are loved.

How many hundreds of thousands of dogs have been murdered as a result of Positive Only dog training and the death before discomfort mantra?

Shock. Abuse. Pain. Hurt. Cruel. Burns. Fear. 
Chances are if you've researched the electronic training collar, or even if you haven't, these are some words that may come to mind.
Whether you believe in the use of e-collars or not,  this article is designed to lay out the facts regarding the electronic training collar and to put to bed the false information that is continuously propagated regarding this device.

First things first, the term "shock-collar" used to reference or describe the electronic training collar is a total misnomer. Besides drumming up a plethora of negative feelings in one's mind, using this term to define the tool does nothing to demonstrate the functionality or true abilities of it.

The electronic training collar does not shock or zap or burn your dog. They do not malfunction and shock, zap or burn your dog. They do not randomly go off and shock, zap or burn your dog. This does not happen and is complete propaganda.

I have been using the electronic training collar to train dogs for the last fifteen years and even in this short amount of time, the evolution that has occurred with this device is nothing short of astounding. Originally, the electronic training collar was designed only as a tool to correct or inhibit unwanted and undesirable behaviors. The collars packed a punch to say the least and were certainly uncomfortable for dogs, by intention, as they were meant to stop behaviors that were harmful, mentally unhealthy and potentially deadly.

Nowadays, e-collars have come leaps and bounds from their 70's ancestors and virtually all quality brands, E-Collar Technologies and Dogtra to name a few have over 100 levels of stimulation and most importantly give the trainer the ability to use incredibly low levels of stimulation. Low-Level e-collar training which was once unheard of is now ubiquitous among credentialed and experienced balanced dog trainers world-wide.

By utilizing low-level e-collar training in partnership with my training programs, we have rehabilitated literally hundreds of aggressive, fearful, reactive and anxious dogs. Without this tool, achieving these type of results and establishing 99.99% reliable obedience in any situation is virtually impossible. The e-collar enables us to achieve results quickly, gently, humanely and without causing stress or harming the relationship you share with your dog. Using low-level e-collar training in conjunction with positive reinforcement is an unsurpassed method for achieving behavioral modification when compared to any other method, period.

At this point, especially depending on the amount of propaganda you've been subject too, you may be wondering:

"If e-collars are so great why are there so many bad things being said about them, like, they will burn my dog?"

Well, this is part-in-parcel to the positive-only training movement that has done an incredible job in spreading false information, propaganda and lies regarding e-collars. The fact is, an e-collar cannot burn a dog. This is absolutely, 100% impossible due to the technology used in e-collars which is essentially a static pulse and a muscle stimulator similar to a Tense unit that humans use on themselves. It is possible for a dog to develop a hot spot or a pressure sore due to collars being left on for prolonged amounts of time, but this is hardly the fault of the e-collar and is instead the result of owner negligence.

"Ok, so it can't burn my dog but won't it cause my dog to be afraid of me?"

Absolutely not! On the contrary, an e-collar can wholly transform the relationship that you have with your dog by helping to eliminate problem behaviors and solidify desirable behaviors and obedience cues. Through low-level e-collar use we can eliminate anxiety which enables dog owners to finally be able to enjoy their true dog at their best and not the mentally unstable dog that they had before.

"If the e-collar won't cause my dog to be afraid of me, will it cause my dog to become afraid of other things?"

No, well that is not unless you're actually trying to create a superstitious association to something which we will discuss a bit later in this article. Low-level e-collar training actually empowers your dog, teaches them how to turn off stimulation and builds confidence through the development of reliable obedience. It will not cause your dog to become afraid of other people, animals or situations unless you have grossly misused the training tool.

A lot has been discussed regarding low-level e-collar training and it's benefits, but it's also important to mention that an e-collar also has the ability to cause discomfort to a dog when using higher levels. When following our training protocols, the need to use high levels on an e-collar are rare, there are times when this has it's benefits and can save the life of your dog. Depending on the dog and the behavioral issue, it can sometimes be beneficial to use high levels to create a superstitious association towards certain objects or towards certain behaviors.

We have saved the lives of countless dogs by doing this and have saved the lives of other animals as well by utilizing an e-collar in this way. It's important to note that even when using the e-collar to inhibit behaviors, it does not cause your dog to become fearful or afraid unless, again, there is gross misuse of the tool.

In our training programs at Mayrich Kennels, our go-to training tool for many dogs is the electronic training collar using low-level stimulation. Whether your dog is aggressive, fearful, anxious, reactive or simply needs a bit better reliability on their obedience, an e-collar can transform your and your dog's life for the better. We recommend that anyone wishing to establish off-leash reliable obedience filter through the misinformation regarding e-collars and seriously consider low-level e-collar training as it will prove invaluable and is potentially life saving for your dog.

**This video shows the consequences that e-collar training can have on your dog. Fearful, supressed, shut down dogs? You can decide for yourself!

We've all heard it, "You have to socialize your dog!!" If your dog has aggression towards other dogs, people or animals the answer as to why is a simple one; (YOU!) didn't socialize your dog properly.

Shame on you!

Well, the simple fact is that this socialization myth has been permeating the dog training world for decades and has resulted in countless dogs being injured, surrendered or lead to the development of severe behavioral and aggression issues. Most dog owners believe that their dogs are social creatures, the long lost ancestor to the wolf who desperately needs to run with dogs, visit dog parks and have countless people pet and treat them.

Well, here's the deal...your dog is not a wolf.

I hate to repeat myself but I need to say it again, your dog is not a wolf. Even if your dog evolved from wolves and shares 99% of their DNA with wolves, (there is a link to an interesting article on the subject at the end of this article), your dog is still not a wolf!

Your dog is the product of hundreds and in many cases, thousands of years of careful and painstaking selective breeding for very specific traits and behaviors. This is something that is so often overlooked and underappreciated by dog owners and dog trainers alike. Our modern dogs are not wolves and for that matter they're not "dogs" in the sense that they are all the same and can be handled the same. Dogs are far more special and unique then that.

Your dog's breed and lineage absolutely matter and this is something that should be honored and respected, not something that we should simply brush off. I admire the dedication of breeders who developed livestock guardian dogs over the last 6000 plus years and who have created the most effective way ever developed for humanely controlling predators and managing to keep livestock safe; ensuring food, milk and trade for our human ancestors.

I admire the shepherds who developed one of the most remarkable dog breeds on earth today, the working Border Collie who is an absolute marvel and who's abilities, talent and biddability are arguably unmatched by any other creature on earth.

I admire the hunters who developed hound dogs, whose sense of smell are so refined and so fine tuned that they can detect a tiny drop of scent from up to miles away.

These selective, purpose driven, breeding programs have changed our world and changed mankind and we are not honoring dogs nor are we honoring the hard work of these breeders by simply tossing all dogs into a bucket and expecting them to all be alike or worse, dumbing down and softening these breeds so that they can be turned into pets.

​Many dog breeds have been selectively bred to NOT want to be social with random dogs and strangers. In fact, it is far more natural for a dog to be reserved than it is for a dog to want to go and play with every other dog they see and receive treats and pats from complete strangers. Since virtually all dog breeds were created with some sort of working purpose, it stands to reason that a dog that would ignore outside stimulus and focus on the task at hand would be a much more desirable dog, thus these dogs would be bred and others would not.

​If a shepherd had a herding dog that would flee it's sheep to play with the first dog it saw, this would be a completely useless dog to perform any sort of job that mattered. If a Dobermann, Rottweiler, or Mastiff would leave post to cuddle up to the first stranger that it saw, or happily allow them to rob your homestead, this would not be a very desirable dog and would certainly be eliminated from the gene pool.

With all of this vast knowledge available at our finger tips, why is it that we are not honoring our dogs and we are continuously putting them into environments that make them uncomfortable, nervous and are totally unnatural for them? Why are forcing dogs with hundreds, and in many cases thousands of years of purposeful selective breeding behind them, to accept and want to be pet by random strangers?, or have multiple random dogs approach them in a completely unacceptable way? 

I think the answer is simply because we humans think this is what we should be doing; dog parks, large playgroups, pass the puppy exercises and so on. Now, many dogs and breeds are totally friendly and enjoy people and enjoy playing with dogs and that's great and there is nothing wrong with that. The problem comes when we have a nervous dog, or a dog that would prefer to be left alone and instead of honoring the dog, we force them into compromising positions over and over and over again by demanding that they accept strangers petting them, demanding they play with other dogs, and bringing them into scary environments. It's this sort of action that results in severe behavioral issues down the road such as reactivity and even aggression in some cases as our dogs are forced to defend themselves (since we won't).

​Proper socialization means that we honor our dog and we honor their breed and character. Your dog, regardless of breed and temperament must be able to exist in public but your dog doesn't have to have their trust in you compromised by you allowing and forcing the invasion of their space. Proper socialization means exposing your dog to people, dogs and situations where nothing bad ever happens to them and as a result their confidence is built up and their trust in you reinforced.
​Proper socialization can help your dog overcome aggression issues, reactivity issues, as well as fear and confidence issues- improper socialization is too often the causal agent of the problem behaviors listed above.

​Make sure to practice proper socialization, if your not sure how please contact Mayrich Kennels Inc. as we have some of the only trainers and programs available in Canada that teach proper socialization. Remember to honor your dog, because breed really does matter!