I was recently called by respected Alaskan Klee Kai breeder - Howlin' Wins - in regards to a puppy that she placed with a family. She had received a very concerning video of a private training session, as it contained strong and aversive techniques; and, the puppy was clearly frightened about the situation. The family had reached out to her with their own concerns, as their puppy's behavior was worsening under professional tutelage and they were hoping for advice on how to proceed.
The family called in the trainer to assist with the puppy's nervousness towards unfamiliar dogs. Behaviors such as growling, cowering, trying to run away, and warning barks were exhibited by the pup whenever he encountered strange dogs. I am so happy that the family recognized their puppy needed help with building relationships with other dogs, and that they didn't hesitate to research and call in a trainer to gain a professional opinion.
Regretfully, this trainer felt that the right way to "fix" the problem was to use restraint, a prong collar, and repeated corrections to 'discipline' the behavior out of this tiny pup. The video depicted the trainer holding the puppy down, and encouraging a large dog to approach and sniff/engage with the puppy. The puppy cried and tried to lash out every time the larger dog approached him, to which the trainer applied increasing corrections with the prong collar. As the situation intensified, the puppy escalated with snapping and redirecting, at which point the trainer applied more force physically and through the prong collar.
I watched the video several times, more appalled each time. This was a four month old puppy. All of the corrections effectively served to teach the puppy that bad things happen when other dogs are around. In addition, that strange people were not to be trusted. Quite the opposite of training confidence around dogs - these methods were surely to teach the puppy to fear other dogs to the point of redirection and aggressive behaviors.
I am very grateful that Vickie reached out, and how she communicated with the puppy's family that she would like to bring in a different trainer who was experienced in the breed - who used positive reinforcement. The family was highly responsive, as they were very uncomfortable with the overall training experience. I am so glad that they recognized that their other trainer's actions might not be the right choice.
Upon attending the first training session, the puppy was very worried about my appearance. At first, he wanted nothing to do with me, but through patience and the power of cheese we began to develop a relationship.
We simply played a treat dispensing game, rewarding each time he moved towards me or showed relaxed body language. By keeping my own body turned away and offering calm rewards, my new little friend eventually consented to join me in the cheese parade. A happy participant in a short time, willingly making a new friend and building a positive connotation with strangers.
Once the pup and I had generated a better emotional experience, we geared up for distance work with a strange dog. As he recently had a terrible instance with a strange dog, and had reservations in general, we only intended on using the open bar technique when the strange dog appeared. The pup showed he was very concerned when my dog Brixton was in view, but after rewards and space/respect from Brix, the pup began to show mild interest. Keeping Brixton at a comfortable distance combined with zero pressure to interact began to build the pup's confidence in consenting to solicit engagement.
Imagine my surprise, that after his horrible experience with another dog, that the pup came over to sniff Brixton - and offered an adorably awkward play bow. Mind, it was a bow with some uncomfortable vocalizations, but a bow nevertheless. He was thinking about asking for some interaction! Brixton offered a full play bow in return, to which the puppy deliberated...paused...and pounced forward in a full play bow with waving tail.
The play was cute, awkward, and uncertain at first. Brixton was the right playmate for this puppy, as he read the body language well and offered space when the pup needed it. As the puppy saw there was nothing to fear, and that he was free to choose his own interaction, the playtime grew into happy and relaxed session for both. We ended on a high note, with the pup wanting more. More interaction with a strange dog, when he previously had been terrified.
What a wonderful way to end an evaluation! The family was thrilled to see their pup happily interacting with a strange dog, and having a confident experience during training. I was equally thrilled that the puppy was still willing to consent to experiential learning despite his highly unfortunate experience with his former trainer.
This puppy's family is very loving and caring with their puppy, and they did their research before hiring this trainer. The trainer came highly recommended, and they didn't have the information on the best way to question how this individual would help their puppy. It is currently not required that dog trainers have any formal education or certification, and trainers who use corrective and aversive methods can often seem "effective" (and subsequently popular) since corrective training can cause learned helplessness and general masking of behavior. When researching trainers, I would highly advise pet owners to ask questions like:
1) What certifications or education do you have?
2) What experience do you have with my dog's breed(s)?
3) What is your training methodology? (we're looking for positive methods with rewards and understanding of science-based methods)
4) May I see videos of you working with clients?
5) How have you helped other dogs with the same training needs my dog has?
It's so important to address the needs of each individual dog with a plan that is rooted in positively encouraging engagement and interaction. Positive methodologies may not always be the most flashy, but the proof is in how the dog or puppy begins to operate his or her own environment...building in confidence, offering behaviors, and developing emotional security.
I am thankful for the opportunity to work with this pup, and am looking forward to seeing him learn and grow in confidence with positive training!
