What does “Reward-Based Dog Training” mean? 

I have gone into detail before about what my training programs include. Since starting this Boston dog training business, I still always get the same question from clients at consultations, veterinarians at their clinics, kennel technicians at doggy daycare facilities, and even random strangers during lunch when they see my logo: “What kind of dog trainer are you?”

My proud (short-version) response is always “I am a behavioral dog specialist that employs reward-based training methods”. But what does that exactly means? (Get ready for the long version!).

Even if you have a basic knowledge of dog training, you still probably know that there are TONS of different training schools and philosophies out there, dating back many decades ago to present day. There are many trainers who use different techniques and different tools to perform their jobs.

Reward-based training is all about setting the dog up for success by controlling the dog’s environment and taking away the opportunity for him/her to fail. Before training with any of my clients, we set up an initial consultation where I see and discuss the dog’s behavioral issues, while reviewing the owner’s training goals for their furry friend. I then create a customized plan for the dog’s training, based on the problems at hand, the personalities of the dog and owner, their lifestyles, and what we think the dog would best respond to. We then work to empower and maintain a leadership role for the owner, while giving the dog guidance toward reward and better decision-making.

Let me give you an example: I had one client that called me seeking help for her dog, Diego, who had been to FIVE different dog trainers prior to contacting me. Diego at heart is a darling, but he suffered from major anxiety and aggression issues, toward both dogs and humans. Diego was first rejected at group classes because it was too much of a danger for him and the other students. A private in-home trainer was called in and Diego’s owner was not comfortable with the trainer’s very harsh punishment-based methods. After that and further research, Diego’s owner tried finding positive reinforcement trainers. Some tried to work with Diego but later dismissed him, giving little to no results and saying his owner would just have to “live with it”. Some of the trainers didn’t even go that far, immediately turning Diego and his owner away, and implying surrender and euthanasia were the only options!

Meeting Diego and his owner for the first time at the consultation was a bit difficult. It wasn’t so much seeing Diego’s anxiety shoot through the roof upon my arrival that was so hard, but the fact that Diego’s owner was weeping while explaining to me how she felt after all these trainer experiences, there was no hope for her dog. She told me that she wanted “positive training” for her dog, but she also wanted Diego to understand that what he was doing was wrong. After much discussion and many tissues later, we set a plan for Diego based on everything his owner told me, what I saw with Diego, and what his owner wanted to accomplish for her dog.

As a reward-based trainer, I get a lot of people assuming I am “treat-based”, or a trainer that purely utilizes “positive reinforcement”. While these are aspects of my training, I do not strictly subscribe to one specific ideology. I base my training on all four quadrants of operant conditioning, following a cynopraxic approach (essentially means that both the dog’s and owner’s behaviors, environments and personalities are taken into consideration). I incorporate different training elements that achieves a bond of trust, respect and consistency between the dog and owner. If I were to have a motto, it would be that I believe in building decisions, and neither dominance or bribery. I NEVER want to set the dog up for failure, but rather success where the dog can understand the difference between appropriate versus inappropriate behavior, and to learn and WANT to make better choices, consequently earning praise and reward.

Going back to Diego’s case, I won’t lie and say it wasn’t tough in the beginning stages, because it certainly was! However, Diego has now seen the error of his ways and understanding that when he behaves, he gets exactly what he wants: calmer state of mind, anxiety-free lifestyle, praise, ear rubs (he LOVES these!), and a more trusting relationship with his owner. We set everything up in the home where Diego could succeed, and once we created a foundation of obedience for him, we later took him to public places loaded with distractions and triggers, and set him up where he could combat his anxiety and aggression. Since working with Diego, he has not bitten ANYONE and is still progressing immensely. The last time I saw Diego, his owner was shedding tears again, but this time out of joy and relief over the positive, remarkable changes in her dog!

Any issue–be it aggression, separation anxiety, leash pulling, excessive barking, YOU NAME IT!–my reward-based training program is all about teaching better decisions for both dog and owner. I do not enforce corporal punishment tactics, nor do I set the dog owner up to forever be a treat dispenser. It’s about building or rebuilding the relationship between the dog and owner. It’s about giving the dog the alternative to the bad behavior, and showing that reward and praise can be achieved. It’s about equipping the owner with the knowledge and tools to be an effective leader (not dominant alpha, just a leader!). It’s about taking EVERYTHING into consideration and working closely together with the family, until their goals are met and they have gained the positive results they wanted!

For more questions on my reward-based dog training programs, call me at 800.649.7297. If you have a pup that needs some behavioral modification, I am READY to work with you and your family!