The real reason I don’t use punishment to train dogs.
As a force-free dog trainer in a community that has more punishment-based trainers than not, I spend a lot of time justifying my methods to both owners and other trainers, and trying to change the status quo. It’s a slow and sometimes frustrating process, but I’m definitely seeing more dogs being walked on harnesses and flat collars than I used to, and fewer prong and choke chains. It’s an uphill battle, and an important part of that battle is being able to speak your truth w
“Help! My dog sees another dog/squirrel/cat/person and all of his training goes out the window!”
Does your dog listen perfectly when there are no distractions, but once you add in anything new and shiny all that training goes right out the window? No worries, you are not alone, and your dog is not trying to thwart your efforts! This is probably one of the most common complaints I get from my clients, and it’s one that is pretty easily remedied if you’re willing to be consistent and put in a little work. The fact of the matter is that dogs are not great at generalizing be
