Modern Dog Training methods: Less “No!”, More “Yes!”

Most people know that the relationship between humans and dogs goes far back. Exactly how it happened is subject to different theories, but it is generally believed that the dog descends from the wolf, which has been domesticated through many generations.

It is believed that the dog was domesticated between 9,000 and 34,000 years ago. The wolf realised that it could pay off to stay close to humans to gain easier access to food, and humans realised that it could be an advantage to have a dog on the “team” when, among other things, going hunting.
From this, the partnership between the two- and four-legged arose. The dog became a “tool” that humans could use in connection with hunting, herding, guarding, and much more. The relationship became stronger, and the tasks more numerous.

The dog also became increasingly attached to humans and dependent on humans to find food and other essential resources. It began to change not only in appearance but also in behaviour, physiology and anatomy into the dog we know today, which genetically is no longer a wolf.

Today, the dog is no longer solely a working tool. The human relationship with the dog has instead become closer and more familiar. Most people would probably describe their dogs as family members and/or social companions.

The dog has therefore gone from having an economic utility value to having social, emotional, and affectionate value.

The change in our relationship with the dog is also reflected in the way we have treated and trained them. When the dog was a working tool, obedience and control were in focus. So training was essential. It is not many years ago that “traditional dog training” was the dominant method at training grounds.

This type of dog training covers methods where punishment, corrections, and physical control were primarily used to make the dog do what was desired. If the dog did not obey, it would be subjected to discomfort to eliminate the unwanted behaviour.

This method is based on old theories and ideas that dogs live in a hierarchy (also called “pack theory”), in which humans must take the role of leader or “alpha” in the pack, and the dog must submit, respect, and to some extent fear the leader. This perception stems from early erroneous studies of wolves in captivity, where aggression and dominance were widespread. Newer studies of wild wolves’ family/pack structures have shown that it is not like that.

Wolves live in more family-like relationships, where cooperation is in focus, and aggression is rare and typically shown towards external threats.Let us look at a few examples of traditional training methods, e.g. training to “walk nicely on a lead” or “not jump up”.

In traditional dog training, harsh leash jerks, scolding, choke collars or prong collars were often used in an attempt to make the dog walk nicely to avoid discomfort.

Similarly, a dog that jumps up would be scolded, get a knee in the stomach, or a slap on the snout – again to curb the unwanted behaviour by making the dog fear the consequence.

Treats were rarely used in connection with this form of training, as the dog should not cooperate out of “desire” but rather out of “duty”.

Thankfully, this type of dog training is no longer dominant. That said, it has not disappeared… yet.

The basic principles of reward-based or modern dog training methods are that the dog gets a reward when it does something right. When it does something wrong or unwanted, we ignore it or redirect it towards a desired behaviour that we can reward.

It is important to have good timing when training this way so that the dog is not in doubt about which behaviour triggered the reward. It is popular to use a clicker for this form of training to make communication as precise as possible. However, it can also be done without a clicker.

Instead, one uses another marker signal, typically a verbal signal such as “yes” or “good”. (Marker signal = “what you did right at that moment was correct; your reward is coming”). As with all learning, repetition and patience are crucial. Therefore, it is also important to repeat the exercise and be consistent during training. In this type of training, the dog is set up for success. That means designing the training setup to be as easy as possible for the dog so that it has the greatest chance of success.

A reward can be many things. It is typically a treat, but not necessarily. The most important thing is that it is something the dog is motivated to work for. Some dogs are not highly food-motivated (“yes, Labrador owners, they do exist”), so it is important to find out what motivates the individual dog. It can be anything from play (access to a toy or participation in a tug game with the owner), access to resources (jumping into water, greeting a friend, etc.), or social contact such as praise or petting.

Key benefits of reward-based training:

1. Strengthens cooperation and motivation.

2. Reduces stress and unwanted behaviours.

3. Enhances the emotional bond between dog and owner.

So, if you want to train your dog not to jump up, you must reward it for doing something else to get the attention it seeks.

Therefore, you switch to rewarding the dog (by giving contact) when all four paws are on the ground. You ignore the dog when it jumps up, and as soon as it has all four paws on the ground (timing is important here), it receives praise and affection.

Here, social contact is the reward, as that is what the dog is motivated to obtain.

Over the past 20 years, quite a lot of research has been done in this field, all pointing towards the advantages of a predominantly positive approach to dog training compared to punishment-based methods such as scolding, leash jerks, coercion and restraint.

Studies show that dogs trained with positive reinforcement also know as the modern dog training method (rewarding desired behaviour) learn faster, retain learning more consistently, and, not least, have a closer relationship with their owner.

Furthermore, dogs trained with reward-based methods have fewer behavioural problems than those trained with punishment.

This may be because dogs trained with punishment-based methods have been shown to have a generally higher level of cortisol (stress hormone) in their blood, which makes them more tense, stressed, and fearful. A generally more pressured dog is also more likely to be reactive and outwardly aggressive.

Several studies show that dogs exposed to physical or psychological punishment, such as shouting, leash jerks or shock collars, in addition to elevated cortisol levels, also show increased calming signals (low tail carriage, lip licking, avoidance behaviour, etc.).

In contrast, other studies have shown that dogs trained with the modern dog training (reward-based) methods look at their owners more often and seek contact, while dogs trained with punishment avoid their owners and do not show the same trust and joy in interacting with them.

Furthermore, several studies show that dogs have better and more stable learning when trained with rewards. This means that the dog is more likely to repeat learned behaviour over time because it is an active participant in the learning process.

I am sure most people can relate to the fact that when we learn something we have figured out ourselves, and it makes us feel good, we also remember it better.

In short, research shows the following about reward-based versus punishment-based training:

Reward-based training = better/more stable learning, closer bond with owner, and less stress

Punishment-based training = higher stress levels, less stable learning, weaker relationship with owner, and increased risk of behavioural problems

In short, research shows:

• Reward-based training improves learning, confidence, and trust.

• Punishment-based training increases stress and fear responses.

• Positive methods build stronger bonds between dogs and owners.

We have now taken a quick journey through the development of how we keep and train dogs.
If you ask me, we have come a long way in the fight for better welfare for the species we ourselves have created – but we are not quite there yet.

Although the direction is good, too much punishment-based training is still used.

If you have read this far, I am sure you are ready to be part of the change. Together we can spread the message about the most respectful, evidence-based, and effective way to train dogs, the modern dog training method.

Let’s have less “No!” and a lot more “Yes!” out there!

Sources:

Blackwell E. J., Twells C., Seawright A., Casey R. A. (2008). The relationship between training methods and the occurrence of behavior problems, as reported by owners, in a population of domestic dogs. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 3(5), 207–217.

Cagan, A., Blass, T. (2016). Identification of genomic variants putatively targeted by selection during dog domestication. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 16(1), 10.

Deldalle S., Gaunet F. (2014). Effects of 2 training methods on stress-related behaviors of the dog (Canis familiaris) and on the dog–owner relationship. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 9(2), 58–65.

Hiby E. F., Rooney N. J., Bradshaw J. W. S. (2004). Dog training methods: their use, effectiveness and interaction with behaviour and welfare. Animal Welfare, 13(1), 63–69.

Mech, L. D. (1999). Alpha status, dominance, and division of labor in wolf packs. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 77(8), 1196–1203.

Nagasawa, M., Mitsui, S., En, S., Ohtani, N., Ohta, M., Sakuma, Y., Onaka, T., Mogi, K., Kikusui, T. (2015). Oxytocin-gaze positive loop and the coevolution of human-dog bonds. Science, 348(6232), 333–336.

Serpell, J. (1996). In the Company of Animals: A Study of Human–Animal Relationships. Cambridge University Press.

Schenkel, R. (1947). Expressions Studies on Wolves: Captive Behavior and Hierarchies. Behaviour, 1, 81–129.

University of Chicago Medical Center. "Genomes of modern dogs and wolves provide new insights on domestication." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 17 January 2014.

Vieira de Castro, A. C., Fuchs, D., Morello, G. M., Pastur, S., de Sousa, L., Olsson, I. A. S. (2020). Does training method matter? Evidence for the negative impact of aversive-based methods on companion dog welfare. PLOS ONE, 15(9).

Waller, B. M., Peirce, K., Caeiro, C. C., Scheider, L., Burrows, A. M., McCune, S., Kaminski, J. (2019). Domestication made dogs’ eyes more expressive. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(26), 10277–10282.

Ziv, G. (2017). The effects of using aversive training methods in dogs – A review. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 19, 50–60.