Since the beginning of time, humans and canines have worked together to survive. Okay, maybe not the beginning of time, but it’s been a minute or two. Over the years we have developed several different ways to teach (train) a dog to do what we want them to do. When I started competing over 30 years ago in AKC Obedience, the only type of training we knew was Type 1 training. It was a jerk on the choker chain to correct a crooked sit, or spray with a water bottle when acting out (like a dog does). This type of training didn’t settle well with most pet owners so not as many people trained their dogs as they do these days. Times have surely changed since then. In the 90’s the training world was overwhelmed when Positive Reinforcement Training (type two trainer) really started gaining traction. PRT was being practiced in the 70’s by trainers like Dr. Ian Dunbar, it really never took off until the early 90’s. What a relief it was not jerking your dog around with a choker and not only getting results but getting results fast. Reward the Positive Behavior and ignore the bad behavior. Easy enough right? Well unfortunately, no, it wasn’t that easy. We started to see the training wasn’t sticking, the food reward became a bribe and the dog wouldn’t comply unless there was food in hand. Even with food in your hand they would still blow off the command until they were ready but still get rewarded. Where did we go wrong? Why wasn’t the training sticking? In hindsight it is easy to see where we went wrong now that science has taken over the industry. Science Base Training otherwise called Concept Training has taught us a lot about how canines learn and why they are reactive to certain stimulants. That brings us to Type Three Trainers, the future of training as we see it. The easiest way I can think of to explain Concept Training is you train for the moment and not in the moment. Practice 100 times at home for the one time in the real world and watch your dog score aces. Concept training strengthens the muscles that allow your dog to make wiser decisions and promote calmness when needed most. But how do you ask? The answer is… Games! It doesn’t matter the age, size, breed, or behavior issue there is a Game for it. With playing prescribed games you can take a pessimistic dog and turn them into an optimistic dog which improves the quality of life for both you and your beloved pet. If you would like to learn more don’t wait any longer to schedule your free 30 minute consultation. TDForeverHomeTraining.com
