Thoughts on "balanced dog training"

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

I think you are not comfortable with this trainer and therefore shouldn’t use that person. I don’t think every dog needs a prong collar or an e collar. I have one dog I NEVER use an e collar on, because it shuts him down (and that’s just the vibrate) and that’s not the point of the collar.

I have another dog I use an e-collar on at least weekly. That said I rarely actually press the button and almost never shock him, but it is there to reinforce his excellent, well-proofed recall, just in case. We live on an acreage next to a highway. The other reason is if he decides to go after a chicken. He knows not to, but is high drive and every once in a great while he just can’t resist a running hen.

Other than distance work I don’t use e-collars much at all and not to teach a new exercise.

That dog wears a prong in public too, but it is a back-up to an already trained behavior again. I don’t need one on my much “softer” dog. I use whatever tool works best for the dog and the situation.

My only general rule is I don’t like choke collars for my dogs, use them in AKC, but in general will use a fur-saver instead. Ymmv.

I use almost 100% positive reinforcement for training new behaviors. I introduce some negative reinforcement when the behavior is understood. Negative doesn’t mean agressive correction either.
This is just my way, not saying everyone needs to do it that way.

[Bicoastal]

Balanced training “balance” sounds good

I think “balanced training” is a fantastic marketing term. You’re supposed to balance your checkbook, your work-life hours, your muscles, your diet. So balancing your training sounds ideal, yes?

As everyone here knows, I’m a nutter. Ultimately, I didn’t feel good about using pain, fear, and deprivation in training my pet so I sought other ways. (I’m trying really hard to only address the OP and not the tangents saying +P is required when stimulation reaches a certain point. Horse culture is still heavily +P. A smurf just earned his first title in ringwork :eek: using +R. It can be done. )

I agree that the blanket use of any tool is a big red flag. That applies to nutters with head halters or Kohler’s with e-collars. OP, it sounds like you initially posted this thread because you were not totally comfortable with the trainer’s methods. Step away from the computer, listen to that little voice, and sleep on it. Maybe you’ll go back to that trainer, maybe you won’t.

[S1969]

[QUOTE=Bicoastal;8291245]
(I’m trying really hard to only address the OP and not the tangents saying +P is required when stimulation reaches a certain point. Horse culture is still heavily +P. A smurf just earned his first title in ringwork :eek: using +R. It can be done. )[/QUOTE]

What does that even mean?

And if you’re commenting that I said +P is required, you need to read again. I never said that, because it’s not true for many dogs. But it is difficult to teach certain things with only +R. And it’s not by definition “inhumane” to use +P - it doesn’t have to be painful. Using a leash is not +R either.

[Bicoastal]

Haha sorry I was using “smurf” as a COTH-ism. In dog-speak: a young, amateur, Nov A handler recently earned his first title in French Ring Sport using Plus Reinforcement techniques. +R is as uncommon in bite sports as it is in field work.

My comments weren’t to anyone specific and I don’t want to degrade OP’s thread into a battle. What is best for me isn’t best for you. We each have own journey, with twists and turns along the way.