Dog training

A dog trainer with the United States Navy, which primarily trains using positive reinforcement.[1][2]

Dog training is a kind of animal training, the application of behavior analysis which uses the environmental events of antecedents (trigger for a behavior) and consequences to modify the dog behavior, either for it to assist in specific activities or undertake particular tasks, or for it to participate effectively in contemporary domestic life. While training dogs for specific roles dates back to Roman times at least, the training of dogs to be compatible household pets developed with suburbanization in the 1950s.

A dog learns from interactions it has with its environment.[3] This can be through classical conditioning, where it forms an association between two stimuli; non-associative learning, where its behavior is modified through habituation or sensitisation; and operant conditioning, where it forms an association between an antecedent and its consequence.[4]

Most working dogs are now trained using reward-based methods,[5] sometimes referred to as positive reinforcement training.[6] Other reward-based training methods include clicker training, model-rival training, and relationship-based training.[7][8]

Training methods that emphasize punishment include the Koehler method, electronic (shock collar) training, dominance-based training, and balanced training.[9] The use of punishment is controversial with both the humaneness and effectiveness questioned by many behaviorists. Furthermore, numerous scientific studies have found that reward-based training is more effective and less harmful to the dog-owner relationship than punishment-based methods.[10][11][12]

  1. ^ Ritner, Mike. “Team Dog: How to Train Your Dog--the Navy SEAL Way.” G.P. Putnam's Son. 2016. ISBN 978-0425276273.[page needed]
  2. ^ Ritner, Mike. “Navy SEAL Dogs: My Tale of Training Canines for Combat.” St. Martin's Griffin. 2015. ISBN 978-1-250-04969-8.[page needed]
  3. ^ Millan & Peltier 2010, p. 33.
  4. ^ Braslau-Schneck, Stacy (1998). "An Animal Trainer's Introduction To Operant and Classical Conditioning". Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2012.
  5. ^ Rooney, Nicola J.; Clark, Corinna C.A.; Casey, Rachel A. (November 2016). "Minimizing fear and anxiety in working dogs: A review" (PDF). Journal of Veterinary Behavior. 16: 53–64. doi:10.1016/j.jveb.2016.11.001. S2CID 54194409. Archived (PDF) from the original on 15 March 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  6. ^ Todd, Zazie (May 2018). "Barriers to the adoption of humane dog training methods". Journal of Veterinary Behavior. 25: 28–34. doi:10.1016/j.jveb.2018.03.004. S2CID 149309452.
  7. ^ Wlodarczyk, Justyna (2018). Genealogy of Obedience. doi:10.1163/9789004380295. ISBN 978-90-04-38028-8. S2CID 219886573.[page needed]
  8. ^ Fisher, Gail Tamases (2009). The Thinking Dog: Crossover to Clicker Training. Dogwise Publishing. ISBN 978-1-929242-62-7.[page needed]
  9. ^ Serpell 2016, pp. 211–226.
  10. ^ 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): 63–70. doi:10.1017/S0962728600026683. S2CID 142667565.
  11. ^ Rooney, N.J; Cowan, S (2011). "Training methods and owner–dog interactions: Links with dog behaviour and learning ability". Applied Animal Behaviour Science. 132 (3–4): 169–177. doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2011.03.007.
  12. ^ Ziv, G (2017). "The effects of using aversive training methods in dogs—A review". Journal of Veterinary Behavior. 19: 50–60. doi:10.1016/j.jveb.2017.02.004. S2CID 151846599.