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WANT TO TEACH YOUR DOG RESPECT BASED ON TRUST, NOT FEAR?
REGARDING FORCE & INTIMIDATION METHODS OF TRAINING:
Dr. Stanley Coren
Writes:
Dear Sylvia I'm sorry that you had to go through that display. My uderstanding is that Brad Pattison uses techniques that are similar to those used by Caesar Milan. A New York trainer that I have worked with, Sarah Hodgson, told me that Milan has been censured by the AKC for his harsh techniques that harken back to methods that were popular in the 1930's and 1940's, so if Patterson is a follower of his then force training is to be expected. As for what you can do for people who are buying into these methods because they are "a lot quicker" I believe that the best thing to do is to point out the following two facts:
1) Force training works on about half of the animals that it is used on and when it works it is quick. However the other half of the animals can break under the pressure and begin to show signs of aggression or fear or both. As Nicholas Dodman once said to me, "You can make a dog to do something by using force, however sometimes you may have to fight him to the death."
2) Every time that you use force on a dog you are showing the dog that aggression is a permissible tactic in its relationship to humans. If you can use force on him then he can reply with force to you, or alternatively use aggressive tactics on others lower in dominance (like kids). This means that every time that you use force against your dog you are weakening your dog's emotional bond to you. If you want a robot slave that may someday turn on you, then use force. If you want a pet, a friend, and a happy co-worker then use reward and avoid force. It may take longer, but in the end it results in a happier dog and ultimately a happier owner who has not only trained his dog, but built a strong positive emotional relationship. This is no different than what goes on in marital relationships. You can force your spouse to do what you want in certain situations but you if you do you will diminish or completely lose the love and affection between you. Ultimately dog owners have to decide what they want in the association with their dogs. We can only suggest and educate since force doesn't work any better on humans than it does on dogs.
Cordially
Stan Coren
IPDTA
Statement:
IPDTA (International Positive Dog Training Association) does not endorse the teachings of Caesar Milan (The Dog Whisperer) or Brad Pattison (At The End Of My Leash) for the following reasons:
We do not believe it is necessary or productive to "dominate" a dog for any reason. Good leadership should never involve the use of physical force, physical, verbal or psychological punishment, intimidation, fear or pain. You can be a good leader by following these three simple rules: 1. Begin and end all interactions with the dog – if you lead, the dog follows. 2. Ignore all demands.3. Have the dog earn everything it values by performing a previously taught cue. Intimidation based training can quickly destroy a dog's trust in people, resulting in fear biting. Since fear bites account for over 90% of dog bites, dog trainers SHOULD NOT be contributing to the problem. Intimidation-based training creates respect based on fear, what positive reinforcement training creates is respect based on trust. You can create two well trained dogs, one cowering afraid of making a mistake, the other exuding confidence with a wagging tail, enjoying life. WHICH DOG DO YOU WANT? What you would not want someone to do to you, you should NOT do to a dog!
Witness Statement:
"I met Brad Pattison last week, what I witnessed was brutal. He took the leash of a Mastiff who was standing nicely, minding his own business and wagging his tail. Brad snapped the leash harshly causing the dog to drop to the ground and cower on its belly. That wasn't enough for Brad, he snapped the leash a second time for good measure. Then, with the dog well cowed, he tied the leash around his waist and proceeded to run up and down a stairway as fast as he could, dragging this poor dog behind him. The dog yelped a couple times. A dog that was happy and relaxed a few moments ago was now tucking its tail and notably upset. When another dog jumped up on him he smacked it on top of the head with the palm of his hand. Now there's a great way to teach a dog that people are not to be trusted! I was sickened by what I saw and saddened that people are buying into this madness. Let me make it perfectly clear, this type of training is ABUSE! - plain and simple!”
Norma Jeanne - IPDTA Founder and Chair
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