Photo courtesy of Dog Training by Lola.
A meaningful way to improve the relationship with our dog is to embrace the dynamic of a long-term, mutually respectful partnership. We know humans learn best when they feel safe. It’s no different for dogs, which is why cultivating authentic connection through positive reinforcement training matters.
The American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACVB) position statement on humane, effective, and evidence-based training advocates for teaching animals through the reinforcement of desired behaviors and the removal of reinforcement for undesired behaviors. The ACVB stands against training methods that cause short- or long-lasting pain, discomfort, or fear. Aversive training methods can be dangerous to people as well as animals and pose a threat to animal welfare by inhibiting learning, increasing behaviors related to fear and distress, and causing direct injury.
I started working with dogs as a farm kid in the ’80s, and I’m still actively unlearning some of the era’s popular dog training philosophies. The 1980s were a turning point: modern, science-based positive reinforcement methods entered the mainstream, clashing with older, harsher, dominance-based methods. Dog training in the ’80s was all about choke chains, prong and shock collars, canine submission, physical corrections, and communication running almost entirely in one direction — downward from human to canine. Some people refer to this style as “crank and yank,” and it can be downright abusive regardless of intent.
While dominance theory is deeply rooted in the patriarchy, nonsecular concepts of dominion versus guardianship are also relevant. Positive reinforcement philosophies rely on a human role of guardian more than master. Shifting focus from expecting a dog to obey “because I said so” to cultivating teamwork and partnership facilitates self-actualization for both species. Humans make great team captains, but our dogs are the masters of teaching, helping us become better people — if we let them. Dogs have a way of holding up a mirror, reflecting our strengths and weaknesses, or even those of an entire family system or community. The discomfort of facing our weaknesses is where meaningful growth occurs.
Some people lose faith in positive reinforcement methods because they aren’t a quick fix. It’s genuinely hard, taking time, skill, and patience to build rather than force compliance. Too often, human ego gets tangled up in training, crowding out the patience needed to solve problems and build authentic, two-way communication. The research is clear, positive reinforcement training isn’t just kinder — it’s more effective because it accounts for creating a safe space and nervous system capacity. Key scientific studies have been done by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Deldalle and Gaunet study, etc.
Many elements go into creating safety for a dog via positive reinforcement, but one simple place to start recalibrating is by learning to use play as training, and training as play. We’ll continue this conversation in the next issue, and I’ll provide specific techniques to help accomplish this goal.