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I get how it happens. If you live in a no pain, no gain world long enough, you start believing that good training involves breaking things. Just look at the way we talk about behavior change: We break horses, habits, spirits, and each other's backs. We even break houses to teach puppies where to pee. Read More
What about when the trainer
What about when the trainer is a celebrity? Cesar Milan? Cleve Wells? That makes everything they do not only OK, but worthy of justifying and defending. Right?
Please no. I cringe when I
Please no. I cringe when I see Cesar Milan.
try Victoria Stillwell instead
If you want to see behavior modification work, instead of the "jackhammer" approach that you see on the popular NatGeO shows, try watching "It's Me or the Dog" on Animal Planet. She uses the concept of making good things happen when the behavior changes.
M
Anyone who is even thinking
Anyone who is even thinking about 'getting a pet' should at least make the attempt to go to their own public library and literally 'check-out' the latest FREE books, videos, dvd's, etc. about properly training their pet BEFORE the animal is even brought home! I was really lucky to come across several dog training video's and books using the 'positive reward/praise approach' that has really worked well with my new little Yorkie. Don't wait until you have your 'new pet' at home and begin having 'behavior issues' with the pet and then try to correct problems. If you start positive training from the very beginning, your pet will learn right from the start what he/she is supposed to do and be happy to please you!
Excellent article
Excellent advice regarding reading a few things on positive method instructions prior to getting the puppy. Training starts on day one; why waste time?! There are great books online too, Ian Dunbar's books are available free online. They are a bit old, but have only one outdated piece of advice - socialize your dogs ASAP! Do NOT wait until they have had all their shots, they are too old then to benefit from the interactions in nearly the same manner. Just socialize wisely.
ABA applies to people too, and this article is a great start at getting that message out there. I read an article on what dog training should teach parents, but it took all the wrong things from the Dog Whisperer show: be the pack leader, be the boss, blah blah blah. Nothing on what dog training should really teach parents; be consistent, reward good behavior, train counter behaviors, practice good timing. Now, parents following that advice are likely to do well.
Humans resist change
Thanks for the article, Dr. Friedman. Unfortunately, many humans continue to apply behaviors such as shouting, yelling, yelling louder, even though they don't bring about desirable changes in the student.
If, as you say, all creatures learn to modify their own behaviors to achieve desirable results, why are humans so resistant to changing their own?
Self Reinforcing
Some behaviours are self reinforcing - they feel good just to DO them as opposed to the outcome. ie. Eating McDonald's tastes good AS you're eating it...that effect is more immediate than the stomach ache later.
McD tastes good? Really? I
McD tastes good? Really? I have had minibuses full of young people want to stop at them - but they are never satisfied afterwards - it's just advertising not taste....
Why humans are resistant to change
I have tried a sort of positive reinforcement training here at home (and not just on the dog) and it works great. You have to see it through to extinction, though!
Great article! It's
Great article! It's wonderful to see science based training getting more and more publicity. But you should probably edit it to spell Cesar's name correctly. :)
... but the spelling is the
... but the spelling is the correct spelling of "Caesar" as in "hail Caesar" Roman Emperor....
Thank you!
Oh, Dr. Friedman - I love you! Thanks.
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