Quote:
Originally Posted by ErynneM 
It's most commonly used with pulling while on the leash. If the dog pulls, you give a quick backwards jerk on the leash, which causes the dog's collar to tighen on their throat. Through repetition, the dog learns that if they get too far away from their person, they will feel unpleasant pressure on their windpipe.
Rather than do that to a dog, why not use gentle, positive reinforcement to reinforce the behavior you DO like? In this case, it would be keeping the dog close to you.
If this doesn't make sense, please read through this article on force/aversive training: http://www.diamondsintheruff.com/punishment.html
- E |
We have never used a correction while walking. She has never pulled on the leash. She's a great walker. Also, I do positive reinforcement all day. I kept her on a leash right by me for over a month.
We mostly do positive reinforcement techniques. However, we're working with a very reputable trainer whom we trust very much. He, like many other certified trainers, use leash correction as part of their technique. We're around his three dogs a lot and we see how awesome and friendly they are. They aren't fearful or aggressive. Our dog is currently working on advanced obedience training. We've been dog owners for 15 years, and took one of them to a training center that used only positive reinforcement techniques. It simply didn't work. She was a wonderful dog, but had some very annoying behavior problems (bolting out the door and not returning when called, food stealing to the point of injuring a person once). I took a college course on service dog training, in which students had a golden retriever puppy to work with over a semester. While the students did not do corrections on the dogs, the instructor did. That's how they are trained. I've never seen a service dog displaying aggression or fear.
Studying dog training is something I've done for years. I know there are articles making leash corrections seem abusive, but there are many that don't. It's very easy to find such article that support whichever side you want. I also don't think there is any comparison between a dog's neck and a baby's behind. Mama dogs use pup's necks as a way to discipline them. There is nothing natural about spanking, and I believe it is usually done with an intent to harm or out of anger or frustration. It's like apples and oranges to me.
I also must say that I am vegan due to my inability to participate in the animal cruelty that takes place in the farming industry. I certainly wouldn't ever want to cause harm to any living creature. I hope folks who believe that leash corrections are cruel and abusive would also not support, in any way, shape or form, the type of thing that goes on in the farming industry.
ETA: Do people really do only leash corrections and no positive reinforcement? That would seem very strange to me. I ask because it seems that you are indicating that one can't be done along with the other.
