Evert felt frenzy-inspiration?
I'm pretty sure that I totally just made that word up, but it's the closest I can come right now with how I feel. It's just a very strong emotion, close to a frenzy, slightly close to driving you just a tad bit insane, but it's kept in check with inspiration, a motivation for something. Today, I feel this way about correction, or rather how I feel against it.
Often, when I talk about positive reinforcement and try to help people understand, there are quite often the misunderstanding that when I speak of discomfort for a dog, I refer to physical pain. There is however a lot of other things that causes discomfort for a dog and it's a common feeling exploited with a method referred to as correction. Cesar Millan uses it frequently and his argument is always "I'm not hurting the dog, just making it uncomfortable". Which is to me the same principle as if I were to hit my dog to dissuade from a certain behavior. Basically, when a dog does something you don't like or agree with, you apply discomfort in some way. This is not the same thing as
So, what, I can't tell me my dog no?
Of course you can! I'm just asking you to think twice about how you do it because believe it or not, correction and close-knitted behavior to this in trainers/humans, can lead to some serious back-blows. When I talk about behavior and attitude in trainers, I'm talking about the kind who handles dogs roughly, are very controlling and exercises too much authority over their dogs.
I'm pretty sure that I totally just made that word up, but it's the closest I can come right now with how I feel. It's just a very strong emotion, close to a frenzy, slightly close to driving you just a tad bit insane, but it's kept in check with inspiration, a motivation for something. Today, I feel this way about correction, or rather how I feel against it.
Often, when I talk about positive reinforcement and try to help people understand, there are quite often the misunderstanding that when I speak of discomfort for a dog, I refer to physical pain. There is however a lot of other things that causes discomfort for a dog and it's a common feeling exploited with a method referred to as correction. Cesar Millan uses it frequently and his argument is always "I'm not hurting the dog, just making it uncomfortable". Which is to me the same principle as if I were to hit my dog to dissuade from a certain behavior. Basically, when a dog does something you don't like or agree with, you apply discomfort in some way. This is not the same thing as
So, what, I can't tell me my dog no?
Of course you can! I'm just asking you to think twice about how you do it because believe it or not, correction and close-knitted behavior to this in trainers/humans, can lead to some serious back-blows. When I talk about behavior and attitude in trainers, I'm talking about the kind who handles dogs roughly, are very controlling and exercises too much authority over their dogs.
The to me most obvious reason not to use methods like this is that you can NEVER in anyway way, shape or form guarantee that the dog knows exactly what you are asking it not to do. Of course, people who know their dogs well and are good at reading dogs have a higher chance in doing this 'correctly' but you never know what else you are you adding into the quota of the dog's issues. Most people often have the equation set like this: My dog is barking, therefor I will use this vibration collar on him. My dog pulls the leash, therefor I will jerk it hard to the side. I think Why is this dog barking? or Why does this dog pull on the leash, what is he trying to get to?
In all dogs with an underlying issues or problem, there is always going to be a risk of enhancing it or redirecting it, or even making it worse with this kind of method. Basically what you are doing is that you are suppressing a feeling or a state of mind with discomfort or punishment. I mean seriously, how can a jerk to the neck not be a punishment? Anything that causes a discomfort with the dog will be a punishment.
So what can happen?
Like I mentioned before, you never know what lies underneath and how a dog will react after a longer time with this kind of suppression. The effects can be both mental and physical. Apart from dissuading more and more of the dog's own initiative and self-confidence, there a number of other effects such as lessened social interaction, depression, social avoidance, loss of motivation and interest in daily activities. In the physical effects, the worsening of basic bodily function and immune system are the most common ones. There are studies that show that you can actually 'teach' a state of helplessness to a dog with these kind of methods.
Remember, it's the sum of all experience, both good and bad, that determines whether a dog is at risk for 'learning' this depressed state of helplessness or not. A dog that feels that it can control its environment by it's own actions is the opposite of this helplessness. A dog that is allowed to take initiative is happier, more social, has an easier time to learn, is more active and has more self-confidence and control. The list can go on. Bottom line is, keep our experiences on the positive side and you'll get a true and loyal friend to have great fun and experiences with.
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