Why Use Non-Traditional Training Methods?
So what is traditional training?
The common traditional way to ‘obedience train’ a dog is to put a collar around his neck, give a ‘command’ and force him to perform the action, by dragging, jerking or pulling on the lead. The dog is continuously ‘corrected’, usually with jerks on the lead, for not doing it, until – if his trainer has good skill & timing - he finally ‘obeys' and is praised. This must be repeated many times and in different situations for the dog to work out what the 'command' means.
This method commonly employs the use of a Check or ‘Choke’ chain. These are more effective than flat collars, because they create considerably more discomfort or pain, that the dog is motivated to avoid. This method makes it difficult or impossible to teach obedience off-lead. So often these days, electric shock collars are also used for 'remote' training.
The common traditional way to ‘break’ a horse is to catch and tie it up to something that it can’t break or escape from, causing it to fight for it’s life, until it gives up and becomes resigned to the situation. It then has ropes, rugs and whatever else thrown at and onto it, which again frightens it and causes it to try to escape, until again, it gives up. When a saddle is put on for the first time, it is strapped tight, usually causing it to fight and try to buck it off. This is allowed until the horse again gives up hope of ridding itself of the thing. When it has it’s first rider, this process is also followed, employing someone who can ‘ride out the bucks'. The use of a metal bit in the mouth is the most common practice in attempting to control the horse. If this is not enough, harsher equipment, often with shanks for leverage, to inflict more pain is the norm. Whips and spurs are not uncommon in training. For horses that attempt to evade this pain, tie downs, martingales, nosebands, etc are used to force the horse to put up with the situation.
With both animals, the normal attitude is that it should ‘obey’ a human and succumb to this type of treatment, regardless of the knowledge and skill of the handler. If it does not, but fights or retaliates - ‘disobeys’, it is ‘naughty’, ‘stupid’, ‘spiteful’, ‘vicious’, ‘a rogue’ or ‘untrainable’ and often ends up being discarded, after much punishment, and a new animal, often of different breeding, sex, or colour(!) will take it’s place.
Behavioural Training
But wait! We humans are supposed to be far smarter, with our bigger brains and rational thinking. Why not use brainpower, instead of just brawn, to first understand and be considerate, then respectfully teach our animals? Behavioural Science has proven the effectiveness of this way of training with all animals, wild or domestic, from snails to humans.
Aside from effectiveness, I think many people lose sight of why they are dealing with animals in the first place & ultimately what they want. That is (I assume the best...) that they enjoy watching & playing with that particular animal and that they would like to have a friendship and partnership with that animal. Training should just be the nuts & bolts of teaching a common language and the rules that the animal needs to know in such a partnership. It should be used in such a way as to strengthen & promote this relationship, not weaken or destroy it.
‘The cane’ has not been used in schools for decades now. We have learned that it is not only inhumane, but ineffective and often detrimental to punish children for incorrect answers when learning, for eg - that it is far better to teach them at their level and reward the right answers. Science and many animal trainers have also shown the same is true for teaching animals.
Positive methods of training wild animals, birds and cats have been generally accepted and proven, but still we find the general attitude to training dogs and horses lies in the use of force and punishment with harsh bits and choke chains, despite this method not being necessary or most effective for these animals either. Treat any creature with respect and allow them their dignity and you’ll find they respond better for you.
The most effective and humane method involves learning about the animal’s natural behaviour or psychology and using positive reinforcement (rewards) to motivate it to do what we want.
......More on this subject later. Stay tuned...