Help Support Science Based Dog Training
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For all the modern trainers and animal advocates out there. Many of you may already comment on social media when you see people posting about how they train dogs using only their voice and magical energy. You probably question as to how exactly they change a dogs motivation from wanting to show aggressive behaviour to other dogs to suddenly looking "calm" and "submissive".
There is no magic to this, science can explain exactly how they make this external behavioural change, and can prove that the emotional change taking place is nothing like what they will lead you to believe. Your "aggressive" dog is not now feeling respect for your guidance and calmness, they are usually in a state called learned helplessness. This state comes about when an animal is repeatedly exposed to an aversive stimulus which it cannot escape. Eventually, the animal stops trying to avoid the thing it is scared of (dog, child, car etc) and behaves as if it is helpless to change the situation. When opportunities to escape become available, learned helplessness means the animal does not take any action. So your dog that is now walking behind you, head hanging low, tail down and avoiding eye contact, is not feeling calm. And either is your dog who is now allowing your child to hug, kiss and jump on them. They have in fact become so helpless that they don't feel they can escape the pain and stress. This is no way to "train" a dog, and there is certainly no magic involved here. Often these trainers claim to not use punishment, but the action of restraining then flooding with the scary thing, chocking or jerking on a slip lead, restraining on the floor, spraying or flicking water into a dogs face, physical intimidation and verbal intimidation are all forms of punishment. And the dogs body language in their photos and videos often show the dogs emotional state, and it is anything but relaxed and calm.
Trainers using the above mentinoned methods this often don't have the education to explain their methods, and often appear to try to replicate Cesar Milan's protocol of attempting to sue anyone who tries to say the methods are dangerous and in-humane.
Everyday professional trainers stand up on facebook pages, forums and chat groups to attempt to educate the public about these methods, the damage they cause and the results to the family members especially children. We post comments and scientific articles to try and help people understand and become educated about actual science based training and animal behaviour. Organisations such as AVBIG, Delta and APDT should be publically speaking out against these methods, especially if they are being put forward as advice from an expert opinion by media.
We need to be able to educate people on-
* How different methods are used in this unregulated industry
* How un-scientific trainers hide behind flashy websites, nice photos and confusing uninformative text
* The science behind the training, and how to understand the science of dog behaviour
And as modern trainers we need to
* Set a precedence for what is acceptable in the training community in this day and age
* Push back against these methods everyday on a small scale to actually make a difference across the country and even internationally.
* Start a new movement to have the industry regulated to help prevent these trainers from taking peoples money and damaging their dogs and families lives.
* Allow general public to get behind humane dog training in all it's forms so they can be assured that in the future their money will not be wasted on trainers who are not correctly educated in the field.
There is no magic to this, science can explain exactly how they make this external behavioural change, and can prove that the emotional change taking place is nothing like what they will lead you to believe. Your "aggressive" dog is not now feeling respect for your guidance and calmness, they are usually in a state called learned helplessness. This state comes about when an animal is repeatedly exposed to an aversive stimulus which it cannot escape. Eventually, the animal stops trying to avoid the thing it is scared of (dog, child, car etc) and behaves as if it is helpless to change the situation. When opportunities to escape become available, learned helplessness means the animal does not take any action. So your dog that is now walking behind you, head hanging low, tail down and avoiding eye contact, is not feeling calm. And either is your dog who is now allowing your child to hug, kiss and jump on them. They have in fact become so helpless that they don't feel they can escape the pain and stress. This is no way to "train" a dog, and there is certainly no magic involved here. Often these trainers claim to not use punishment, but the action of restraining then flooding with the scary thing, chocking or jerking on a slip lead, restraining on the floor, spraying or flicking water into a dogs face, physical intimidation and verbal intimidation are all forms of punishment. And the dogs body language in their photos and videos often show the dogs emotional state, and it is anything but relaxed and calm.
Trainers using the above mentinoned methods this often don't have the education to explain their methods, and often appear to try to replicate Cesar Milan's protocol of attempting to sue anyone who tries to say the methods are dangerous and in-humane.
Everyday professional trainers stand up on facebook pages, forums and chat groups to attempt to educate the public about these methods, the damage they cause and the results to the family members especially children. We post comments and scientific articles to try and help people understand and become educated about actual science based training and animal behaviour. Organisations such as AVBIG, Delta and APDT should be publically speaking out against these methods, especially if they are being put forward as advice from an expert opinion by media.
We need to be able to educate people on-
* How different methods are used in this unregulated industry
* How un-scientific trainers hide behind flashy websites, nice photos and confusing uninformative text
* The science behind the training, and how to understand the science of dog behaviour
And as modern trainers we need to
* Set a precedence for what is acceptable in the training community in this day and age
* Push back against these methods everyday on a small scale to actually make a difference across the country and even internationally.
* Start a new movement to have the industry regulated to help prevent these trainers from taking peoples money and damaging their dogs and families lives.
* Allow general public to get behind humane dog training in all it's forms so they can be assured that in the future their money will not be wasted on trainers who are not correctly educated in the field.
Organizer
Leesy Prineas
Organizer
Wolli Creek NSW
