Positive Only Training – you be the judge.

I have written before in this column about positive only training and other types of training, using a leash and collar and also using an e-collar. I am not a huge fan of using positive only training.

I have to tell you a secret. I train my own dogs for different kinds of competition. I compete very successfully in competitive obedience. One of my personal dogs became the first dog in our club to become an obedience champion in over 25 years. I also compete in Rally Obedience and to some degree in field training.

So I can hear what you are thinking as you read this. It goes something like this “I don’t compete with my dog….my dog is just a pet. So I don’t need all that really great obedience”. Well the truth of the matter is, there are no kids in the competition ring that are walking around with cookies or toddlers to knock over. Folks, competition obedience is a lot easier than pet dog obedience. Competition obedience has no squirrels running by or deer grazing off in the field. There is only you, your dog, the judge and a very sterile environment.

Go to an obedience trial and ask those people how they train their dogs. Go to a field event and ask them how they train their dogs. Most of those people will tell you that while they do use a lot of positive in their training, they do use correction based training as well. These events unlike events like agility and flyball require a very obedient dog. You require an obedient dog. Don’t accept anything less.

You as a dog owner need to know what kind of dog training you want for your family pet. Unless you are going to be competing with your dog in a sport like agility or flyball, you should be expecting the obedience course that you are attending to provide you with an obedient dog at the end.

Beware of classes that say Beginner level one, Beginner level two, Novice level one, Novice level two. These are classes designed to keep you and your money coming back in a never ending scenario while you live with a partially trained dog.

If you enjoy taking classes and you want to eventually do what I do and compete with your dog…then you have to take classes over and over but your beginner level class should provide you with all the skills that you require to train your dog to a basic level of obedience in one set of lessons. Your dog should be able to perform basic level obedience by the age of one year. Please don’t accept less!