Cesar Millan's Dog Training Techniques
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Cesar Millan always makes a distinction between dog behaviorists (himself) and dog trainers. Whatever label you choose to use, the fact is that dogs respond to classical and operant conditioning.
Simply put, classical conditioning is responsible for involuntary responses, e.g. a dog salivating when dinner is served, while operant conditioning is responsible for voluntary responses, e.g. a dog sitting for a treat.
Behavior modification and dog training are both based on classical and operant conditioning techniques. Operant conditioning techniques can further be divided into reward techniques and aversive techniques.
Cesar Millan uses mostly aversive techniques, which some consider to be overly harsh or cruel. However, some of Cesar Millan's most effective dog training techniques turn out to be reward based; even though he does not present them as such.
Cesar Millan Books
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Cesar Millan's Dog Training Techniques - What Works
1. Body blocks.
Reward dog training technique. This technique works by taking away space/freedom.
Body blocks can be effectively used to get your dog not to move into a particular space. This space may move, as you move. Once your dog moves into the forbidden space, you correct him by body blocking him and getting him to move back.
Note that a body block is just a block. There is no hitting, beating, or poking of the dog.
Body blocks work very well for keeping my dogs from rushing out of doorways. It is also very useful for claiming space when I am sweeping the floor, or when I do not want my dogs crowding me.
Alternatively, you could get your dog to do a Stay, which also takes away his space and freedom.
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2. Consistent use of a non-mark (tsch sound) and follow-up.
General dog training technique for communication.
It is important to be consistent in your communication with your dog so that he does not get confused and stressed.
In addition to obedience commands, there is also a mark, for when your dog is doing something right; and a non-mark, for when your dog is doing something wrong.
Sometimes, trainers have several different marks and non-marks to indicate degree of rightness and wrongness. A mark need not be verbal. Clickers or other devices (bell, keys) can be used to generate a unique sound to mark or non-mark dog behaviors.
Many owners have problems with their dogs because they do not communicate with them (i.e. tell them right from wrong) and because they are not consistent in their communication.
Cesar Millan recommends using a consistent non-mark (the tsch sound) when a dog is misbehaving. If the dog continues to misbehave, it is important to follow-up the non-mark with some action (e.g. a body block or time-out) so that the dog understands that there are consequences for ignoring a non-mark.
However, the consequences need not be a physical correction. In fact the most effective consequences are the ones that take away a valued resource.
For example, if your dog misbehaves with guests, his access to guests get taken away until he calms down.
3. Use treats for putting on a muzzle.
Reward dog training technique. This technique only works if you spend the time necessary to properly condition your dog.
This is one of the few treat/food based techniques that Cesar Millan uses.
In most cases Cesar Millan is dealing with dogs that already have a very negative association with the muzzle. He cautions his clients not to force the muzzle onto the dogs, but to make it into a positive experience. Cesar Millan shows how you can get dogs to put their nose into the muzzle themselves, through the use of dog treats.
This type of counter-conditioning works well, but it requires a fair amount of time. Many weeks or months may be needed to recondition a dog to see the muzzle as a positive object, rather than an uncomfortable restraint that keeps him from opening his mouth.
Unfortunately, Cesar Millan does not have the time to do this properly given the time limitations with his clients. He ends up using a small number of treats (< 10), before forcing the muzzle on.
While it is good that he is trying to introduce such reward based counter-conditioning methods, it would even be better if he verbally instructed people that this is a long process, which may take weeks or months. Indeed counter-conditioning should be performed slowly and according to the dog's comfort level.
4. No talk, no touch, no eye-contact.
Reward dog training technique. This technique works by taking away attention.
When meeting dogs, Cesar Millan always institutes the no talk, no touch, no eye contact rule. You give the dog no attention until he is in a calm, submissive state, then you can praise him and pet him as a reward for being in that state.
This technique works very well but can be difficult to follow. Most people have a hard time not giving a dog eye contact, especially when the dog is so happy and excited to see them.
After using this technique for a very short time, my dog stopped jumping on family members. He still occasionally jumps on strangers because it is rare to find someone who can follow this rule especially with a cute, foxy-looking Shiba Inu asking for their attention.
This technique is essentially a time-out lite. In a time-out, you remove a dog to an extremely low stimulus area (e.g. laundry room) and leave him there to calm down. In this way, you take away all of his freedom, and all of his external stimuli.
With no talk, no touch, no eye-contact, you are not taking away freedom, or stimuli from the surrounding environment. You are just removing your own attention. This technique is especially effective for dogs that are people focused, and highly motivated by owner attention e.g. the Border Collie.
Holding back attention only works in limited cases for training my Shiba Inu, e.g. when he is actively asking for attention. In most other cases, he is perfectly comfortable entertaining himself, and does not ask for, or particularly desire much human interaction.
A full time-out works very well though, because my Shiba Inu likes being around his pack (line of sight), and having interesting things to see, smell, and do.
Cesar Millan's Dog Training Techniques - What Does Not Work
1. Touch the dog's flank.
Aversive dog training technique. This technique worked in the short term but not the long term.
This technique is commonly used to stop a dog from obsessing on an external stimulus (e.g. another dog, a cat, a person). Reactive or aggressive dogs often start by actively searching for something to focus on. Once a target is acquired, the dog gets extremely still, and will stare unblinking at the object.
During this time, the dog will not give attention to anything else, even food.
From here, the dog can explode in a burst of energy and lunge after his target when it gets within range.
You want to stop your dog as early as possible, and redirect him onto something else. If you wait too long, he will lose control and practice reactive/aggressive behavior, that he will then be more prone to repeat.
Initially, I was able to break my Shiba Inu from focusing on objects by touching his flank. After a few times however, he got habituated to it and would just ignore the touch.
The best technique, I have found, for avoiding reactive/aggressive triggers, is to ignore those objects myself, and just move my dog along. There are a variety of other techniques for dealing with dog-to-dog aggression and other aggression triggers.
2. Leash jerks.
Aversive dog training technique. This technique worked in the short term but not the long term.
Leash jerks are very difficult to implement with the proper timing, with the proper force, and with the proper technique. I received many private lessons on how to perform leash jerks, and I was still not doing it correctly.
Firstly, and most importantly, the leash jerk has to be a quick jerk or snap. There is only tension for an extremely short amount of time (a quarter-second or less), and then the leash should be loose again.
Most people tend to do tugs rather than jerks, which have very little effect on the dog. Instead, it may exacerbate the situation, because there is continuous tension on the leash, causing the dog to get more tense and frustrated.
Secondly, you must be properly positioned for the jerk so that the force is always to the side, rather than directly back. Jerking to the back, may encourage the dog to lunge forward to oppose the force.
Finally, the leash jerk has to be implemented with the proper amount of force so that your dog exhibits an aversive response. It cannot be so hard that it causes your dog to break down, and it cannot be so soft that your dog does not notice it or gets habituated to it. For me, this was the most difficult part.
My leash jerks were always too soft, and my Shiba Inu quickly got habituated to it. Instead of improving his behavior, my dog just got frustrated and aggressive whenever I did a leash jerk. He would jump and bite on the leash. Ultimately, it got so bad that he would jump on me and bite on my jacket sleeve.
Some people use a martingale collar, prong collar, or choke chain to help them perform more accurate leash jerks, with greater force. I used both the martingale and the prong. However, as with the flat collar, results were good at first, but degraded after my dog got accustomed to the increased force from the prong. I did not use the choke chain because there are some statistics that show that it can be dangerous.
The leash jerk technique may be more appropriate for a less strong-willed breed, but it does not work well on stubborn dogs like the Shiba Inu. As with other pain based aversive techniques, leash jerks can also cause your dog to lose trust in you, and develop other behavioral problems, including aggression.
Cesar Millan should warn people of some of these dangers, if not in his Dog Whisperer program, then at least in his book.
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3. Alpha rolls.
Aversive dog training technique. This technique did not work on my Shiba Inu. Instead, it made him even more aggressive and sensitive to handling.
It is extremely difficult to implement an alpha roll well and in the proper circumstance.
In the hands of most pet owners, alpha rolls frequently gets overused and misused.
My Shiba Inu got really stressed (wild eyes, mouthing, screaming, flailing) whenever I did this on him. Even after he relaxed, he got very detached afterwards, and it did not seem to have any effect on his bad dog behaviors. In fact, alpha rolls made things worse because my dog became extremely sensitive towards human touch.
After a lot of counter-conditioning work, he is a bit better today, but is still skittish of heavy handling and restraint. I am slowly working to gain back the enormous amount of trust I lost by the alpha roll technique.
Even the Monks of New Skete, who were the first to popularize the alpha roll, have recently said that they regretted putting this technique in their book because it has been misused.
Alpha rolls should only be used by expert trainers, who are really good at reading dogs, and only as a last resort for dealing with dogs that do not respond to anything else.
Unfortunately, Cesar Millan popularized the alpha roll technique once again, through his Dog Whisperer dog training show.
I see many people using it in dog parks, dog trails, and vet offices for minor offenses, or not even real offenses at all. The most frequent case of alpha rolls occur when a rude dog runs up to invade another dog's space. The invaded dog naturally starts growling to warn the rude dog off, and tell him that his rude behavior is unacceptable. This is all perfectly natural canine behavior.
Nevertheless, the growling dog gets alpha rolled by his owners, in front of the rude dog. This can erode your dog's trust, because not only did you not protect him from the rude dog, but you are also punishing him for trying to protect himself. It also teaches your dog not to growl in the future, and to go directly into an attack or a bite.
Alpha rolls are dangerous, erodes trust, and may cause additional dog behavioral problems.
I have never seen it make things better, and have seen many instances of it making things worse. Even when expert trainers did this on my Shiba Inu, he did not respond well. It did not stop his bad behaviors, and only encouraged more aggression. Violence begets more violence.
Alpha rolls make for a good television show, but given the extreme risks, both physical and mental, to the dog and the trainer; Cesar Millan should at the very least emphasize that the alpha roll is a last resort action that should only be used by experts like him.
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Comments
Thanks for visiting Canis Humanis. You are absolutely right that dogs also learn much through social learning. When Cesar Millan brings dogs over to his Center, he is using social learning. Daddy also helps him a lot with that. Dogs also spend a lot of time observing us, and learn a lot that way.
Social learning is a very broad and interesting area. I am still reading up about it, so if there are any books or links that you recommend, please let me know. Many thanks!
The i am Temi and i have two dogs when wde put the dog whisperer on their behaver changes in a good way so the dog whisperer is a good dog trainer and one day i hope he could help my dogs to stay happey and too be good not just when they are watching the dog whisperer for them to be good all the time.
Need
Hey what's up? Nice hub!:D
Hey there, haven't seen you in a while. Been trying to motivate myself to write a few more hubs but I've been lazy :) What about you?
I am a big Cesar fan also. I can't seem to get the leash tug down either, but some of the other stuff works great with our Boxer. I use the sounds (ah ah and shh) all the time. Teaching her the "back" command was easy using Cesar's steps. Great hub!!
Hi Janetta, yeah shh and ack-ack are great to use as a non-mark because it does not come up in normal conversation unlike "No". :) Body blocks also work very well for my guys.
But, I stay away from leash-jerks and definitely far-far away from alpha rolls. :)
hi janetta.....
dont no who you are but is this a web site set up by Cesar millan?
No it is not. I am a dog owner who has tried Cesar Millan's techniques, so I write sometimes write about my experiences.
Cesar Millan does have an official website though, at:
http://www.cesarmillaninc.com/
ooh!
my dog Tilly she is a king charles she wont stop barking
in the garden have you any tips
Hi Amy,
Check out:
http://hubpages.com/_srec/hub/Stop-Dog-Barking-How
Please let me know if you have further questions.
thanks your tips where really helpful and just like to say is that your dog because it is lovely wat part of the wrold are u in?
Hi Amy, I am glad that you found the article to be helpful. Yes those pictures are of my silly dogs. I love them very much :)
I am in Northern California. My Siberian Husky does get a bit hot in the summer but the house is cool and she gets to go in and out as she wants. Also got her a wading pool and a nice water bed for at night :)
i am in lreland
i love it here! wat is your dogs names my sister wants to no
Good to see you again Amy. Yeah I would like to visit Ireland sometime - love the pictures I have seen.
My Shiba Inu's name is Sephy - after Sephiroth who is a really cool character from a computer game.
My Siberian Husky's name is Shania - Shania is a Native American Indian word which means "on my way". We named her that because she is always so energetic and is always on her way to doing something fun. :)
cool names!!
you like computer games?
Yes actually I do. I am mostly interested in RPGs, although sometimes I also play strategy games. I was really into MMORPGs - did Final Fantasy Online and WoW. Currently I am waiting for Diablo 3.
What about you?
my fav game on the computer is the sims games did you ever play one of them games
Hey shibashake!!! I really miss talking to you. You have been so nice. :)
Recently I have been leaving comments on Whitney's hub, "Cesar Millan will not train my dogs and why I willl not let him." I have been trying to be REALLY nice but she has been deleteing my comments. What should I do?? I am sure you're more experienced with hubbers, maybe you can help.
Sincerly,
Random
Hi Amy, Yeah I did some of the earlier Sim City games. I tried 'the Sims' briefly but never really got into it. Never did Sims Online. Are they still coming up with new upgrades for the 'the Sims'?
Hi Random, May be best to leave it be for a while, and then try to engage her positively on other subjects - not Cesar Millan related :)
Also, just get to know more people around here, and comment on more hubs. There are some really interesting people here and some very good writers so I think you will have fun.
Let some time pass and you can go back and revisit Whitney. :)
i think these tips will help me on becoming a great dog trainer in the future. i love this and i hope there is more to it then just these tips to help me out more in the future!!! i am also a big fan of cesar millan!!!
Glad you liked it autum. It is great that you are planning to work with dogs in the future! They are really a lot of fun and quite awesome to be with :)
Thanks for that link anon. That episode, and that particular clip is one that is often mentioned and discussed.
It probably highlights the key issues that many people disagree on about Cesar Millan.
HI have not spoke to you in awhile
my aunt is lookin for a dog she has never had 1 be 4 i dont REALLY like her, she has a big fancey house and dose not a dog in the house so she wants a big dog but i told her she would need to keep it in the house while it is a pup because there is foxes and other big dogs around her house she did not seem to happy about that idea so she said what if i got it as a big dog so i said ok but it would be harder to train it and she wants it trained then she sarted comeplaing about walking it every day and it shiting on her grass can you help me please shibasshake!!!
Hi Amy, Good to see you.
I am not sure how I can help except to say that it is probably best for your aunt not to get a dog.
As you know, dogs are a lot of work, and a big time commitment. Potty training and walking are just the bare minimum - there is also grooming, playing, training them to follow house rules, training them to follow backyard rules, training them to walk without pulling, and much much more. Dogs give us much, but we also need to give them much in return.
If someone is unable to fulfill the needs of a dog - the dog will likely become unhappy and frustrated. This could lead to a variety of destructive and aggressive behaviors, which will ultimately result in the dog getting surrendered and probably euthanized. This is no life for a dog.
I think what you are doing now is the right thing - which is to convince your aunt not to get a dog.
thanks i really did not what to do i needed to tell you but the only thing is that i dont no what way to say it and i dont want to hurt her feelings
Hi Amy, I can understand - it can be very difficult to convey messages that people would rather not hear - especially to family members.
I think that you are already doing a good job by emphasizing all the responsibilities that go into dog ownership. You could also read up on stories of how dogs have gotten destructive and cost their owners a lot of money - and just relay those stories to her. That way it is from somebody else and not you.
Just keep doing that and ultimately your aunt will decide for herself that getting a dog is not right for her. The important thing is not to get personal - just relay the facts.
thanks!!
hi i watching beverly hills chihuahua
is there really clothes shops over there!
for do9gs!!!
lol Amy. How are you? How did things go with your aunt?
I am fine well i am slowly tellying her it wouldnt be a good idea! and now she geting chickins so it is ok
Now is there really clothes shops for dogs over there?
Yes there are :) Actually the ones that I have been to sell clothes and other pet accessories as well. I haven't been to any of the really swanky ones though - lol.
cool lol
do you ever dress up your dogs?
haha- the only time I dressed my dog was after her surgery. I got her a sweater to protect the wound and help to keep it clean :)
They are both double coated dogs, and very active, so I think it will be too hot for them to wear anything in regular times. Not to mention they will totally shred it up :D
Hey didn't I leave a comment here?
Oh please don't turn into Whitney... (No offense to her or anything)
Hey RP - How goes it? I haven't been on HubPages as much. Trying to build up my own website :)
What have you been up to?
Oh cool. I left a comment on here recently but, it was unaccepted... ????
Ok, just checked - I generally remove personal comments that are not addressed to me. It is only fair since some of the people who post here may not know the people at HubPages, and may get offended as a result :)
Hope things are going well with ballet. Like the new profile picture.
Oh sorry.. Uh ballet is great! I liked this picture better so I changed it. :)
So what is that website you were talking about?
Nice site. The thing is, you honestly haven't been truly truly educated on difference between different ways of dog training. In fact, it is a lot like mixed martial arts. Cesar mixes different method. It is a lot like the Diverse Method. When you limit or call yourself only negative or positive trainer, then again, you are limiting yourself. Look, dogs are a lot like people. Positive doesn't always work on someone and neither does negative.
I want you to check out that site dog secrets and let me know if you know what I mean. Nice Shiba :-)
Hey RP - I am almost done with the website - whew. Will post something on it once I am finished. :) It was a pretty time-consuming but kindda fun project.
Hello Mark, Thanks for dropping by.
I am familiar with both aversive training and reward training. I started out with aversive techniques including leash corrections, finger pokes, and alpha rolls on my Shiba Inu. I also went to several traditional/aversive trainers and did many private lessons with them. I also practiced the leash correction technique on a chain link fence to make sure I got the snap exactly right, rather than just doing a tug - which most people end up doing.
I think I am pretty educated in both styles of training. Ultimately, I chose to use reward training because it is less risky, builds a stronger bond, does not encourage aggression, and got me much better results on my dogs.
"Positive doesn't always work on someone and neither does negative."
Actually positive works really well on people. It is often difficult to implement, but the people who know how to use positive techniques on other people end up doing very well for themselves.
Some great examples -
1. Cesar Millan - Cesar only uses reward or neutral techniques on his people clients. Even when some of them are nasty, he usually stays calm and either ignores, or just leaves. I have never seen him use any aversive techniques on people :) This is one of the reasons why he is so popular and why other trainers who use aversive techniques on people are not.
2. The Dalai Lama. This is why so many people go to listen to him talk and get advice from him.
People will naturally gravitate towards positive people. :)
Here's how we can prove who's right and wrong:
Show me a video clip of how many dogs you've actually got to listen to you off-leash and from a distance around other dogs, kids, cats, joggers or perfect strangers. Treat bribery isn't practical nor natural. You say it's been scientifically proven the food test and the drooling crap, but science wasn't there to see whether the same hot dogs are going to stand a chance against real world distractions. Now that my friend is a real life scneario. Cesar has a poor technique. He gets bit a lot. This guy Kevin could be the next Cesar.
If you watched his clips, he too has a ponytail that you might dig. Other than that, let's agree to disagree. I wish positive worked on everyone and every dog my friend. I say, there is nothing wrong with being nice, as long as it works.
Hello Mark,
We may have to agree to disagree on this but let me try one last time :)
The thing that I strive for most is my dog's happiness. Rigid control does not equate happiness. Getting groups of dogs to do synchronized dancing does not equate dog happiness.
As for dogs running into traffic, that is what leashes are for.
There was this guy that I often saw at an off-leash hiking park. He had a group of dogs with him. Everyone else's dogs were running around weaving in and out of trees. His dogs were all walking with him and not even exploring the interesting hiking trail. Every time one of them even had the audacity to look at another dog he got a stern command. I did not look close enough to see if his dogs were all wearing shock collars and I don't know what he had to do to get his dogs to act this way.
Personally, this is not what I want for my dogs.
http://www.shibashake.com/dog-obedience/stepford-d
There is no absolute right or wrong in dog training. Different people desire different things from their dogs.
I totally agree. I am not into making a soldier out of a dog. However but you claim that all dogs need positive training or all dogs can be trained/rehabilitated just by positive reinforcement, which is clearly NOT true. Positive doesn't always work on us. How can it with every dog?
I say correct only the dog that needs to be corrected. And a leash correction is just that. A leash correction but followed by praise. I do also use treats once in a while and I don't care for alpha rolls, throw chains, Kung Fu grips that Cesar does, or even yelping or barking like a dog to make my point.
More than the dog, you have to also consider whether the owner is going to be happy with the results. And giving a dog treats left and right isn't going to work all the time and leash corrections don't always work on every dog either.
I've seen those dogs that will grab the leash out your grip, chew it up and pee on it. And I've seen dogs that could care less for any tidbits, no matter how much you build a solid foundation in private or how much you starved it prior training it.
I see that at least you are introducing both sides, but you really aren't explaining it fairly. Look, anybody can bribe a dog and anybody can beat a dog. If you don't have to do neither, then that's where you truly are a natural, got lucky with an easy dog, or you truly must have some skills.
And to do it over and over again with different dogs, is even more impressive.
I see that you love to read and write and I admire you for that. When you can, read that section on best and worst trainers on Dog Secrets site. In there, he explains about how he met a dog that was truly trained, but had no personality. And I hate that. I want to be more my dog's buddy and have control over him.
But all the best to you. You never said if you even seen those clips or not. If not, then at least glance through that article or I think it is a chapter of his book or something, but he hits the nail on the head with making sure you never ever break a dog's spirit.
Sorry about posting it three times. It was my computer acting up.
The exact link is
www.dogsecrets.com/bestandworst.html
You will agree with ninety precent of what he says, but I don't even agree with all of it. But for the most part, the guy knows his stuff. Happy training.
M
Hello Mark,
Thanks for this interesting discussion. I am sorry if it seems like I didn't check out the link - but I actually did, and read through the first page. I probably agree with half of the things that he says :)
I also read the other link you provided. I liked most of his points but do not agree with all of them. In particular I agree with the common sense point, but have to disagree with the detailed examples. Not giving dogs any attention (i.e. ignoring) can work really well on dogs, especially dogs you have a strong bond with.
"However but you claim that all dogs need positive training or all dogs can be trained/rehabilitated just by positive reinforcement, which is clearly NOT true."
Thanks for pushing me on this point. It made me think about it a lot more carefully. I don't think I claim anywhere that all dogs >need< positive training, but I will stand by my opinion that reward training is easier to implement, less risky, and builds a stronger bond.
Behavioral psychology studies tell us that both reward techniques and aversive techniques can be used to shape dog behavior. Reward techniques include both positive reinforcement and negative punishment. Sometimes we forget about the negative punishment part and do not believe it can be used to stop bad behaviors, but it can.
Can reward techniques be used to shape all behaviors?
I don't think science knows, and I don't know either. Similarly we cannot say that aversive techniques can be used to shape all behaviors either. It is just not possible to make broad claims like that because we can never prove it. However, I will say that if a behavior 'can' be shaped, then it can be shaped by either reward or aversive. This does not say which is more effective because frankly, effectiveness is a subjective matter - and that I think is the crux of the matter.
This brings us to blended techniques - i.e. use whichever is most effective. Easy to say but very subjective when it comes to implementation. This is where most of the controversy is in dog training. When to use which? Why not use both?
Again, my opinion is that reward techniques are less risky, easier to implement, and builds a stronger bond. I will always use reward techniques first for any type of behavior shaping and will always encourage others to do so as well.
Can we *only* use reward techniques on *all* dogs?
Again, I can't say. This is another one of those really broad statements that cannot be proven.
"I see that at least you are introducing both sides, but you really aren't explaining it fairly"
Again, this is very subjective and I can only present what I know based on my own experiences and based on my own reading. "Fairness" itself is a very subjective matter.
Are you referring to my stance on leash corrections? If there are factual errors, then please let me know what they are because I would want to correct them. But my opinion is that leash corrections are extremely difficult to implement properly - especially for non-dog trainers (me and most other people). And when not implemented properly, it can cause other behavioral issues.
True, any dog training technique can be misused, but I think that reward techniques are less risky, easier to implement, and builds a stronger bond. If you disagree, I would very much like to hear your thoughts on this. I think getting as much information as we can is key to making good decisions.
Thanks for the really interesting discussion Mark, and thank you for using positive techniques in discussing it with me :)
But that's what I mean. I too use treats and decide when and where a dog would need a firm approach or you have to ease up on it. That's what I am talking about. You have to be Diverse. You have to be fluent and don't limit yourself. And you've done so. You have explained and have Cesar's books, Monks of New Skete etc. But to bribe a dog with treats, trust me, you are building that bond, but really "respect". Again, I said respect not fear.
Of course it is less risky with treats. But in my opinion, it is also cheating. You have to use treats carefully and smartly. And most people and even most trainers DO NOT.
And ignoring a dog's bad habits isn't always effective either. Since even our habits can't be fixed if we simply ignore them. Again, all I'm saying is mixing positive with negative based on careful evaluation of the dog, is what makes a bid difference. But most trainers aren't like that. They are either all positive or all negative. And to me, that's just dumb and being close minded. Again, that is just me. And thank you for being civil and carrying a mature discussion with me. Good luck to you M
k cool
Hey RP - I just posted it. Check it out when you have some time.
if u think ceaser is a better dog trainer, than ur insane!!! all he does is talk about being the pack leader and all that other crap. ur not supposed 2 be dommonet over ur dogs. thats not what training is about. plus doing that alpha roll is pointless. in one of her newest episodes (the r.v. one) she told the owner how it can force a dog 2 bite and puts them in fear. if u want ur dog to possibly bite u/ fear u than follow ceaser's advice. if u want ur dog 2 be confident, than follow victoria's advice through positive reinforcement. studys show that most dogs respond 2 positive reinforcement than the type of methods ceaser does. i think ceaser is just a stupid dog trainer. victoria stilwell is the better dog trainer 2 follow. victoria u rock!!!!!!!!!!!:D
Wow very interesting animation. Cool that you have ur own site!! Would explore it more but real busy latetly.
haha - np :) Have fun with ballet!
Excellent info. Thanks. (just got a gorgeous puppy:-))
I've used the leash jerk very successfully. I've always used it (way before Caeser). It was instinctual to me. It works wonders. Here it what I do. Walking along, the dog starts to pull. Do a quick light jerk, and say - no pulling. Do not keep jerking the leash, and do not keep yelling at the dog. I really think it has less to do with the jerk being negative, than it gets attention. The dog does not like it, but it's only mildly annoying, not painful. That's it. It will take awhile to work. If the dog does not respond, wait a bit. Then bring the leash up a bit so there is less slack. Once the dog is walking along properly - give them praise - lots of vocal, and a little patting on the head. Even stop and pet under the head a bit - and look them in the eyes and praise. After a few walks - the dog will be great.
I also train the dog to heal off leash - and to stay on one side, and to move sides - left to right. Be consistent, but not fanatically so. It's like a game for the dog. Go from heal to roam free (my command to go where you want), then heal again - with lots of praise when done well! These take awhile - but once you get these things down, leash walking is easier too.
Oh, and after re-reading some posts I think there is some averse (or negative) vs and positive reinforcement technique controversy here. I can't see any way to train a dog without both. My leash training with a quick jerk - is negative (or at least not positive), and includes vocal negative cues, but needs to be followed by positive reinforcement when the proper behavior is initiated. When I hear someone say only use positive reinforcement, I cringe. How can you train a dog not to go in the garbage or chew on things not meant to be chewed on without communicating to the dog that this is not to be done. Simply positively encouraging other behavior will not work. You MUST associate this bad behavior with negative consequences - even if it is just a loud "No", and to come over, lay down, and stay for awhile. Negative need not be pain! But it needs to be negative. And Caesar does use negative techniques on people - as does the Dali lama - but it's subtle. They use rhetoric - and do teach people by making them realize why something is not working. It's negative, as it makes them use self examination to see why what they are doing or not doing may be wrong - or at least ineffectual. With people, this is possible, because of language. With animals it's not possible, so we need other methods of communication, which can be touch, sounds, and sights (perhaps even smells in some cases!).
"You MUST associate this bad behavior with negative consequences - even if it is just a loud "No", and to come over, lay down, and stay for awhile."
In reward training, positive reinforcement is paired with negative punishment - which does provide the negative consequences.
When many people say they only use positive techniques - they usually mean they do not use pain-based or other physical based techniques which tends to be risky and difficult to execute well.
According to this University of Pennsylvania study
http://www.upenn.edu/pennnews/current/research/030
aversive techniques frequently results in more aggression in dogs.
It is not a matter that leash jerks do not work - but rather that there are other alternatives that are less risky and just as effective.
hi,
Thank you for writing this. Although I know it was meant for a broader audience, I have a shiba for almost a year now that I rescued from a shelter and it's been difficult finding training techniques geared towards their breed. I have always had dogs and trained them with no difficulties whatsoever. but these guys are very different and I truly appreciate the perspective of another Shiba family.I do not like the roll either. I have found that my dog is more willing to do something out of respect and loyalty than humiliation. The leash technique never worked for me either. I got a harness, and we're both much happier (plus he can swim in a harness safely) How does your dog react towards small children and other dogs? That seems to be the last bit of aggression my guy clings to. Any suggestions?
Hi Carrie,
Yeah Shibas are in a class of their own - lol. I really love visiting Shiba message boards because there are always many people there that really know a lot about dog training. Shibas truly keep their owners on their toes. :)
"How does your dog react towards small children and other dogs?"
My Shiba is reactive to other dogs especially dogs with excited or dominant energy.
He gets along with the excited dogs, but he really wants to play with them and gets extremely excited himself.
He does not get along with dominant dogs. He especially dislikes dogs that invade his space to sniff his butt. Apparently, butt sniffing can be seen as a dominance move especially between dogs that do not know each other well.
In general I just avoid random dogs that I meet on the road. Some of them are even more reactive than he is and I do not want to expose my Shiba to bad greeting experiences.
What has worked well for me is to help make dog encounters be as neutral and calm as possible. I try to stay very calm and just move my Shiba along. If there is a friendly dog that I know, then I may let him meet briefly - but I will interrupt him very frequently and after a very short amount of time (couple of seconds) so that he doesn't have any time to get into trouble.
Here are some of the things that helped with my Shiba's dog reactivity -
http://hubpages.com/hub/How-to-Deal-With-Dog-to-Do
My Shiba can also get excited when meeting children, and may get mouthy as a result. This is because children are small in size and usually move their hands around quickly.
This triggers prey drive in dogs and Shibas have very strong prey drive given that they are hunting dogs.
I always supervise very closely when Shiba is with children, and he is always on leash.
How is your Shiba wrt. handling by adults? My Shiba was very reactive towards handling and after much desensitization work, he is a lot better today. Shibas can also be slowly desensitized wrt. children. You want to start with a very calm child, have your Shiba be a far enough distance away so that he is not reactive, and then do commands with him and reward him. Then move a bit closer to the child and repeat commands and reward.
If your Shiba gets reactive, then you have moved forward too quickly, so move back and repeat.
This helps to slowly condition Shiba to stay calm around children and to look to you for direction.
Cesar Millan in the News
- ' Dog Whisperer ' Cesar Millan in RosemontChicago Sun-Times2 days ago
The Dog Whisperer is headed this way.Cesar Millan, host of the National Geographic channel's " Dog Whisperer " show, brings his tour, PackPower, to the Rosemont Theatre at 8 p.m. Dec. 4.Millan will share his tips on how dogs -- and their owners -- can be transformed.Ticket prices start at $37.50. For tickets, call (800) 745-3000 or visit www.ticketmaster.com. ...
- Becoming the Alpha Dog in Your Own HomeNew York Times10 hours ago
Parents are borrowing from Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer, who is known for inspiring discipline, order and devotion.
- Dog Whisperer auditions plannedConejo Calendar5 days ago
Producers with the National Geographic Channel’s “Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan” will be in Westlake Village searching for dogs needing rehabilitation.
Canis Humanis says:
12 months ago
There are actually three levels of learning which exist at the same time, and are used by anyone who works with dogs - Operant Conditioning, Classical Conditioning, and Social Learning.