3 of the Ahimsa dog trainers went through the Karen Pryor academy, and one requirement was that we trained another species, besides for a dog. I trained an alpaca. Training a species that you’re not used to really forces you to look at the principles and the science behind clicker training. It works!

One thing that’s not clear from this video is that most cats don’t do marathon training sessions, like dogs do. Some cats I’ve worked with can only do 5-10 clicks worth, and they’re done. Some are also sound-sensitive, so you might start with a juice lid or a pen that clicks when you push the end of it.

I doubt the trainer specifically wanted to teach my dog to only work if food was present, but I was sabotaging my training, and we were on the fast track to teaching her to ignore me if I didn’t have a treat!

The reason I can say that with confidence is because I now know about two scientific concepts, blocking and overshadowing, that prevent animals (including humans) from learning a cue.

Overshadowing: if two cues are presented at the same time (like the word sit and the lifting treat), the more obvious one will be paired with the outcome and the other will be harder to learn (Pavlov, 1927). Which do you think is more obvious to a dog? The hand with food in it or the word?

Blocking: if two cues are presented at the same time (like the word sit and the lifting treat) and it is learned that one of them works by itself (the lifting treat), then it is significantly harder to learn the one presented only in tandem (Kamin, 1969). This is called learned inattention.

The cues I gave as examples are the lifting treat hand and the word sit, but the presence of the food is also a cue, as is your body language.

Furthermore, I was also supposed to say “Good sit!” which specifically paired he the word sit sometimes with NO CONSEQUENCE at all, making it doubly difficult for the dog to learn. Oh dear. (I wrote more on using the cue in your praise in another article).

So how do you avoid sabotaging your training?

• If you are using luring, teach the hand signal first, then transfer the cue to a verbal cue.  Do this by luring just a few times and treating when the dog is successful (to luring a sit,  put a treat to the dog’s nose, and moving it up so the rear goes down). Then quickly shift into using a pretend treat and luring with an empty hand. Click any attempts, and treat.  Gradually only click full sits.  Once the hand signal works to cue the dog to sit, then transfer the cue by putting two full seconds between the word sit and the hand signal. So it would be “Sit…….hand signal” or if the dog starts to sit without needing the signal, click and treat!
• Better yet, use shaping or capturing (click & treat when the dog sits on his own or when he starts to sit). Once the dog is offering a sit, begin to insert the cue before he does it, as if you are cueing the sit.  Then only pay for sits that you have asked for, or else the food becomes the more obvious cue and the word sit will be blocked.
• Clean up your body language so that only the word sit and the hand signal predict rewards when the dog sits.
• A natural consequence of using food or rewards in training is that the cue you want to teach the dog may be overshadowed by the presence of food.  One way to help overcome that is to simply teach multiple behaviors, like sit, down, and stand, so that the dog has to pay attention to your words.
• I also recommend using a counterexample to show that the cues are important on their own, even without food. Counterexamples have been proven to help teach previously overshadowed cues in humans (Heckler, Kaminsky, & Sloutsky, 2008).  Ask for sit, down, etc. when you have no treats on you. When your dog does them, say your marker word, like “Yes!” and run to the treat jar or refrigerator to get the dog a reward. Or use play: pull a hidden toy out of your pocket or instigate a game of chase-the-human.

Related blog post: To Treat or Not to Treat: Training Reliable Behaviors

Resources

Heckler, A. F., Kaminski, J. A., & Sloutsky, V. M. (2008). Learning associations that run counter to biases in learning: Overcoming overshadowing and learned inattention. In Proceedings of the XXX annual conference of the cognitive science society. (pp. 511-6). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society

Kamin L. J. (1969). Predictability, surprise, attention, and conditioning. In B.A Campbell & R. M. Church (Eds.), Punishment. New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

Pavlov, I. P. (1927). Conditioned Reflexes. London: Oxford Univ. Press.

There has been a resurgence in citing “dominance” as a factor in dog behavior and dog-human relationships. This concept is based on outdated wolf studies that have long since been disproven. Contrary to popular belief, research studies of wolves in their natural habitat demonstrate that wolves are not dominated by an “alpha wolf” who is the most aggressive pack member. Rather, wolves operate with a social structure similar to a human family and depend on each other for mutual support to ensure the group’s survival.

Dogs are not wolves. The idea that dog behavior can be explained through the application of wolf behavior models is no more relevant than suggesting that chimpanzee behavior can be used to explain the intricacies of human behavior. While wolves and dogs share some similarities in behavior, there are many more significant differences. Dog training and behavior modification strategies that rely primarily on misinterpretations of wolf behavior are therefore irrelevant, ineffective and can lead to serious negative complications.

While dominance is a valid scientific concept, the term “dominance” itself is widely misunderstood, such as when it is used to describe the temperament of a particular dog. Dominance is not a personality trait but a description of a relationship between two or more animals and is related to which animal has access to valued resources such as food, mates, etc. It should not be used in any way to support the belief that dogs are out to “dominate” us, especially as that misunderstanding causes some people to respond with force and aggression. This only serves to create an adversarial relationship filled with miscommunication and even more misunderstanding. The unfortunate result is often anxiety, stress and fear in both dogs and humans towards each other. The use of techniques such as the “alpha roll” on dogs, which is based on these mistaken beliefs about dogs and wolves, has no place in modern dog training and behavior modification. Dogs often respond to this perceived threat with increased fear and aggression, which may serve to make a behavior problem worse and ruin the dog-owner relationship.

The APDT’s position is that physical or psychological intimidation hinders effective training and damages the relationship between humans and dogs. Dogs thrive in an environment that provides them with clear structure and communication regarding appropriate behaviors, and one in which their need for mental and physical stimulation is addressed. The APDT advocates training dogs with an emphasis on rewarding desired behaviors and discouraging undesirable behaviors using clear and consistent instructions and avoiding psychological and physical intimidation. Techniques that create a confrontational relationship between dogs and humans are outdated. Modern scientifically-based dog training should emphasize teamwork and a harmonious relationship between dogs and humans that fulfills both species’ needs. Most of all, it should be a fun and enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

The Association of Pet Dog Trainers encourages and supports continued trainer education in order to promote gentle, effective, fast, and fun ways to train dogs using the most up-to-date information and sound, scientifically-based methods.

For more information, please see related information on our Web site at apdt.com.

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If you have a teen or pre-teen in your home, or are thinking of changing careers, I highly recommend Dreamlist’s main website!

Related Post: How to Become a Dog Trainer in Seattle

Most people don’t become dog trainers as their first career. I started out as a theoretical mathematician and a tenure-track instructor, but became a dog trainer and business owner, instead. I’m so incredibly happy that I made the decision to become a dog trainer, but it’s not for everyone. The business side of dog training has almost made me quit on multiple occasions. Sometimes, it’s better to just have a hobby, instead of turning dog training into a career. But sometimes, as in my case, it works out even better than you could hope!

I started Ahimsa Dog Training in Seattle in 2003 after taking several classes with my own dogs, volunteering at the Humane Society for Seattle/King County, reading up a storm, watching videos, and attending workshops. I did private lessons first, then started teaching my own classes and gradually added more classes, more trainers, and more locations.

Attending seminars is a great way to get started. We host 1-2 seminars on dog training in Seattle each year.  Even after you become a dog trainer, you’ll want to continue your education by attending at least one workshop or  seminar on training per year.

If you want an actual set program to learn how to become a dog trainer and you live in Seattle, I recommend the Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training & Behavior. The school for dog trainers is about three months long – part online with four in-person sessions as well – and the content is created and taught by world-renowned animal trainers. There are locations all over the globe, but two in the Seattle area, at least right now.

One is with Steve White in Woodinville (North of Seattle) and another is with Terry Ryan in Sequim (West of Seattle, on the peninsula). After over 4 years in business as a dog trainer, I did the KPA with Terry Ryan and still found it interesting, especially the part where we trained another species, instead of just studying canines. The KPA is a relatively new program (I was in the first class, in 2007), but it is already well-known and respected.

There are many routes to everything, and becoming a dog trainer is no different. There’s no one certification body, school, or course of studies to be a canine guru. There’s not even a set title! You can be a dog trainer, a canine psychologist, a behaviorist, anything you want to call yourself works in Seattle, as long as you’re not a vet, since “Veterinary Behaviorist” is an official title that requires extra studies for veterinarians. The most recognized certification for professional dog trainers is the from the Certification Council of Pet Dog Trainers, which is the certification body of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. To become a CPDT, you need 300 hours of experience training others, referrals from a client, a colleague, and a veterinarian and you have to pass a written test on dog training. They are currently developing a level two certification for canine behavior consultations (aggression, etc.).

You don’t need to be certified to be a member of the APDT itself. The APDT has a very informative annual convention for dog trainers, a Yahoo group for discussing your troubles, a monthly magazine, and a trainer directory.

I think that that whatever route you take to become a professional dog trainer, you need to know that dog trainers work mostly on nights and weekends, and need to teach humans as well as they teach dogs. Plan on driving all over Seattle for a while. It’s also a best if you know how to run a business, as most dog trainers have their own companies. If you’re getting a college degree, finish your studies before embarking on a dog training career. Add some business classes, while you’re at it!

Do all those nights and weekends as a dog trainer pay off?  Emotionally, yes.  Financially? Maybe. Don’t expect to earn a gigantic salary as a dog trainer, unless you end up on your own TV show! How much money can you expect to make as a dog trainer?  Click to see a wage comparison for animal trainers. Many dog trainers in Seattle work part time, so that data is a little skewed.

And definitely keep in mind that there are different approaches to dog training. One way to classify is to lump dog training into two buckets: training that emphasizes positive reinforcement (setting the dog up for success and building behaviors) and correction-based training (setting the dogs up to make mistakes and correcting them using aversives, like prong collars). I would put myself in the first category. Click for more info on my dog training philosophy.

Some good books on how to become a dog trainer (not just for Seattle):

• So You Want to Be a Dog Trainer, 2nd Edition, by Nicole Wilde
• One-on-One – A Dog Trainer’s Guide to Private Training, by Nicole Wilde
• It’s Not the Dogs, It’s the People! by Nicole Wilde
• Coaching People to Train Their Dogs, by Terry Ryan

Other tips: Respect your fellow dog trainers. There are plenty of dogs in Seattle (and if you’re living elsewhere, there are probably enough dogs to go around there, too). Learn how to say no, whether it’s to something you don’t really want to do or something that you’re not yet able to do. Never stop learning. Set boundaries; make time for yourself and your own dogs. Get a business license.

If you’re already a dog trainer and are reading this, I’d love to have more quick tips here. Humans often think that what works for them is the right way to do things. Please leave a comment if your experience in becoming a dog trainer differed from mine.