Prong collar because they are very useful training tools, when used correctly.
You can not use a torture device "correctly" on a dog in the name of training. I'll leave this subject alone for now, it makes me angry.
They certainly aren't positive reinforcement by any stretch of the imagination. Any good trainer has no need for such a "tool". I don't even use a collar when I train unless I'm teaching loose leash walking.
I don't do only positive reinforcement. If my dog does something undesirable he is corrected, which isn't positive reinforcement (I don't think; I haven't really read up on it). I guess that is another reason I use them.
You can beat him with a hose also but it doesn't mean its the right thing to do. You should try only positive reinforcement. You will be amazed. There are better ways than "correcting". Teaching is a far superior method.
The people who use training tools like this one are those who don't think that they are "torture" devices. They are also ones that use negative reinforcement because they haven't learned that training can be done with nothing but positive reinforcement. Dogs learn faster and better with nothing but positive interactions.
Punishment is not positive reinforcement, you are correct in this. Punishment is something that is undesirable that happens to a dog when he doesn't do the right thing. This can be yelling or some kind of physical cue, whatever it is and no matter how "small" or "innocent" it might seem. Negative punishment is negative punishment.
The slight "bite" is still a negative interaction with you and the dog. YOU are in no way ANYTHING like a motherdog to the dog in training. The dog does NOT see you as a mothering figure. It see's you as a threat, nothing more. Lets remember here that humans are not dogs, and dogs are not EVER going to think that you are a dog, so don't try and act like one. There are body language cues that dogs can pick up on, but these are non abrasive in any way and work across species...a little something called calming signals. End of story.
If this was a "real" life situation, I would think the trainer unexperienced to see that this situation is one, if not, MANY steps too far past the dog's ability to concentrate. You have to take baby steps and work slowly with a dog. A dog like this one takes LOTS and LOTS of work. You cannot take an aggressive dog like this one and stick into a situation just arbitrarily and expect it to do what you want. And I find it especially harmful to use AGGRESSIVE methods on an already AGGRESSIVE dog. Its like feeding the fire!
It's great that you have been in training for 12 years, but the methods that you condone tell me that you are outdated in your practices. A person with one year of experience using nothing but positive reinforcement is more qualified in my book. There are better methods out there than coercing a dog to do what you want.
I don't have issues with people having their own opinions, but I don't like it when people advertise inappropriate methods and recommend using things like prong collars. Like I have said earlier, there are better and more effective ways to train a dog other than pain and coercion.
Looking at your two previous posts in this thread, I would have pretty high confidence in saying that you at least suggest using them to others if not use them personally. And if you use prong collars, I am also confident in the assumption you use other negative reinforcement training methods. Just what I'm gathering from what you say about training. If you have been to all sorts of training schools and classes I would hope that you would find that all negative training methods are unnecessary and outdated.
We all know how they work, that does not make them okay to use. I know how a whip works too, does that mean I'm about to bust one out next time one of my dogs steps out of line? No! Why? I don't abuse in the name of training.
Every kid is different, too, maybe parents should abuse as they see necessary.
Abuse works, too. Downright smacking or kicking a dog will keep him in line real fast. Does that mean it's okay? NO. That does nothing for the relationship and bond, and only intimidates the dog into submission. I like to think the quality of life for my dogs is a bit better than that.
Yes, if you are a first rate trainer and know what you are doing.
I was a professional trainer for 15 years and trained not only dogs but many wild animals. I have trained animals who had no intent or desire to please me or be my friend. Killing me was the top priority on their mind.
Assuming the animal isn't brain damaged, any animal can be trained (I prefer the term "teach") using only positive reinforcement IF the trainer is competent. I have seen anything from rhino's to gorillas to elephants to lions and tigers and many other so called dangerous animals trained this way.
I know them all by experience but it is down right cruel to use pain to get an animal to perform a behavior you wish if you can get the same behavior without pain. If you are competent with that species, you can.
Well, I do. When I see someone using pain it is showing me that the animal is smarter than the trainer and the trainer has no other way to control the animal, whatever species the animal happens to be.
Don't need to know. If they are using pain, they are wrong and/or ignorant. One or the other. If ignorant they need to get educated. The days of the compulsive trainer are quckly coming to an end. There are fewer and fewer of them every day. The end won't come too soon for me.
I do know and you don't need it. EVER! If you think you need it, so some research and/or ask for help.
Random question...how did she get an abscess on the BACK of her neck? Were they leaving it on all the time?
