Three Things to Know
Despite the proven effectiveness and humane nature of reward-based methods, many dog owners continue to employ aversive training techniques. This research aimed to investigate the barriers hindering the adoption of humane dog training practices.
Researchers identified several key obstacles, including inconsistent terminology surrounding reward-based training (such as “humane” and “force-free”) and conflicting messages from professional bodies, some of which endorse the “Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive” approach, potentially allowing for the use of aversive techniques. Furthermore, dog owners often rely on unreliable sources, such as personal instincts, for training guidance.
The study proposed adopting the “Reasoned Action Approach” framework as a model for understanding the factors influencing dog owners’ training method selection. This framework can provide valuable insights to effectively guide owners towards choosing reward-based approaches.
For Dog Welfare Practitioners:
A portion of the industry still debates whether dog training should be exclusively force-free, with some advocating for a ‘balanced’ approach. Further academic research is crucial to address specific concerns and persuade the industry towards more humane methods. In the meantime, prominent animal welfare organizations should lead by example by adopting a strictly reward-based approach for all their training efforts. Moreover, they should consider making this a mandatory requirement for funding and referrals, thereby emphasizing the importance of humane dog training methods.
The Full Picture
Despite growing evidence supporting reward-based training, many dog owners continue to use aversive techniques, which pose significant risks to dogs’ physical and emotional well-being, including fear, aggression, and damage to the crucial human-animal bond. Humane training, emphasizing positive reinforcement and negative punishment alongside non-aversive management strategies, is essential for animal welfare. However, misconceptions about training methods, often perpetuated by some trainers and media outlets, hinder the adoption of these humane approaches.
By thoroughly investigating these barriers, this study, “Barriers to the adoption of humane dog training methods”, aims to identify effective strategies for promoting humane dog training practices that improve the welfare and behavior of pet dogs through education, attitude shifts, and the application of insights from relevant fields.
Lack of Consistent Terminology and Application
Dog owners’ training choices are shaped by legal regulations, professional guidance, peer influence, and media representations. Outdated concepts like dominance theory perpetuate the use of aversive methods like “alpha rolls,” undermining training and harming dog welfare. On the other hand, the terminology surrounding reward-based training lacks consistency, with terms like “humane” and “force-free” often used ambiguously. This ambiguity, coupled with limited industry regulation, allows for the misleading marketing of aversive tools like electronic collar as humane.
Even within reward-based training, techniques like time-out and no-reward markers are subject to debate and varying interpretations. While potentially effective, improper use of these methods can pose risks, especially for anxious dogs.
Ambiguous Legal and Professional Positions
The legality of dog training tools and the positions of professional organizations strongly influence public perceptions of acceptable training methods. A few limited countries, including Austria, Germany, and Sweden, outlawed electronic shock collars and barrier fences and established normative beliefs. However, like the ban on corporal punishment for children, these legal changes must be accompanied by public education campaigns to maximize their impact.
Regulation and accreditation of dog trainers vary widely, with limited public awareness of existing certifications. Efforts to regulate the industry and promote humane methods are underway, but disagreements among trainers can create a false sense of scientific uncertainty. Increased clarity, regulation, and research are crucial for enhancing the effectiveness and welfare-promoting aspects of humane dog training practices.
Professional organizations hold varying stances on aversive training. While some outright ban them, others advocate for the “Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive” approach, which prioritizes humane methods and places aversive techniques at the bottom of a hierarchy to be used only as a last resort. Yet, concerns remain about its misapplication by unskilled trainers who resort to aversive methods prematurely.
Rescue organizations and shelters also vary in their training policies. While some, like the British Columbia SPCA and Dogs Trust, explicitly endorse humane methods, many lack clear statements. The use of aversive techniques in the training of working dogs further complicates public perception. Consistent messaging about humane training practices, backed by research, is crucial to dispel misconceptions and promote welfare-oriented approaches across all training contexts.
Veterinarians play a crucial role in guiding dog owners towards humane training, yet many lack adequate animal behavior training. This limits their ability to address behavioral issues and provide effective recommendations. Guidelines remain inconsistent -.some still allow aversive techniques to be used as a last resort, potentially leading to referrals to trainers who employ outdated methods. Other guidelines, such as Fear Free, emphasize positive reinforcement but their adoption is inconsistent. Improved veterinary education in animal behavior is essential to ensure both humane training practices and stress-free veterinary experiences for dogs.
Need for Betterment of Dog Owners’ Knowledge, Skills, and Techniques
Dog owners’ training success hinges on their knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Effective training requires precise timing, understanding canine behavior, and appropriate rewards, with food often proving more effective than praise. However, many owners lack these skills, inadvertently reinforcing unwanted behaviors.
Knowledge gaps significantly influence training choices. Less informed owners are more likely to resort to aversive methods like shock collars. Relying heavily on self-sourced information or even instinct, often inaccurate, further exacerbates these challenges. Moreover, many owners struggle to interpret canine body language, often missing signs of fear or stress and potentially compromising their dogs’ welfare.
Personality traits also play a role. Among working dog handlers, agreeable individuals use fewer verbal corrections, while conscientious ones demonstrate a better understanding of training techniques. Drawing parallels with parenting styles, personality likely influences dog training approaches. Future research should investigate the interplay between trainer/owner personality and training method preferences to inform more effective and humane training practices.
Toward An Understanding of Dog Owners’ Attitudes
To address the issues outlined, the researcher proposes the Reasoned Action Approach as a framework for understanding dog owners’ attitudes and use of training methods. This approach, successfully applied in various domains like health and parenting, analyzes behavior change by understanding underlying behavioral intentions. By examining factors like perceived social norms, knowledge, and attitudes (both instrumental and experiential), RAA can help elucidate the complex interplay of influences on dog training choices.
Reasoned Action Approach Framework proposed by the author.
Source: Zazie Todd, Barriers to the adoption of humane dog training methods, Journal of Veterinary Behavior, Volume 25, 2018, Pages 28-34, ISSN 1558-7878, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2018.03.004
To use the Reasoned Action Approach, future research should focus on developing and validating scales to measure attitudes towards training methods. Interventions should be designed to not only promote humane training but also equip owners with the ability to critically evaluate training information from various sources. This requires a deeper understanding of how dog owners acquire and construct their beliefs about training. Finally, research on effective teaching methods for dog training is crucial.
Conclusion
Despite known welfare risks, many owners continue to employ aversive training methods. Reaching owners with messages about humane training is challenging due to reliance on self-sourced information, often of poor quality. The lack of regulation in the dog training industry and the continued promotion of aversive methods by some trainers exacerbate this issue. Differing organizational stances on aversive techniques can create a false impression of a lack of consensus, and the “last resort” argument may be misinterpreted as condoning their use.
Furthermore, effective positive reinforcement requires specific skills, such as precise timing and appropriate reward selection. Lacking these skills, owners may abandon positive methods in frustration.
The Reasoned Action Approach provides a valuable framework for understanding the factors influencing dog training choices, including perceived social norms and individual abilities. Given the welfare implications of aversive methods, further research is crucial to understand how to effectively promote and teach humane training practices.
Miscellaneous
Data From Study:
–
Year of Publication:
2018
External Link:
Zazie Todd, Barriers to the adoption of humane dog training methods, Journal of Veterinary Behavior, Volume 25, 2018, Pages 28-34, ISSN 1558-7878, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2018.03.004