20/08/2025
If you’ve ever read that reward-based dog trainers and behaviourists simply throw treats at every issue (or have all their clients put on medication), here’s a good explainer of what we actually do.
And yes, I do use lots of treats but there’s more to it than that 😉
I don't normally get into dog training method debates but I've recently seen a lot of misinformation about what we as reward based trainers actually do.
Dog training is like a spectrum, with trainers leaning more towards reinforcement as their main strategy or towards correction as their main strategy. Most trainers are somewhere in the middle, leaning one way or the other.
For example, when I'm presented with a dog I'm thinking: how do I change this behaviour without using correction as opposed to how can I correct this behaviour.
Before this I will first ask myself: is this a training or behaviour problem, or is something else going on? Neurological issues or pain are common reasons for inappropriate or strange behaviour, especially aggression.
The needs and wellbeing of the dog are as important as the humans.
We all view the world through different lenses, based on our own experiences and beliefs.
I attract clients with a similar lens to myself and they are generally people who are not comfortable with using corrections and punishment.
I've been training dogs since the early 90s and I've watched people train with reward-based methods change the world of dog training. Many are competing at top level in sports. Obedience and Agility significantly. There are smaller numbers in protection sports and gundog training but they are there making a difference. I'm actually excited to see if it can be achieved. We're on a journey of discovery trying to do better for our dogs.
So what do we do?
We build a toolbox of reinforcement strategies, we read body language and emotions so we can have a conversation with the dog. Relationships are important. We guide and we listen. The listening is really important.
We build trust, safety, confidence and resilience. It's about an overall well-balanced dog.
Our reward toolbox and strategies go beyond just giving treats for good behaviour and that's where the misunderstanding often comes in. Timing is so important. If you haven’t experienced reinforcement-based training in depth, it can be easy to underestimate how powerful and nuanced it really is. We can change behaviour and mindsets.
Here's the other thing, we will use punishment!
Withholding a reward, keeping a door closed, keeping a lead on. It’s all punishment.
You will find positive trainers on a scale. Some might use verbal interrupters like “ah-ah” or “no,” some will not.
Some might use head collars for management, some might not.
So there may be mild aversives going on, but it's normally a last resort. Some will work to completely avoid any aversives.
Positive trainers aren’t living in a magical fairyland without consequences, we just choose to keep those consequences mild, clear, and fair, and we work hard to avoid unnecessary pressure while still building confidence and resilience.
Did you know, you can also create rules and boundaries with reward based training.
We're all on a journey to become more skilled and our community goal is to get better at using reinforcement and avoiding punishment.
We have to remember some dogs can cope with pressure better than others. Many sport dogs are genetically selected to cope with pressure. However, many pet-bred dogs don't. Then there's genetic trainability and motivation which differs significantly in different breeds .
I feel pet trainers are quietly doing amazing work out there and are undervalued in the industry. So here's my shout out to you people 🙌
My final thought is skill.
In everything I've done in life where there's groups of people there's normally the top 10%, a load of people somewhere in the middle and the bottom 10%.
Some people are good at stuff and some are not.
In dog training it's often the capability of the trainer that fails the dog, not the method, and these failings are often used as ammunition from both sides to bring the other into disrepute. This makes me sad.
Methods matter, but they only come alive in the hands of an empathetic and skilled trainer.
We have to find a method that sits comfortably with our beliefs and capabilities.
Reward-based training sits comfortably with my own values and it’s where I have flourished and I’ve seen dogs and owners flourish the most. This is my place and these are my people.
Here's my old boy Stig, he's been a great teacher 🖤
