From Corrections to Positive Reinforcements

Brittany

I think most people on the forum use the PR training method...I know many of us used the corrections method at some point but have since decided against it. What happened to make you realize the PR was better? Was there a point in your training that you realized or was it just more learning and research?

Criosphynx

I, personally had always used a mixture...Corrections for most things and clicker training for tricks...I was researching like mad and finding that people who had opinions I respected were either making the shift, or had already...

I adopted Emma and when I tried corrections (even mild ones) she would shut down. So I had to abandon corrections to train her...I noticed a difference in my dogs after a few months..I was still using corrections for "known" behaviors as is the "proper way"

then I ran into this video
YouTube - Clicker training as a method vs using a clicker

and I realized that it was possible to train with little to NO corrections...and this would maximize trust/bond in the relationship

Karen Pryor talks about this (and I wont' get into it unless som'one asks) but I stopped reading it and began to really believe it, and use it. The closest thing I can compare it to, tho it sounds corny, is finally finding your religion after trying many that don't fit.

Brittany

Okay Great video....I need to figure out how to not use any form of correction. I can't say NO? I can' say ay ay? I think that would be great I just need to figure out to make that happen. What do you do when you ask your dog to do something and he doesn't do it?

Mikey

I think it was Mikey.... though out of habit he still sometimes get's a Noooo!!! Which we're both working on lol

He is an anxious guy and just looking at him the wrong way can give him shakes. So we try to keep everything very positive.

AT first we were doing no treat training-and we still do a bit -like on our way out to the car, or heeling on our way back from the dog park-off leash heeling. BUT that's still pr in my mind as we are no longer correcting verbally and just praising and petting (He really works for praise, Mandy my parents husky could care less about praise)

He also is food motivated-Crio helped with that. He would just get stoopid with food involved and what she pointed out was he wanted treats but had no idea he had to go through us to get them hehe

But I'd say it was Mikey-he's a dog you just can't correct. He gets devestated if he thinks he did wrong -like this morning I slept in, leapt out of bed swearing and he took off shaking *sigh* So I had to chase him down, calm him down treat him and make myself even later for work

Criosphynx

redirect or interupt


think about why hes not doing it and then train so it doesn't happen again. Its easier to explain with a specific example if you have one

stumpy

redirect and reward!

fawkese1

i used a mixture of both, but more corrections i think...correct the wrong behavior, reward the correct behavior sort of thing...

clover is what has changed this for me...he was such a wreck when i brought him home, so fearful, i corrected him a few times in the beginning and it was awful, the more i've learned the less corrections i use, tho it is difficult sometimes...i do things out of habit like the "eh eh" thing...but the more i practice not doing this, the more my dog trusts me....

i recently recieved a wonderful compliment that i'd like to share...
at a recent vet visit, a tech who i've discussed clover's history with needed to draw blood. the whole event was basically uneventful which was a relief to me because in the past when clover was hurting he wasn't very trusting of people to help him, and in fact had nipped me twice while wearing a homemade muzzle...anyway, after the very uneventful blood draw the vet tech tells me that usually when a dog has the history that clover has had, and is as large as he is, they have to take the dog in the back and it takes a couple of people to restrain them so they can get blood, all in all very traumatic...she said that she could tell that i'd done a good job with him and that i'm a good mom....lol...i was already happy with his tolerance of the whole situation, it has improved greatly, but i feel like that was a great compliment...
i also feel like if i had stuck with using corrections, i never would have developed the level of trust that i'd developed with him, instead he would have been more fearful....

anyway, just wanted to share....

Brittany

Thats wonderful!!! I am still working on eliminating all corrections. The thing with Kimber is I am trying to teach him to sit nicely while I put his leash on. He sits on Cue all the time, except when it is time to go out. It isn't that he is overly excited its just hard to put his leash on when he is standing and moving his head and licking my hand. But he isn't real excited about going out anyway so if I don't put the leash right him he just walks away and gets a toy. So I am not sure what to do here. As of right now I have just been putting his leash on but I would like for him to sit nicely.

Criosphynx

try to "cancel" his walk before he can get the toy...wait him out for the sit...but if hes not going to offer it try and say "too bad" and go back to what you were doing for a few minutes

don't put the leash on him if you want a sit first...thats rewarding what you don't want

Brittany

Thanks Crio I will let you know how it works out!