Our Ideology & Training Methods
Balanced
Training
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Myself and all the trainers here at Natural Balance Dog Training follow Balanced Training ideology and techniques. If you are not familiar with the industry terminology the two primary fields of training are known as “Purely-Positive” / “Force-Free (PP/FF)” training or Balanced Training.
Simply put, PP training focusses only on the reward aspect of training i.e. using treats or other rewards to reinforce good behaviours. They do still use punishment, but only in terms of the removal of a reward - It is important and useful to note at this stage that studies have proven that dogs experience more stress from the removal of a reward than they do from a physical correction (such as a loud hand clap or a quick pop on the lead.)
Balanced Training, on the other hand, employs both rewards and corrections, where appropriate, to stop unwanted behaviours and reinforce the behaviours you do want, so that these can then be rewarded.
The basis of Balanced Training for dogs lies in both science and nature. We use the Science of Learning Theory (which is based on Operant-Conditioning), plus natural dog communication techniques seen consistently in both wild and domestic dogs:
Science
Learning Theory is proven to be the basis on which all animals learn (including us!). This is based on the 4 quadrants of Operant Conditioning:
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Positive Reinforcement - adding something positive to reinforce the behaviour.
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Negative Punishment - removing something positive to help discourage a behaviour.
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Positive Punishment - adding a negative to discourage a behaviour.
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Negative Reinforcement - removing a negative to reinforce the wanted behaviour.
It is important to note at this point that what dogs perceive as positive and negative can be very different to what humans perceive as positive and negative. For example, dogs can find simple eye contact very positive and rewarding, and may find a loud noise, or even a harsh glare, negative.
It is also vital to appreciate that “negative” does NOT mean painful or traumatising. As an example, I personally have to cut the labels off all my clothes before wearing them as I find them extremely off-putting - they are a big negative for me. Obviously, they don’t hurt and I wouldn’t be emotionally scarred, but if I couldn’t cut the label off a T-shirt I would never wear it as I would find it “negative”!
When working with us, we will teach you how to use all 4 quadrants of learning theory responsible (and in direct relation to your individual dog) to remove unwanted behaviours and to reinforce the behaviours you want. We use lots of reward-based training, but we also use corrective techniques (which can differ enormously dog to dog) to remove unwanted behaviours. Some behaviours can be resolved without any correction at all, but some behaviours can only be resolved with the inclusion of calm, corrective techniques.
Nature
Dogs in nature (whether in the wild or in a domestic pack situation) use corrections all the time to discourage unwanted behaviours from other animals. You can see a mother dog with her litter giving the pups little nips if they are too rough with her or with each other. These corrections do not hurt or “upset” the pups, they just teach them calmly but firmly to stop doing the unwanted behaviour.
You can also witness this in the park if a group of dogs are playing and one of them gets too rough - they will receive a corrective noise or a nip to teach them to stop. This nip will not cause pain or suffering or “traumatise” the dog, it will just teach them to stop, and discourage them from doing it again.
It is essential when working with dogs that we accept and acknowledge that these types of corrections play a huge role in teaching respect and co-operation. If we try to train and teach our dogs without any discipline whatsoever then we set ourselves up for serious communication failures. Years of research and studies have taught us how dogs communicate with each other, and with the world around them. We know that they do this primarily with facial expressions, body language, vocalisations and physical touch.
Therefore, in order to effectively communicate with our dogs we have to learn to speak their language. We will teach you how to use facial expressions, body language, commands, vocalisations and physical touch, in addition to using rewards, so you can always communicate effectively with your dog.
NB: It is essential to understand that there is a vast difference between aggression and correction. Aggressive handling of dogs is completely unnaceptable and leads to fear and mistrust. Calm discipline through the right communication techniques will only lead to mutual trust, respect and cooperation.
Examples of Rewards & Corrections in our Training
Examples of Rewards in our Training:
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High value treats
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Favourite toys and play
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Verbal praise
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Fuss, love and affection
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Eye contact and happy facial expressions
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Not being corrected - this one can be hard to understand but
remember, dogs do not reward each other with treats and fuss.
Instead, they understand they are doing the right thing because
they are not getting a negative response.
Examples of Corrections in our Training:
NB: Different methods work best with different dogs so this list is not exhaustive, nor does it mean we will use any or all of these tools/techniques with your particular dog.
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Not being rewarded / the removal of a reward
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A loud noise such as a vocalisation or hand clap
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Gentle water spray
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Body tap/push
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Body blocking
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Slip lead conditioning
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Figure-of-8 lead conditioning
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Prong collar conditioning (for accurate information on these collars please go to https://www.naturalbalancedt.com/post/the-truth-about-prong-collars)
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Remote-Collar Training:
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Vibrate-Collar - (gives a buzz just like your mobile phone vibrating)
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E- collar - (gives an electrical pulse to stimulate a muscle- twitch, just like an ab-toning device). For accurate information please go to https://www.naturalbalancedt.com/post/vibrate-e-collars and https://joinardo.com
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NB: Remote collars can also be used as purely-positive tools to train recall with deaf dogs and dogs that are easily distracted off lead. This is no different to whistle-training and just uses a gentle touch instead of a sound to associate with a high-value reward.
Obviously, none of our tools or techniques will harm your dog, either physically or psychologically, but we do appreciate that there is a lot of misinformation and propaganda surrounding some of them. We will always give you factual, evidence-based information but if you are not comfortable using a specific tool/technique with your dog then we can look at other options.
NB: Some behavioural issues simply cannot be resolved without appropriate corrections. This will lead to “management” of the problem rather than actually resolving it. We will always advise the most efficient and least stressful methods (to the dog, and you) of resolving your dog’s issues so they can lead a happy, carefree life as quickly as possible.
If you would like to discuss our methods & ideology in more detail or have queries about any of our techniques or training tools please do call me on 07769 705807 and I will be happy to chat with you.
You may also want to read this excellent article from The Guild of Dog Trainers which accurately explains the differences between PP and Balanced Training in more detail:
https://mailchi.mp/2930b404cd8a/positive-only-dog-training?e=4606989d8f
