New Age Animal Training

Innovation Or Marketing Strategy?

Recently being promoted has been a different way of approaching our training animal friends both in the domestic and exotic animal realm. Unfortunately, it is not a new approach at all and although what is being taught is a useful tool, it does not treat our animal friends with a holistic attitude nor does it use some of the vital skills and information about those animals as individuals or as a species or breed that have been gathered over the last hundred or so years.

The "Click and Reward" method or the "Operant Conditioning" methods currently being promoted are useful. Probably their best use is that they can teach even the most unskilled owner or client how to begin to work with an animal successfully. Unfortunately, the nuances or trust bond of that training still remains elusive to most people.

"Operant Conditioning", is a form of training that relies on food reward. Behavior is shaped slowly and systematically. Ideally food reward is immediately reduced resulting in higher response and criteria of behavior. So, an animal originally rewarded for a "Sit" is given different parameters surrounding the "Sit". For instance, now it will be the fastest, or the straightest, and perhaps a longer "Sit" with more distance from the trainer.

The general public is probably familiar with this method as used with marine mammals in oceanariums. In the 1950's Marineland of the Pacific did shows and other work with those types of animals using operant training. Reading Lads before the Wind, or Don't Shoot the Dog by Karen Pryor has given many people the idea to use "Operant Conditioning" as a tool. In domestic animal work this has been called the "Click and Reward" method of dog training. However with the various breed specific traits and personalities of different dogs it should not be used exclusively. If an owner has a dog who is non-responsive in a high stress situation or who has no food drive they will need assistance in other avenues of approaching their problems.

This is progress from the old established methods using shock, pinch or choke collars where little understanding of the animals needs or their specific social style traits is present. Most animal trainers do not have formal training or understanding of some of the methods they are using. Some were developed from the need to get animals trained and out into the field during the war with little or no concern or compassion for the animals being trained.

Good training uses shades of many types of skills and knowledge from many areas. One type of approach is not a cure-all since the reasons behavioral problems exist depend on the individual, environment, species or breed, and communication. Most behavioral problems have a core or root that needs to be addressed to permanently solve the symptom. Owners have to learn how to properly address the problem and develop skills to handle their animal to avoid future problems and have a pet they can live with and enjoy.

There are actually social styles in animals just as there are with people. Each species or breed has several. Knowing how to address the individuals based on how they respond the best can save hours in training and eliminate many behavior problems by taking their individuality into consideration. Of course this also requires humans to re-examine how we treat and relate to animals. It means we have to acknowledge them for the thinking feeling creatures that they are. Just because they communicate differently and do not operate from our perspective does not lessen the reality of their individuality or personality.

Anthropomorphizing is something we all do with animals; It means giving them human traits or explanations. In talking about temperament, many people argue that it is the same as personality. I disagree. There are specific breed traits and temperament is one of them. Personality is the individual, so this article is dedicated to try and form into words what is interpreted by professionals through sight, feel, intuition and experience.

Behavior in dogs is determined by various factors such as socialization, breeding or genetics, environmental stimulus or lack of, and human contact. Dog social styles are influenced by these but are separate just as human social styles are. It affects how they learn, relate, and process information.

Dog social styles are a bit harder to define than human types. Each breed will have certain traits specific for that type of animal. For instance, breeds in the hound group tend to be more independent and less motivated to please versus a retriever type. Intelligence, or lack of it, has less to do with how they respond then their traits. Others will have a tendency toward specific behaviors such as talking back (Arctic breeds such as Huskies, Malamutes, and Samoyeds), or excessive mouthing or carrying of objects (Retrievers), or by movement (Sighthounds). Each breed will need certain handling to compensate for some of the behavioral traits that are developed through the particular breed and genetics.

Where most people have difficulty is in recognizing that dogs are different. One of the statements commonly heard is "Oh, my last dog was a wonder. I just can't seem to get this one to do what I want." Different factors will influence your dog. Some of them are specific as to breed traits or sex, and sometimes to age. However there are other factors that come into play as was briefly mentioned above.

Most animals, like children, will blossom with stimulation. Where a dog is housed, how they are treated, diet, litter structure, and age when removed from the litter all play a big part in how the dog will react later in life. Social stimulation, environment, toys, games, early training, and incorporation into the family will develop a well-rounded and responsive animal.

Most people believe in some of the old wives tales still circulating today. Most training, and care of the dog has not evolved because of that. My current animal has incredible ability to pay attention and listens to several directives at once. Certain key words are important but he is spoken to in sentences and responds to several chained directives. He is also an expert on human behavior, as are most dogs, and being the opportunist that he is, often manipulates things to his advantage with strangers.

To try and give you an idea of the types of social styles there are, here is a general list. Remember, just as with the different social styles of owners, each style will have shades of others, and each breed will have different shades of other social styles. None are bad, they just require different handling and living situations. Young puppies can usually become more balanced in their style with proper training, socializing, and influence.

HYPERSENSITIVE
Some dogs you meet will be so sensitive that they will cringe if you send them a glance of disapproval. These older dogs seem to have been those puppies, who in their excitement to greet you, groveled and urinated submissively all over themselves and anyone in close proximity. This type of behavior is submissive and if they are punished for this behavior, which they cannot control, it makes the situation worse.

As puppies they will often hand back, lower their body and tail when being introduced to someone new, and perhaps not even get up to greet strangers but flatten themselves on the ground. They may flatten their ears back and try to lick you. This is proper dog etiquette for a subordinate to greet a superior or dominant animal. It is taken to the extreme in this social style.

As adults they may exhibit this same type of behavior or it may develop into a more progressed state. This progressed state is an abnormal fear aggressive type animal. These animals will bark at strangers but will back away. Their ears, and mouth will be pulled back, and their posture will usually be lowered. Since their response is abnormal, they will have a drastic "fight or flight" reaction when cornered. This results in bites if not dealt with at a younger age. This type of dog does better with a less aggressive owner social style. Rarely do reprimands exceed a spoken correction with this type of animal.

HEADSTRONG
Headstrong dogs are commonly enrolled in dog classes and usually excel. They tend to be exceptionally bright and their owners are extremely motivated to change their naughty behavior! These dogs manage to dictate what the owner does and when they do it. Owners must provide very consistent guidelines for them. These dogs are fairly outgoing and friendly but they often become desensitized to their owners since they tend to be more persistent than the owners are!

These dominant dogs usually run the household. They nudge or vocalize when they want something and demand that the owner do something about it. They will often go through doors and gates first and knock and owner over if they try to change that. Often they sleep on the bed with the owner, even taking over the bed! Left unchecked they can become aggressive.

MELLOW
These are the dogs you rarely see in classes. They are pretty quiet, almost never seem to get into trouble and are slow to react. If you ask for a sit, they will do it, but it takes them several minutes to process the information and perform.

Owners who have had dogs like these can be heard chanting "Well, my last dog was perfect. You never had to reprimand him and he was so well-behaved." Have faith; I don't see many of these dogs. When I do they tend to be the larger breeds or "gentle giants."

HYPER-RESPONSIVE
Just as the name describes, these animals are "bounce off the wall" types. Dalmations, Golden Retrievers, and some Labradors fall into this category more than some other breeds. If you are fairly skilled, they are the best dogs to work and are easily trained. If you are like most owners, they get reinforced, although you think you have reprimanded them, and their behavior gets worse. If you are battered and bruised then this personality is probably the reason why.

OTHER SOCIAL STYLES
There are two to mention here. Aggressive, although I don't consider this to be a personality trait, and Abnormal.

Aggression tends to be a problem encountered in certain breeds more than others. It can be territorial, genetic, protective, or fear motivated; It is a symptom of something gone wrong and sometimes the aggressive behavior can be solved. Pure psychotic aggression, in my opinion, cannot. Always seek professional help with aggression.

Abnormality seems to be psychological. The animals I have seen seem to be almost autistic. Some dogs are non-responsive, while others just seem depressed. In many cases the dog has developed this way from either a series of negative experiences during development, or it is in an improper household and just shuts down the dog emotionally.

There are human social styles that correspond with the dog social styles and that can help with pairing dogs and owners. Most savvy breeders will do this for you so ask for their help in selection. If you already have a dog and need help, explore the different classes and teachers/trainers available to you.

In the wild animal field, zoological gardens have just been acknowledging the useful tool training can be for their animals. Unfortunately they have swung from the far side of the spectrum of not handling the animals to the other, which is that you should control them through operant training.

The old belief was in order to keep them wild, the animals kept in captivity should not have interactions with humans. This belief still exists in some facilities although the animals are dependent on their caretakers for everything. It is a "hands-off" approach which operant training allows to continue. However in some facilities where the caretakers have had good rapport with their animals it has replaced some of the other methods and interactions those people have developed through the years with their animals.

It is a shame to see animals in a show that have no relationship with their trainer. The animals are focused on the food reward or the bridge that signals the reward and it is hard to grasp the individual personality of the animal and behavioral traits of the species. Through my experience, in a high stress scenario the animal will not rely on their human attendant when they have no rapport with them. Instead the old "flight or fight" response kicks in. It is those trainers who use a combination of techniques who can get the results and who can give the general public the most comprehensive understanding of the animal as an individual and a species.

Before becoming involved in the zoo world, in the beginning of my career, I worked at several privately owned animal compounds. The people who visited me there still talk about how they learned to greet the tiger "Sheba", rode on the elephant "Debbie", held the hand of the orangutan "CJ", or used American Sign Language to communicate with "Washoe." The impact those few interactions with an individual animal had on them is what will motivate people to take action in their daily lives to help in the conservation of habitat and species.

Some facilities do this well. Marine World Africa USA has always had animals who were trained and looked well cared for. In England, Howletts and Port Lympne keepers had close interaction with most of their charges. They use a combination of techniques to obtain that rapport and that is what stands out in the minds of the general public.

Other zoos are starting to use training to help them with husbandry care, eliminating stress for animals through desensitization training, and for educational shows or for animal enrichment. These are good and noble efforts when combined with skill and understanding of the species and the individual animals. Rote conditioning, however, limits the inroads that could be made with combination of skills. There was a time when being an animal trainer or behavior consultant were unacceptable in the zoological field. Now it seems as if the industry has come full circle and needs the help of those it once rejected. That industry needs to be careful and integrate those tools available instead of isolating some and ostracizing others, as do the rest of us with our animals.

"Tools of the Trade" are useful when used on the right job and in the proper manner. The "Tools of Training" are useful when used in balance and not out of context. It is my hope that we do not lose the skills and understanding that we have developed with the animals in our charge over the past hundred or so years by isolating one tool and promoting it as a panacea for our behavioral and husbandry challenges.

We need to understand the individuals, species or breed traits, and approach our animal friends on a holistic level by developing trust, respect, and understanding. Tools are fine but let's use them responsibly and in their proper balance.