Alternative Methods
Dogs should perceive hands as sources of good things.
Tapping a dog on the nose ultimately doesnt teach the dog what behavior we are expecting from him. As seen, corrective taps teach dogs to fear hands (and the owner!) and can potentially trigger defensive behaviors.
What should dog owners do then when their dog engages in unwanted behaviors? A great option is teaching the dog an alternate, incompatible behavior that can replace the undesirable one.
For instance, your “puppygator” nips your hands with his sharp teeth? Rather than tapping him on the nose, why not teach him (under the guidance of a trainer/behavior consultant) to gently tap instead your hands using his nose? This is called “targeting” and basically the puppy learns that great things happen when he makes “nose contact” with the owners hands.
Indeed, every time the puppy makes nose contact with hands, he is rewarded with a treat tossed nearby him or is given access to a toy tossed on the floor. This way the puppy learns a different way to interact with peoples hands rather than biting, he also learns to associate hands (and people) with rewards and has a replacement behavior that will keep him busy and happy! A win-win!
Disclaimer: this article is not meant to be used as a substitute for professional behavioral advice. If your dog is exhibiting behavior problems, please consult with a behavior professional employing non-aversion-based force-free, techniques.
Your nose tap should be more abrupt than simply reaching out and touching your dog. However, it should fall very far short of what any rational person would describe as brutalizing the animal. Somewhere, then, halfway between simply touching your dog and a more forceful act that might somehow hurt the animal, is the sweet spot that we call tapping your dog.
The difference in how dogs responded to this situation, and their eagerness to get to the bowls, reveals whether theyre general outlook is optimistic or pessimistic.
“What we know from humans and studies in rodents is that if animals are in a more aversive or poor welfare environment then they tend to judge things much more pessimistically.”
Traditionally there are two methods of training a dog: punishing bad behaviour, and rewarding good traits. However, experts have been divided on which is the most effective.
Researchers quizzed owners on their training methods, as well as running an experiment to determine each dog’s level of judgement bias, a measure of depression and anxiety.
“Broadly, its how much you as an individual might perceive a half full glass to be half full or half empty,” explained Dr Casey.
How Your Dog’s Nose Knows So Much | Deep Look
Study finds that training dogs with aversive techniques damages relationship between pet and owner and increases the risk of anxiety
Dog owners should never punish their dog and instead only use positive training methods based around rewarding good behaviour, according to a new study.
Traditionally there are two methods of training a dog: punishing bad behaviour, and rewarding good traits. However, experts have been divided on which is the most effective.
Experts at the University of Bristol and The Dogs Trust recruited 50 dogs and found that the use of aversive techniques damages the relationship between pet and owner, while also increasing the dogs chance of being anxious or depressed.
Aversive techniques include using a bark activated shock collar – a remote controlled collar that sprays water at the dog when it has been naughty – and physical punishment such as smacks.
“I think for the long term welfare of dogs and also the relationship between the person and their dog, focusing entirely on reward based training is the advice that we would give,” Dr Rachel Casey, lead author of the study and a dog welfare scientist at Dogs Trust, told The Telegraph.
Researchers quizzed owners on their training methods, as well as running an experiment to determine each dog’s level of judgement bias, a measure of depression and anxiety.
“Broadly, its how much you as an individual might perceive a half full glass to be half full or half empty,” explained Dr Casey.
To measure a dog’s state of mind, the researchers created a 3m x 4m space with two bowls in opposite corners, one was always full of food, while the other was empty. The dogs were of varying breeds, aged between six months and 12-years-old and were fit and healthy.
“They have a number of trials until they learn that difference so they run like if a bowl is in one location, and then we basically put bowls between those two places,” Dr Casey said.
“So were kind of asking them: are you optimistic that this is going to have food in it or are you more pessimistic?”
The difference in how dogs responded to this situation, and their eagerness to get to the bowls, reveals whether theyre general outlook is optimistic or pessimistic.
“What we know from humans and studies in rodents is that if animals are in a more aversive or poor welfare environment then they tend to judge things much more pessimistically.”