Dear Friends and Colleagues in the Dog Training Community,
Today, I reach out to you as fellow trainers, regardless of whether you lean towards positive reinforcement or balanced methodologies. As hard as it can be to understand one another, believe it or not, we are all united by a common passion: improving the quality of life for dogs and their humans to the best of our abilities. This message and subsequent invitation are both a stark wake-up call and a call to action. It’s time to wave the white flag, put aside our differences, and come together to address a significant challenge facing our profession.
I approach this issue from the perspective of a crossover-positive trainer, someone who now believes that force, coercion, and punishment are unnecessary for raising well-adjusted dogs. However, my goal here is to look beyond personal biases and consider the bigger picture, addressing issues that affect us all, no matter our training philosophies.
As you read this, I urge you to momentarily set aside your own biases and focus on the larger implications of what’s happening to our industry
Meet the Players in the Great Divide
As our understanding of canine behavior has progressed over the past 40 or so years, it’s given rise to two main camps in modern dog training: positive trainers and balanced trainers. Both groups operate loosely under the LIMA (Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive) framework, but they interpret and apply it differently.
Positive trainers, as I stated above, believe that force, coercion, punishment, or threats of harm are unnecessary for raising well-adjusted and resilient dogs. They focus on creating a stress-free learning environment that fosters trust and strengthens the bond between dogs and their owners. By rewarding desirable behaviors and managing the environment to reduce undesirable ones, positive trainers aim to promote ethical and humane training practices that avoid fear and anxiety during the training process.
Balanced Trainers, as I define them, also adhere to the LIMA framework but take a broader approach. They aim to use the least amount of aversive and intrusive training methods possible, taking the same route as a positive trainer. However, they believe that in certain situations, fair and appropriate corrections are necessary as an escalation in aversive measures to facilitate learning. Balanced trainers incorporate a mix of rewards and corrections, arguing that this comprehensive approach provides clearer communication and more reliable results.
This division in philosophy has sparked intense debates within the dog training community. Positive trainers often argue that balanced methods are abusive and suppress behavior (making it worse in the long run) rather than changing it. On the other hand, balanced trainers contend that positive methods can be too slow and result in dogs that are overly dependent and unable to handle stress.
This ongoing conflict is more than just an ethical debate—it has practical consequences that affect our entire community. The heated arguments, especially those played out on social media, create a divisive atmosphere that discourages open dialogue and mutual learning. Rather than advancing our collective understanding and skills, these battles often cement divisions and impede progress.
Additionally, this polarization confuses pet parents who look to us for guidance. When they encounter conflicting advice and public disputes, it becomes challenging for them to make informed choices about training methods. This confusion can lead to inconsistent training practices or even deter pet parents from pursuing training altogether, which ultimately affects the dogs.
The Looming Threat On The Horizon
Beyond the heated debates and polarization in our community, there’s a more pressing issue we must confront. Small business owners, the backbone of dog training, are burning out. Many dedicated trainers are closing their doors, unable to sustain their businesses or cope with the emotional toll of their work. As they step back, large corporations are eagerly moving in to dominate the flourishing pet services market.
This shift is not merely about changing ownership; it fundamentally alters how these businesses operate. Corporate strategies prioritize efficiency and scalability, often at the expense of the personalized, nuanced approach that defines quality dog training. These companies focus on high-volume services and cost-cutting measures, leading to a quick-fix, one-size-fits-all methodology that overlooks the unique needs of individual dogs and their pet parents.
The rise of these corporations also disrupts the market balance. Independent trainers and small business owners struggle to compete against the financial power of these large entities. Corporations can outspend smaller players in advertising, pushing local trainers to the margins. This dominance in advertising drives up costs and misleads pet parents, who might be swayed by slick marketing rather than the proven quality and experience of local trainers.
Furthermore, the corporate takeover affects the professional development and well-being of trainers. Large corporations often employ trainers at lower wages and expect them to manage large caseloads, with little regard for their professional growth or the intricacies of effective training techniques. This can lead to high turnover rates, burnout, and a decline in the overall quality of services provided.
We can already see the warning signs from parallel industries. The veterinary field, for example, is grappling with severe burnout and distress among vets and vet techs, leading to the emergence of movements like #NotOneMoreVet. Major corporations, such as Mars (Yes! The candy company!), have expanded their reach into veterinary care, owning chains like VCA, Banfield, BluePearl Vet, and CPNA. Their acquisition of Camp Bow Wow and Blackstone’s acquisition of Rover signals a similar trajectory for dog training.
But That’s Not All…
While the corporate threat looms large, another equally concerning trend is gaining traction: the resurgence of compulsion training methods, popularized by social media influencers. These influencers often prioritize entertainment value over effective, ethical training practices, leading to a devolution in training standards that undermines the progress made by both positive reinforcement and balanced training advocates.
Compulsion training, which relies solely on heavy-handed physical corrections, dominance, and aversive methods, has gained a new foothold thanks to the viral nature of social media. Influencers with large followings often showcase dramatic “before and after” transformations, appealing to pet parents who are desperate for quick fixes to their dogs’ behavioral issues. However, both sides understand that these methods are harmful, leading to fear, anxiety, and even increased aggression in dogs.
The rise of compulsion training on social media is alarming for several reasons. Firstly, it promotes a simplistic view of dog behavior and training, suggesting that complex issues can be resolved for good through force and intimidation in a matter of hours. This narrative is misleading and dangerous, as it disregards the underlying causes of behavioral problems and the need for a nuanced and educated approach. Again, both sides agree this narrative is bad news for dogs.
Secondly, the popularity of these influencers can erode the public’s trust in professional, ethical trainers. Pet parents may be swayed by the apparent success of these methods, overlooking the long-term damage they can cause. This shift in perception can make it harder for dedicated trainers, who use science-based methods to gain clients and educate the public about effective training practices and realistic expectations for their dogs. For pet parents who can recognize the harm being done by these influencers, this misrepresentation of the “correct use of tools”, is especially damaging to the balanced community, who are often being lumped in with extremist abusers.
The resurgence of compulsion training threatens to undo the advancements made in our understanding of canine behavior and welfare. Over the past few decades, the dog training industry as a whole has moved towards more holistic, evidence-based methods that prioritize the mental and emotional well-being of dogs. This progress is jeopardized by the re-emergence of outdated, punitive techniques that can cause significant harm.
We Don’t Have the Luxury of Arguing in the Sandbox Anymore
As we duke it out in the comments sections of social media, our emotions get dysregulated, we go into fight-or-flight mode, and eventually, we burn out. Meanwhile, we are leaving the doors wide open for corporations and influencers to move right in and take the lead in our industry. Simply put, we don’t have the luxury of arguing in the sandbox—our “Skinner box”—when a much larger threat looms on the horizon.
First and foremost, we need to recognize that our shared passion for helping dogs and their humans far outweighs our differences in beliefs about operant conditioning. We are all human, and the majority of trainers are doing their absolute best with the current level of education they have.
When we stop defending our own beliefs about quadrants and listen to each other, we find that we agree on quite a few things and are eager to explore new avenues of behavior modification together:
Building resilience through play and social connection
How diet and the gut microbiome affect behavior
Meeting breed and species-specific needs
Identifying potential pain or discomfort through muscle development and gait
Learning to read and respond appropriately to canine body language
Neurobiology and its effects on behavior
Yes, we might disagree on quadrants, but there is a whole heck of a lot more to training and raising a resilient and mentally stable dog than operant conditioning. I have personally been able to have extremely productive conversations with trainers “from the other side” when we purposefully put our quadrants down and brainstorm about all of the other things that go into raising a well-adjusted dog.
These discussions have led to finding solutions for our clients that didn’t require another tool or treat-reinforced exercise for them to do. If we collectively put more effort into researching, learning, and teaching the myriad of other things that go into raising a dog, we’d have more stable dogs overall. My bias rears its head here, but when we have more stable dogs overall, it’s a whole lot easier to not “have to” escalate to aversives when operant conditioning is applied.
Both sides can agree that we all need access to quality education and resources. Better education leads to better trainers, which in turn leads to better outcomes for dogs and their pet parents. Instead of letting our differences divide us, we should harness our shared passion for helping dogs to drive meaningful change. By focusing on the numerous aspects of dog training we agree on, we can collaborate on creating a baseline industry standard of education and business practices.
By focusing on our shared goals, we can create a united front to resist external threats. Our unity will help ensure that the future of dog training remains focused on what truly matters: the well-being of dogs and the professional integrity of trainers. We must shift from seeing each other as adversaries to recognizing that we are allies with a common purpose.
My Proposal to You
The time has come for us to take concrete steps to safeguard the future of the dog training industry. We need to step out of our echo chambers and come together to protect the future of dog training. Here’s how we can unite and take tangible actions to advance our profession:
Stabilize Our Businesses: Our first priority should be to ensure that our businesses are resilient and sustainable. When we’re constantly fighting to keep our heads above water, we’re too exhausted to focus on anything else. Let’s share resources, strategies, and support to help each other build stable businesses. This will free us from survival mode and allow us to invest in further education and improve our services. It also reduces our reactivity online and puts us in a better mental state to have a productive dialog with one another.
Facilitate Access to Further Education and Mentorships: Continuing education and mentorship are crucial for professional development. We need to create and promote opportunities for all trainers to access high-quality education and mentorship programs. This includes organizing workshops, online courses, and peer mentoring systems that are accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial situation. By improving access to education, we ensure that all trainers can enhance their skills and knowledge, leading to better outcomes for dogs and their owners.
Lift Up Small Voices: Let’s make sure the voices of small businesses are heard, not just those who win popularity contests or can afford to “pay to play.” Many talented trainers don’t have large followings but bring unique and valuable perspectives to our field. We need to facilitate a platform where we can create a more inclusive and supportive industry that values diverse contributions.
Collaborate on Research: To advance our understanding of dog behavior, we need to continue researching the sensory, mental, emotional, and social aspects of dogs. By gaining a deeper understanding of these areas, we can develop more ethical and effective strategies for behavior modification across the board. This will allow us to elevate our skills and decrease our heavy reliance on operant-based interventions, potentially making the quadrant debate almost obsolete. Let’s work together to explore these dimensions and improve our overall approach to dog training.
This is a grassroots effort to move our industry forward. If this resonates with you, click the link below to reserve your spot. Let’s put aside our differences and work together to provide the best care for our canine companions and advance the dog training profession.
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