How To Build A Relationship With Your Dog Through Training
Part 2 of 3: Building A Relationship With Your Dog
By: Midas’s Mom - The Puppy DogMa
For the sake of your sanity and mine, I will focus on the impact of training on the human-dog relationship in this article. This isn’t a piece about which training method is most effective, or most ethically appropriate. It’s a discussion on the importance of using training to create a better and more secure relationship with your dog.
(However, if you would like to learn more about different dog training methods and the work that has been done to determine the most effective, efficient, and best for your dog’s wellbeing - let us know!)
Alright, let’s get right into it!
1. Training matters for everyone.
First, let’s talk about why training matters for everyone. It’s not just for those trying to have the most obedient dog, or compete in agility competitions, and so on. Training your dog in some capacity is essential for his or her overall wellbeing and safety. In fact, one of the most frequently cited reasons for relinquishment and euthanasia is behavioral problems (Vieira de Castro et al., 2020). I know, sorry to go there, but it’s true!
Studies have shown that socialization and lifetime experiences influence how dogs perceive and interact with their world while also contributing to their motivational factors.(Hall et. al, 2021). Since BOTH genetics AND life experiences shape dogs’ responses and behaviors, training is how we can maximize what we have the most control over - their life experiences.
However, training serves as much more than simply a way to “get your dog to do what you want.” Training is a way to provide enrichment for your pup via mental stimulation, while helping them understand the workings of your relationship. By establishing trust and developing effective communication, it may even save their life.
For example, you and your doggo are out for a lovely walk when all of the sudden you become startled/distracted and drop the leash. Doggo realizes this and takes off running. However, because your dog is well trained, you’re able to recall him before he runs into oncoming traffic.
Again, I know it’s dark, but I made my point.
2. Not all training methods are equal.
Literature suggests that dogs are capable of learning in multiple different ways. In the dog training community, there are 3 common learning methods used - Aversive, Reward and Mixed.
Aversive: using punishment for unwanted behavior (physical force, shock collars, yelling)
Reward: positive reinforcement for wanted behavior (treats, praise, etc)
Mixed: a combo of both
When it comes to which method (punishment vs. reward) is quicker and more effective in regards to training, the jury is still out. The majority of studies have concluded that they are at least equally effective when only training is considered. HOWEVER, when you factor in your dog’s emotional welfare and your relationship with your dog - the research is clear. Using punishment based training has a NEGATIVE effect on your dog’s wellbeing and your Dog-DogMa bond.
Vieira de Castro el al (2020, 2021) found that dogs trained with punishment during training showed higher stress hormones afterwards, and were more “pessimistic” when it came to completing other tasks. The increased stress during training was concerning on it’s own, but what I found even more worrisome was the pessimistic “carryover effect” outside of training. . Let’s break this down with an example.
Example of how your emotional state affects decision making:
Think about your most negative friend. (Like that old high school buddy, who always has a catastrophe or complaint to tell you about…) Now imagine asking them what they think about a random object you saw while walking down the street - like a purse or a shirt. Do you think this high school buddy is likely to say something positive (Wow, that purse was so pretty!) or negative (oh, I don’t know - I thought it looked kind of cheap…)?
They’ll probably jump right to: “It’s nice, BUT it’s overpriced and not even that great of quality, plus I don’t like the style.” (Even though you totally know she would love to wear half the store’s merchandise but that’s besides the point).
The theory is that they display a baseline negative emotional state, which ends up affecting unrelated decisions and outlooks on life.
Research has found that the same thing is true in dogs. If they are trained in negative or punishment based ways, that mindset stays with them even beyond the training episode. Punishment based methods can have a deleterious effect on your dog during training, but can also affect them in long term ways.
3. Your behavior matters, too!
A study by Ryan et al. (2019) found that dogs may react to their owner’s hormonal state or behavior, which can result in different responses to various situations or challenges. We also know that dogs can exhibit a preference for their pawrents over strangers, or even one pawrent over another! (It may seem obvious, but they’ve actually studied and tested this! Check out the “strange situation test.”
All of this is to say that our own behaviors and choices affect our dogs in a lot of ways.
Okay, okay so I got a little nerdy with this point but stick with me here. If the punishment method could be detrimental to your dog’s emotional state, then what about the potential for the positive effects of rewards-based training. By using positive reinforcement we have the potential to use all the avenues of learning discussed earlier to enhance the bond between you and your pup!
NOTE: At DogMa, we understand that certain dogs respond better to certain training methods. Again, we are not here to discuss which method is morally superior, only to present what research has found so you can make an informed decision when it comes to selecting a training style for your pup.
4. Training Builds Trust
This brings me to my last point: Training builds trust. Not only does training affect the DogMa-dog bond, it also has an impact on the your dog’s capability and confidence in him or herself.
A study done by Marshall-Pescini et al. (2009) looked at how different types of training impacted dogs’ social and communicative behaviors outside of training. Overall, they found that training molds communicative behavior in two major ways:
1) the inclination to communicate with their owners
2) the dog’s communicative style (barking and/or eye contact)
By teaching your dog HOW to communicate with you and practicing this regularly, trained dogs can be more confident in problem solving in general. Training instills confidence in your pup, and gives them the tools to make the “right choices” when presented with new tasks. Successful relationships require trust, and training is a great tool to foster this trust in a fun and healthy way!
How Can I Implement Training in My Busy Routine?
Alright guys, I know that was a lot of geeking out but here comes the good stuff… how YOU can actually implement training in your daily routine with your pup! Training, regardless of the fine details, is an easy way to spend one on one time practicing effective communication between you and your dog.
Tip 1: Use short bursts of training. (You can be successful with even 2-3 minute bouts).
Before I even put Midas’s leash on, I make him calm down and sit. This is hard for him, BUT it’s a great skill to master, as it emphasizes his ability to calm himself when he gets over excited. It only takes a few seconds for us to work on this, but it’s a mini lesson on self control everytime!
Tip 2: Consistency
I taught Midas to lay down on a mat with the command “mat” by using small treats as positive reinforcement. It was amazing how quickly he was able to master this with consistency and repetition. As he progressed, I required more and more trust from him by turning around, walking away, and even walking out of sight as he stayed put on his mat.
Tip 3: If at first you don’t succeed… Try, try again.
Not every day will be a good day when it comes to training. Like people, dogs have good and bad days as well! Sometimes, skipping a training session and focusing on play may be what both your dog and YOU need. At the end of the day, you’re trying to be the best dog pawrent you can… and that’s enough.
Thanks for reading DogMa’s! We can’t wait to share the FINAL part of this three part series on how to optimize your relationship with your dog, coming soon! If you missed Part One, read it here Building A Relationship With Your Dog Through Eye Contact!
Furever yours,
The Puppy DogMa
