Top Posts & Pages
- Let’s Talk about Using Aversives in Training. I’ll Go First!
- Is That "Smiling" Dog Happy?
- CARE for Reactive Dogs
- How Did The Aversive Get There? A Call for Honesty
- The Girl with the Paper Hat (Part 1 of 2)
- Just a Trick?
- It's Not Painful. It's Not Scary. It Just Gets the Dog's Attention!
- "Respect" Is SO Last Year
- Fallout from Use of Aversives in Punishment and Negative Reinforcement: A Reference List
- Bark Busters: Promoting Facts or Myths?
-
Like Eileenanddogs on FaceBook!
Archives
- June 2014 (1)
- May 2014 (5)
- April 2014 (4)
- March 2014 (7)
- February 2014 (6)
- January 2014 (5)
- December 2013 (7)
- November 2013 (7)
- October 2013 (6)
- September 2013 (8)
- August 2013 (6)
- July 2013 (9)
- June 2013 (8)
- May 2013 (7)
- April 2013 (6)
- March 2013 (8)
- February 2013 (7)
- January 2013 (6)
- December 2012 (7)
- November 2012 (3)
- October 2012 (5)
- September 2012 (6)
- August 2012 (8)
- July 2012 (4)
eileenanddogs RSS
Dog and training resources
You can send me an email.
Author Archives: eileenanddogs
Let’s Talk about Using Aversives in Training. I’ll Go First!
Today’s post is about being thoughtful about the use of aversives. I write about that frequently, so how about if I describe what I mean by “thoughtful”? I am going to present a description of an aversive method I used to use. I am … Continue reading
Is That “Smiling” Dog Happy?
Maybe, but maybe not! We humans tend to get warm and fuzzy feelings when we see dogs “smile.” It’s true that some dogs’ mouths open in a cute smile when they are relaxed and happy. But a dog with his mouth … Continue reading
CARE for Reactive Dogs
Wow! My friend Jennifer Titus has created a wonderful thing. Website: CARE for Reactive Dogs FaceBook Page: CARE for Reactive Dogs on FaceBook CARE is an educational website that provides, free of charge, solid gold information on the protocols of desensitization/counterconditioning and … Continue reading
How Did The Aversive Get There? A Call for Honesty
I am mystified by one particular argument of those who use protocols for fearful or reactive dogs other than desensitization/counterconditioning (DS/CC). These other protocols often use negative reinforcement; if not that, then sometimes desensitization without counterconditioning; sometimes extinction; sometimes habituation. People … Continue reading
The Girl with the Paper Hat (Part 1 of 2)
Once upon a time there was a girl who decided to teach her dog some tricks. She figured out that if she gave her dog something he liked after he did something she liked, he was liable to do the … Continue reading
Posted in Cues, Dog training hints, Operant conditioning, Positive Reinforcement
Tagged contextual cue, matching law, training errors
6 Comments
Just a Trick?
“Crossing over” is a phrase dog trainers use to refer to the act of giving up training that uses aversives and changing over to training that uses principally positive reinforcement: becoming a Humane Hierarchy trainer, a force-free trainer, or a … Continue reading
It’s Not Painful. It’s Not Scary. It Just Gets the Dog’s Attention!
Some dog trainers who use tools such as shock, prong, or slip collars, or startle the dog with thrown objects or loud noises, claim that these things are done only to “get the dog’s attention.” They may further insist that the dog … Continue reading
“Respect” Is SO Last Year
Shhh, don’t tell anyone!! I don’t know for sure, but I kind of think my dogs don’t “respect” me. But that’s OK. Dogs probably don’t do “respect” anyway. It’s a human concept, and it depends on human cognition and social mores. When … Continue reading
Bark Busters: Promoting Facts or Myths?
A friend recently shared a flyer from Bark Busters, a dog training franchise business. It is called “Barking: The Facts” and can be seen at this link. (This is a special link to avoid raising their incoming click stats and you … Continue reading
What Happened to Summer’s Thunderstorm Phobia?
Is it weird to write a post saying that something really shouldn’t have worked, but look, it kind of did? Is it irresponsible even? I keep pondering why I feel the need to explain all the strikes I had against me … Continue reading