Training your dog is not just about having your dog perform behaviours you like and removing the ones you don't like. It is about building a relationship that will develop trust, respect, understanding and of course fun. Training today has evolved into a much more positive approach. Gone are the days of using force and coercion. Instead, much research by top scientists have led us to the discovery that operant conditioning is the best way to train all mammals. This concept is not a new one. It was discovered by BF Skinner back in the 60's but has only been brought to the surface by dolphin trainer Karen Pryor (www.clickertraining.com). Karen was looking for a way to train dolphins without using force in order to make the dolphin shows in Hawaii new and exciting. She started to research human psychology discovering work done by BF Skinner known as operant conditioning (learning based on consequences). She then transferred it to the dolphins and the rest is history. Her work has changed the way we train animals. Not just in our homes but in zoos and aquariums all over the world. She discovered that animals are creative thinkers and we can use this to tap into the behaviours we would like to see. Her methods have made a huge impact on the amount of shelter animals that are being rescued. Dogs that are thought to be impossible to change are being saved and lead happy, fulfilling lives. But, change is difficult and crossing over from one training method to a new one is not easy. Many people are skeptical but the proof is abundant. Zoo keepers can now perform tasks on zoo animals without the use of tranquilizers. This to me, is proof enough that operant conditioning works and is more humane than any other method of training.
Our classes use operant conditioning training methods and the clicker to help you get the behaviours you want without using any force. Dogs become excited when training begins and not submissive because they know pain may be involved. Your dog will start offering the behaviours that have been heavily reinforced (rewarded) and the bad behaviours will start to diminish. In the process, your dog will become confident and creative along with trusting you and knowing that training is safe and fun. All of this takes only minutes a day in between class time.
Currently we only are offering classes for puppies between the ages of 12 weeks and 5 1/2 months - the critical stage of development (please see puppy care section). For those of you wanting to get started right away, I recommend the CLICKER TRAINING EBOOK linked below. This EBOOK will explain in plain english the science behind clicker training and get you started while waiting for classes to begin!
