Old School Training vs. New School Training - Which is Best?

          A client asked me a thought-provoking question the other day – what did I think of old-fashioned dog training compared to the newer methods.  I had to pause a moment and think about my answer.  “Old School” training involved a lot of correction-based work.  It is sometimes referred to as the “yank and jerk” method, but I think that’s a bit overstated.  “New School” training is much more positive and, in some schools of thought, it is 100% positive and reward based, without physical correction. 

 

          Old school trainers usually employed slip (choke) chain collars or pinch collars.  New school trainers use buckle collars, no-pull harnesses, and head halters.  Some old school trainers fall back on the theory of dominance, with the handler enforcing his or her will on the dog.  Refusals or objections from the dogs were sometimes very harshly corrected.  New school training makes the dog a partner in the process rather than relying on dominance.   

          We trainers who have been around since the dark ages started out with old school methods because that’s what we were taught.  It was effective, but could be hard on the dogs – especially young ones.  Some of us started using food treats because we found this helped dogs learn quickly and with less physical correction.  We rarely admitted to using food, though.  It was a real “no-no” at that time, and food trainers were looked down upon.  The opinion was that dogs trained with food would only work when food was present, and not out of respect for their trainers.  Somehow food trainers managed to get their dogs working well despite the criticism of their peers.  That was when training started to change for the better. 

          For most of my career I have used a blend of both training methods, but the older I get the more I’m sliding closer to the new school methods and farther from old school.  The newer methods are perfect for teaching puppies to respond to commands.  They learn their lessons happily and without fear, and they develop a love of working with their owners.  Using a lure-and-reward method of training is effective for older dogs as well.  It is so much easier for an old lady such as myself to teach a dog to lie down on command using a bit of food as a lure than it is to start wrestling match with the pooch.  I still rely on a few physical corrections when I feel they’re called for, but I use the more positive training methods as much as possible.   

          When my Airedale pup, Fergus, hit five months of age he became a bit of a smart-aleck.  He decided that he would no longer lie down on command unless I actually had a treat in my hand.  When that happened, I had the choice of physically forcing the issue (which I didn’t want to do with him) or trying something else.  I decided that he was going to learn some clicker training. 

 

          Clicker training is fun – the dog quickly learns that the sound of the click means that 1) he did the right thing, and 2) he’s going to get a treat.  The click marks the exact moment the dog did what you asked him to do.  Because he’s never punished or physically corrected for not doing what was asked, he’s not afraid to work.  And because he really, really, REALLY wants that treat, he’ll try his hardest to figure out what will get you to give it to him.  And it isn’t too difficult to wean a dog from expecting a treat for every little thing once he’s learned a skill.  Fergus responds well to this method, and I’ve used it for other behaviors as well.  To me the biggest challenge of this sort of training is the amount of patience required. 

          I probably will never completely abandon all of the old-school training methods, but I love that I can teach a dog without it being a battle of wills.  One of the saddest things you can see is a dog that is afraid to make a mistake.  It cripples the learning process.  Using more positive and dog-friendly training methods won’t do this.  It will produce a dog that is eager to work and eager to learn new things.

          We’re never too old (dogs or humans) to learn new things!

 

Dorothy Miner is a long-time dog obedience and tracking instructor, judge of canine events, and author.  She teaches weekly classes for the Allen Correctional Institution’s PETS Program and provides training and consultation under the banner of “Sidekicks” and “Training for Dogs and Their People.”