Force is Never the Answer When Training Your Dog

Modern dog training takes time, patience, and force-free methods.

I made the mistake of watching a video clip the other day on social media that featured a dog trainer speaking to an enthralled audience. She had a commanding presence and spoke with great authority while using what appeared to be an audience member’s dog to illustrate her technique of getting the dog to move closer to her. She was kneeling on the floor to minimize her presence, with her side to the dog to appear less imposing than if she faced the dog directly.

So far, so good, I thought; the trainer was saying the right things… until she wasn’t. 

As she was speaking, the trainer slowly started tightening the leash until it was pulled taut from the dog’s flat collar to her hand. She kept applying pressure as the dog remained glued to his spot, his neck and shoulders tense from resisting the pull of the leash, as she calmly explained that her technique of “pressure and release” encouraged a reluctant dog to “yield” and move closer to her. When the dog ‘chose’ to move closer, she would release the tension on the leash. In reality, there was no choice in the matter. The dog only moved because he was pulled off balance by the tight leash.  

Meanwhile, the dog kept his eyes glued somewhere off-camera, and would not look at, orient towards, or otherwise engage with the trainer. She pulled the dog slowly closer, until the dog looked at her in the eyes for an uncomfortable second with a closed mouth, lip lick, tail tucked, and still body (all signs of anxiety and stress), then shuffled himself closer, but slightly behind her while the audience murmured their enthusiasm.

If a dog is reluctant to move closer to a person, another animal, or object, that is very clear communication that the dog is uncomfortable closing the gap; he is consciously choosing not to decrease the distance. Rather than completely dismiss the dog’s agency and drag him closer, the trainer needs to mentally and physically take a step back, check her ego at the door, and ask the question, “What is the function of the dog’s behavior?” In other words, “What purpose does the behavior serve for the dog?” In this case, it is keeping a buffer between him and the person to maintain some sense of safety. 

Experienced force-free trainers, in contrast, would develop a training plan that slowly increases the dog’s confidence around people. Training would take place in small increments, over time, with high-value rewards for any progress. The dog would always be given the choice to opt in or out of the process, and there would be no pressure, either with equipment or the trainer’s body language that would intimidate or force the dog into compliance. It may not be fast or flashy, but science-based training that relies on positive reinforcement, choice, and agency is the most humane way to change emotions and behavior. 

What’s the takeaway?

Make sure your dog has agency over his actions. Force is never the answer, no matter how charismatic an ‘expert’ may be, and can irreparably damage your relationship with your dog.