To Train or Not to Train?

I've read a few discussions recently on the ethics of training. I'm not talking about the ethics of how we train - there is no question that positive reinforcement reward-based training is the best way to train. Instead, I'm referring to why we train, or perhaps the better phrase is how much we train. All dogs need a certain amount of training to be able to exist safely and fit into what is a very human world. How much training should we be doing with dogs as standard?

Historically, dogs in human society were often expected to show a high level of obedience. While dogs in the past may have been more free-roaming than today (we often hear anecdotes from people talking about how their dogs would range the streets through the day, coming home for their tea in the evening), at home dogs were largely expected to do what they were told as soon as the command was issued.

As time goes on, we're finding out ever more out the emotional capacity of our dogs. The more we learn about them, and consider them as sentient individuals, the more we need to examine the motivations behind what we do with them.

My dog enjoys training with me. This may be because he likes the treats that come as rewards. He also likes the other forms of reward that we use with him; verbal praise, fuss and attention, and games with favourite toys are all popular with my boy. He also shows every sign of enjoying interacting with us during training sessions. We all have fun, and so we continue to have regular training sessions, sometimes introducing new cues and activities, sometimes just running through a repertoire of cues he already knows for fun.

Those who have read much of my blog will know Finn, my dog, and the difficulties he has in encountering and processing the world outside of his safe spaces. Although he grows in confidence all the time, he still finds many things concerning or scary. I've lost count of the times people have told me I need to train him so he can be a 'good' dog, a 'normal' dog.

He may not be 'perfect' but he's perfect for us!

For a start, I have issues with the image of the normal dog. What common knowledge seems to define as normal bears very little relation to the reality of dogs as those who have spent time studying them see it. Most dogs, contrary to popular wisdom, are not keen to meet and play with all other dogs. It's more common for a dog to be selective of their canine friends. Yes, some dogs are social butterflies but some sit at the opposite end of the scale and want little or nothing to do with other dogs. Between sit the majority of dogs, at some point along that sociability scale.

Finn finds other dogs alarming. Between lacking good social experiences when young through illness at a critical time, coming from a nervous mother, and an unfortunate incident where another dog bit him when he was young, he sees other dogs as something threatening. For him this also generalised into a fear of people he doesn't know. This means going out for a walk can be fraught with stress for him if we don't time and handle it carefully.

I have in the past been advised to just go and walk him around as 'he'll get used to it and realise there's nothing to fear'. No. That could lead to flooding, to Finn shutting down emotionally, just waiting for the walk to be over. This is not a good thing - the fear and stress are still there. They are still affecting him physically. Clearly, this is not ethically sound.

What we've done is look at the things that we need to be able to do with Finn. We're working on his responses to other dogs and people. Not close up, we work around things so we don't need to get close. Our aim is to have Finn able to cope without feeling the need to demonstrate his fear when people and dogs pass by on the other side of the road, or a few feet away. So we train and work on behaviour modification techniques to allow him to feel able to do that.

A while back, I was talking to a friend on the phone and I made a comment about being sad that Finn's world is so very small. What she said to me really made me think about Finn's life with us and if we're doing things the right way for him. She asked me 'Do you think he feels that way, or is that just the way you see it? Is he happy with the way his life is?'

He does look quite content 😊

That was an eye-opening question for me. When I sat and thought about it, I realised that Finn seems very contented with his life.

He has his circle of humans, small as it may be, but he utterly adores them. We have managed to add a new person into his circle since he became an adult, with careful observation and allowing him to get used to their presence slowly, from a distance and while playing with another trusted person so he can look at the new person if and when he wishes without feeling threatened by them.

He actively enjoys his enrichment activities at home on days we don't walk. Other days he'll spend 20 minutes sniffing a bit of verge and then decide he wants to head home. Other days he'll want to go further afield. It's his choice, and we allow him to show us what he wants to do on any given day.

We have worked on the things we need to work on. He walks nicely on the lead after the first few minutes of excitement (we always let him have a few minutes to get the excitement out of his system). Admittedly, my version of loose lead walking is not as strict as many - as long as the lead isn't pulled taut, he gets to walk in front, beside, or behind as the mood takes him. He generally picks just in front, which I like as it makes it easy to watch his body language if we encounter something he's not sure of. He has a great recall, and an emergency 'come here now as fast as you can' recall. He moves over when asked if I need to get past him in a doorway for example. He sits, he lays down, he'll move backwards on request.

Other things we've learned for fun, as part of our relationship building as he shows every sign of enjoying training. He'll go paws up on objects. He'll go 'right down' with his chin on the ground (and the cutest puppy dog eyes). He'll spin, play dead, roll over and present his chest for a scratch. None of these are 'important' cues, but they're behaviours he's happy to offer and we have fun stringing together and then having a treat party at the end.

What fun stuff will we do today?

Yes, there are behaviours that Finn needs to know and needs to respond appropriately when we give him the cue. These are for his safety. They allow us all to co-exist comfortably in our world. Beyond that, if it's something we don't really need to worry about, we don't do it. That way, every member of our family feels happy and safe, the happiness and well-being of all of us is taken into consideration.

For more information on what's going on in a sensitive, complex dog when they demonstrate reactive behaviour displays check out my book 'Understanding Reactive Dogs: Why Dogs React & How to Help'. It's available in ebook from a range of stores, in paperback on Amazon, and in audiobook via Amazon, Audible, and Apple Audio. All can be accessed via the link. Check out also this post on what to look for when out with your dog to make sure they stay under threshold.