imageThere are those trainers out there who refer to themselves as balanced trainers.

By this they mean that although they use modern science based reward methods,they are also willing to use aversive tools such as choke chains ,prong collars and E collars should they deem it necessary to achieve their goals. They often use the line: ‘ I like to use ALL the tools in my toolbox’.

Okay ,that’s fine. But let’s change things for a second,let’s say instead of a dog trainer,we are talking about an anesthesiologist,or anesthetist. They too have many tools at their disposal ,in their toolbox as it were to accomplish their task. At its most minimal,they are required to make sure a surgery patient stays perfectly still so a surgeon can operate on them accurately and safely.

So our anesthetist could knock the patient unconscious with a mallet,strangle,suffocate or bleed the patient out until they passed out,or even simply tie the patient down so he was unable to move or escape. He could even go so far as to hold the patient at gunpoint ,threatening to shoot him should he move. yes I am getting carried away,but you see my point. All of these are definitely tools available in the anesthetists toolbox. But he chooses to use anesthesia drugs instead. Why?

The obvious answer is ,because we aren’t medieval barbarians,we have modern science and technology at our disposal to accomplish the task in the most humane least harmful way possible. To consider using any other way would simply be considered horrible,cruel and inhumane.

So why then with a strategy of modern science based humane dog training methods at our disposal would anyone still bother with outdated aversive tools just because they are still in the toolbox?

I choose to look forward and follow a least aversive,minimally intrusive standard of dog training that utilizes the best most up to date and humane strategies and methods available to me today.
I hope you do too.