Dunn Right Dog Training is a reward and play based balanced training. We service parts of Allegheny, Beaver and Washington County! What is balanced training you may ask?
Balanced trainers use and understand the four types of operant conditioning. The four types of operant conditioning are:
Positive reinforcement: A good consequence happens when your dog performs a behavior, which increases the likelihood that they will repeat it. For example, you ask your dog to sit; they do it, then you give them a treat.
Negative reinforcement: A bad consequence is removed when a behavior is performed, which also increases the likelihood that a dog will repeat it. For example, a trainer using a Ecollar on a dog that jumps will turn off the stimulation when the dog keeps four paws on the ground.
Positive punishment: A bad consequence is introduced when a behavior is performed, which will reduce the likelihood that a dog will repeat it. For example, a trainer tells a dog to lay down, and it sits. The trainer then uses leash pressure to get the dog into the correct position.
Negative punishment: A good consequence is removed when your dog performs a behavior, which will decrease the likelihood that they’ll do it again. For example, your dog paws at your arm to get you to pet them, and you ignore them instead of giving them attention.
Why is our training play/reward based?
All skills dogs learn through our training is taught using positive (reward/play) reinforcement. This is because we strive to make training fun and enjoyable for the dog. Motivating the dog through play creates a bond during training. This bond is then used to make the dog understand that he/she is a TEAM with their owner. The practical application of “rewards” and “punishments” varies from dog to dog, even though the definition doesn’t. A reward is anything a particular dog likes. A punishment is anything the dog doesn’t like.
We frequently use food treats as our reward in training. Reason being is that we can almost always find some food that a dog will value highly enough, that can serve as an irresistible reward. It must be noted that food is not the only reward available to us. Remember, a reward is anything a dog likes. It could be a pat on the head, verbal praise, a game of tug o’ war, or their favorite toy…ect
It is crucially important to understand why balanced training is so effective when done correctly. Every dog will need a different type of training and that’s normal. We strive to understand your dog. That way, their training requirements are completed quickly, while doing it correctly. For more in depth details on our training, please call us to schedule a consultation!