As mentioned in a previous blog, there are many different styles of training. One of those is dominance-based training which involves ‘punishing’ the dog and being aggressive to the dog in order to have the dog do what the trainer wants it to do – or stop doing something the trainer doesn’t want it to do.

Methods can involve using choke chains / prong collars to cause pain, alpha rolls to force the dog into submission and hitting or jabbing the dog. Many people who work in the field of canine training and behaviour now consider these methods archaic, cruel and ineffective. Unfortunately, the everyday dog owner is presented with this style of training through the power of the media and many pet owners follow a certain celebrity ‘dog trainer’s’ teachings closely. Resulting in dogs with worse issues than before.

Many leading figures in this field are trying to dispel the myth that dominance-based training is effective and research bodies have begun to produce clear evidence that this is the case.

Please take a look at the following articles for more information:

Dominance-Based Dog Training Can Contribute To Dog Bites

Alpha Dog Training Techniques Can Do More Harm Than Good