What training method do you recommend....Why?

I don't follow any unified theory, because I don't feel there is such a thing as a unified theory. I read from everyone, and develop my own thoughts. I would have to say I come closest to learning theoriests and cognitive psychologists (two quite different fields), but it's not quite that simple.

I have discarded dominance theory in terms of how I relate to any of my dogs. I use a lot of clicker, I use a lot of life rewards. I do a lot of premack as well as management. I do a lot of classical conditioning. I treat all of my dogs as equals, not as though they have any apparent rank. I use prey and play drive in training, as well as look at each individual dog and what works the best for that dog, as my three dogs are actually quite different and have very different needs. I don't follow a one-size-fits-all approach, but basically I work to build trust, earn the dog's respect (not demand it), and find what the dog wants/needs and use that to build a healthy, lifelong relationship, in a way that makes sense to the dog and doesn't cause intimidation, pain, or fear.

 This thread probably needs to get moved to training, but anyway... I think I would be safe in saying most people here are using positive reinforcement training. Positive reinforcement, by definition, increases the likelihood of occurence of the behavior it follows. So, by giving positive reinforcement, we increase the likelihood that the dog will do the things we want. I think a lot of people use clicker training, and I do.Why? I can train the dog without touching him, or even being near him. If I see him do something I like from across the room, I can click for that. If I see it, I can click for it.

I used a clicker for a while with Luke, but eventually discarded it because, well, I just didn't feel like carrying it around all the time.  Now I use a verbal marker ("yes" or "good";) paired with food rewards.  All very positive training.  Some behaviors I use the food reward to lure.  Sometimes I use a toy reward instead of food.

I've never used any sort of force or dominance-based training with either of my dogs and they are very "balanced" and happy.  I am the alpha in the house, but it is a state of mind, not a training practice.

Yeah, my unified theory is that dogs do what works.  You can train any combination of methods and theory as long as you keep that in mind.

I use different methods on a single dog depending on the behavior and it has nothing to do with not being able to commit or thinking that there are problems with one or the other.   For example, when my GSD is working bitework in prey drive the training method is going to be totally different than using a clicker to shape a nice loose leash walk.

Anyone who thinks a single theory/method will work correctly in all situations probably hasn't actually tried it in all situations.

Thanks Kim, I also use whatever works. I personslly lean toward prey-drive as my overriding philosophy, But as I said the "dog whisperer" gert results.

Thanks Griff, I too like positive method, My biggest problem with "snatch & jerk" is it tends to form distrust long term.

Thanks Kari, I tried using dominance on "Tex" (my main dog) but I think he knew my heart wasn't in it and he tyrned out fine. However toward the end of his life, I started with prey drive and the results were amazing.

Thanks Liesje, I was hoping to hear from you or someone in the working dog camp (not that all dog are lazy) Yes i think thats it, you can use different methods depending on the situation. I really think dogs are smarter in some ways than people know, They figure out how to adapt to any situation (within reason) and many times can sense the team purpose.

I think that in terms of the "Personality Theory"...I should have said that. It is about the same as with humans......No one really knows. Thanks again for responding.

PS ( I have a clicker...waiting for a dog to try it on) 

tex123

Thanks Liesje, I was hoping to hear from you or someone in the working dog camp (not that all dog are lazy) Yes i think thats it, you can use different methods depending on the situation.

Yes it really depends on the dog's mental state at the time.  For example, when working Nikon in a high level of drive we often to things to increase the drive and frustration, things that can be physical and in any other context would be considered "corrections", things that in any other training context I would not do because even the dog would perceive it as a physical correction.  But when when doing these things in the context of working a dog in drive, they actually build his drive and confidence.  However, if I tried the same thing on a dog that is lacking in drive, it's always going to be perceived as a correction and will destroy the dog.  So it totally depends on the dog AND the situation.

Yes I understand where your coming from My dog used to try to eat anyone who came up to the fence (off leash in the yard) and no amount of yelling would deter him...actually seemed to increase drive, but when I learned about drive training I would go down and praise the behavior pet him and gradually change the tone of my voice as i turned to talk to the man, shake hands etc start to ignor the dog and talk to the man ten second or so then put Tex on a sit-stay and have the man follow me down the fence a few feet, talk a few more seconds, then release tex and encourge him to come and meet the man in a different tone of voice and he would jump up on the fence and let the guy pet him. I don't know what method that was, but it worked for me at the time.

Nikon is the same way, but I don't necessarily call it drive.  Because he is pretty drivey and a little crazy at this age, he gets frustrated easily, and a dog like this can easily become barrier aggressive.  So if you walk past my fence and he is not doing anything more fun, he will run over, raise his hackles, and bark at you.  But you can open the gate and come in and he will run over and lick your face.  Barrier aggression is common because it's difficult to control.  Oftent he dog is already charging and barking before the owner gets outside to the dog, and the key to modifying a behavior like this is redirecting it before it happens.

What I mean is more along the lines of lifting the dog by the collar or harness.  I didn't provide an example originally because obviously this action can easily be perceived as someone "stringing up", or "helicoptering" their dog which I think are bad things some people do to literally choke their dog off an object or a behavior.  Now if I was clicker training my dog to loose leash walk and all the sudden I grabbed his collar and lifted his front end off the ground, he would be very confused by that.  It would probably scare him, he wouldn't understand why I did that.  To the dog and anyone watching, that would look like an unnecessary physical correction.  If I did that to my female she'd probably run away with her tail tucked and hide (the male would be confused but would recover).  Now, do the same thing in the context of agitation work, building drive in SchH training.  The dog is lifted once he has a correct (full and hard) grip on the object.  Being lifted encourages the drive and frustration, it puts an appropriate amount of conflict into the situation and encourages the dog to hold the grip.  It also encourages calm, full, hard grips.  My puppy grips fine but he's a bit out of control, tugging and trying to "shake" the object and rip it away.  His drive is almost too high, making him a little crazier than what we need.  Lifting encourages that hold and his claim on the object and using that grip while being calm and still.  Set him down, let him "win" and take a victory lap, and he has learned to grip better and gained confidence through his win.  It is not teaching an out or choking the dog off the object.  But now that I've described it you can probably see where people might see/read this and think it's some sort of physical abuse.  Again, if I did it in the situation I first described, it probably would be abusive to the dog's psyche, but not in the context of working in such a high level of drive and conflict.

I'd hate to be a mugger in your neighborhood :)

How do you introduce/teach the out command to a puppy as opposed to what you do get him off the sleave? also do you use both halter and leash?

tex123

I'd hate to be a mugger in your neighborhood :)

Visual deterrence, my friend!  My dogs bark but step in the door and the female will back off and hide under the desk, the two males will lick you to death.