Dog Training: Guide Dogs trainer reveals common mistake

A leading dog trainer is warning pet owners about the common mistake people make with their dogs.

Guide Dogs NSW/ACT mobility instructor Ryan Jones said there was a lot of ‘outdated’ information on the internet about training practices that are based on fear.

He said some of the “outdated techniques” included ”old theories” about establishing dominance over dogs to make them fearful, and “punishing your dog for doing the wrong thing”.

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“There is a lot of dog training information online and some of it is really terrible,” Jones said.

“We know now that is not the right thing. It is not humane and it also doesn’t get the results.”

Instead, he said science showed that training dogs using “positive reinforcements” and rewards was far more successful.

Guide Dogs NSW/ACT has teamed up with its ambassador, leading vet Dr Katrina Warren, to launch a free-eight week program which offers dog owners the chance to learn some simple care and training techniques.

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Dr Warren said dog-training techniques had evolved over the years to centre on positive reinforcements.

“Positive reinforcement is very much how we train dogs nowadays and it makes it much easier to fix problem behaviours,” Dr Warren said.

“We move them towards an alternative behaviour by rewarding them with a treat.

“It is very much all about rewarding the positives, whether it is with food, toys or a pat.

“It is then just a matter of reinforcing the behaviour you want.”

Dr Warren said most behaviours were ‘fixable’ but it was a gradual process and would take time. 

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The Learning Lab utilises the world-leading dog-training expertise of Guide Dogs to teach dog owners how to care for and train their dog.

The program can be utilised for dogs of any age or breed, and covers some of the most commonly asked questions relating to the care and training of dogs, including training methods and combating undesirable behaviours.

Jones said it came about after years of requests from the public for a training program that answered the most-asked questions of dog owners.

“Guide Dogs has been asked for many, many years to run a training program,” Jones said.

“Everyone knows we know how to train a dog really, really well. In fact, we offer some of the best training in the world.

“This is about breaking down the barriers to show all dog owners how you go about training your dogs to make the best out of them.”

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The Learning Lab program includes practical training tips and information on nutrition, exercise, sleep and enrichment to support your dog’s overall health, well-being and happiness.

It is designed to be completed over eight weeks, with a new lesson emailed weekly.

Each lesson addresses a different topic, including a training checklist; training tips and positive reinforcement; understanding what your dog is trying to tell you; enrichment tips; dog socialisation; ensuring your dog’s health and well-being; leash walking; feeding; boundary training; dog safety; dog distraction training; dealing with barking and jumping up; and keeping your dog healthy in summer and winter.

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