Training Sadness

[sassafras]

Yea personally it makes me sick to my stomach* when people tell me how much they appreciate the things I do for them and when I do them correctly.


*Also, fat. Mmmm candy.



ETA: Here's what Squash thinks of it. With his srs face, even.





(I told him he was a good dog after I took this picture, can you believe it!!?)

[Toller_08]

That is really, really sad. There is this group of people who all train under the same people/company that I used to see regularly that either don't believe in praise at all or hand it out very minimally (only when the dog did something they deemed amazing). They tried to give me a couple quick lessons in how I give my dogs too much praise and how to fix that, because obviously it was causing my dogs to have behaviour 'issues'. Issues that aren't even issues to me - just things these particular people wouldn't want to live with in their dog. Because they like their dogs to be robots who don't move or bark or do anything really, except obey them. I found it odd that they said that I use too much praise though because I actually really suck at giving my dogs praise when other people are around, so wasn't giving my dogs as much as I normally do at the time. If they saw me interacting with my dogs all alone they'd think I was nuts with the amount of praise I hand out. It makes them happy, it makes me happy, so why not? I don't get why or how there could ever be such a thing as too much praise, unless you were rewarding the dog (or child) for something inappropriate constantly.

[sassafras]

In all seriousness, I think what makes me saddest about it is that they're not saying "too much is bad training" or "too much undermines your authority" or anything actually related to training success, but that... too much praise is toxic. TOXIC. When I really think about that, it makes me make a really sad face and then hug my dogs and smell them and say GOOD DOGS YOU SMELL SO GOOD.

[monkeys23]

Originally Posted by elegy

I just started reading Plenty in Life is Free by Kathy Sdao. I am loving it. It really resonates with me, as does your sadness at that quote.

I had a trainer once criticize me for praising every blessed thing Luce did. She turned out ok. I stand by my method

I want to read that book!

Hmm I must be nuts, I even praise them for pooping.

I do the same thing of praising less when working around a group, luckily my clicker lady is an agility trainer so she's like throw your dog a party! I get shy in group class what can I say.

Gosh if I never praised Scout she'd still be cringing and skulking about like she was when I first met her.

[Lyzelle]

Originally Posted by monkeys23

Hmm I must be nuts, I even praise them for pooping.

Nope. I'm nuts too.

[sassafras]

Originally Posted by Lyzelle

Nope. I'm nuts too.

Me, too. I figure... why not? It's lifelong house training.

[Linds]

Originally Posted by sassafras

Me, too. I figure... why not? It's lifelong house training.

Because it's toxic.

[sassafras]

Originally Posted by Linds

Because it's toxic.

My new super villain name: The Toxic Praiser.

[Red.Apricot]

Haha, I like to let Elsie out and watch her, and that way as soon as she's done, I can pop out and be all SURPRISE! GOOD POTTY! HAVE A SNACK! and she's like HOLY CRAP WHERE DID YOU COME FROM EVEN.

[Panzerotti]

That is sad, and it's sad that people are still learning to train like this. I teach an agility class at our local Kennel Club and there are two great young handlers with nice dogs in my class. Unfortunately, all of the other instructors that they've gone through are mostly old-fashioned obedience based, and teach everyone to be quiet and serious when training. I am the odd instructor out with my loud silly praise, insane tugging Mal, and treats every time my dog goes back in her crate. Last week I got the young handlers playing with toys with their dogs though, so hopefully I can make a change, even a small one.

It just breaks my heart when people take their dogs' efforts for granted.