Balanced Training.

What is the balanced training methodology and why is it the most effective method in dog training today?

All training methods utilize Operant and classical conditioning.

The 4 quadrants of operant conditioning that make training balanced

R+ Increases the likelihood of a behavior by adding something desirable (food, toy, praise, affection)

R- also Increases the Likelihood of a behavior by removing something undesirable (leash pressure, tactile pressure, E collar pressure, body pressure)

P- decreases the likelihood of a behavior by removing something desirable (access to food or human attention, withholding reward, playing with a favorite toy)

P+ decreases the likelihood of a behavior by adding something undesirable (leash correction, squirt bottle, Higher level E collar correction, yelling “no”, pet corrector, etc)

Plus does not mean good, minus does not mean bad, by definition it’s simply adding or removing something to increase or decrease the likelihood of behaviors occurring in the future.

70% of dog training is done in the R+ quadrant meaning we’re attempting to increase the likelihood of new desirable behaviors (sit, down, place, touch, recall, heel, etc) using food rewards, toys, praise, and play.

25% is done in Negative reinforcement in the conditioning stage until the dog is fully conditioned to understand how to turn off pressure to which will vary.

5% is using P+ to decrease the likelihood of behaviors such as trash can diving, jumping on guests, digging in the yard, chasing cars, etc.

A behavior using only R+ takes on average 6,000 repetitions.

A behavior using R- takes 600 repetitions.

A behavior using a combination of R+ and R- has never been through a peer-edited scientific study.

Due to competing motivators, Negative reinforcement is MORE reliable than R+ only training.

R+ and R- are used in combination together. Through classical conditioning R- becomes an activator that predicts a reward R+

This combination makes behavior reliable and your dog happy.

Q&A

Can my dog be both happy and obedient or do I need to choose?

A dog that enjoys working on cue, is reliable in performing those behaviors, and enjoys training is the basis for our training system and what we stand for.

What is a correction?

A correction is simply reapplying “pressure” that guides my dog back into the correct known behavior. A correction does not happen until a dog fully and totally understands a behavior and chooses to not perform it due to competing motivators. This does not mean it's higher than the normal working level of R-. As the reward value increases and dogs drive increases a correction may need to be raised in accordance with no loss in motivation.

I’m confused if the E collar is right for my dog….

The E collar is one of the most versatile tools in dog training. The ability to communicate with my dog without the need for a physical tether or immediate proximity has unlocked off-leash freedom for countless dogs. Schedule a consult, we’ll let you feel one first hand to eliminate the stigma.

Low-Level Stim

Modern E collars use an electrical sensation to communicate. This alone does not make it adverse or painful at a low level. Electricity is used in many things including rehabilitating muscle stimulation Tens units, deep brain surgery, etc. This technology has been implemented in Modern E collars and is used as a form of R-.

Do you guys use food? What if my dog isn’t food motivated?

Absolutely, we normally adhere to existential feeding but If your dog isn’t food motivated we can normally build drive or use higher value rewards. We also use play and toy rewards on dogs that thrive using these types of motivators.

Non-balanced