Product Review – Ruffwear Haul Bag

Product Review – Ruffwear Haul Bag

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A Review Of The Ruffwear Haul Bag

Behind every great dog trainer is a great training bag. Between treats, clickers, toys, notepads, treat pouches, harnesses, and leashes, it can be difficult finding an appropriately sized bag that isn’t super bulky and half the size of Ohio.  So when Ruffwear introduced their new Haul Bag, dog trainers everywhere rejoiced in expectation.  Ruffwear has a history of making extraordinary products and this bag was expected to hold up to their standards.

Ruffwear was gracious enough to send The Modern Dog Trainer a bag to try out.  To nobody’s surprise, this bag stands out in a large crowd of training bags.

This bag appears deceptively small.  It is 16.5″ long, 11.81″ wide, and 12.2″ tall.  It comes with two small handles for hand-held carrying as well as a shoulder strap.  It has a zippered top.  On one outer side, there is a large zippered pocket that goes the length of the bag.  On the other side are three mesh pockets, one perfectly sized for business cards, and then two larger ones.  On one end is a label that can be filled out with your contact information.

Notice the three pockets. The smaller pockets is perfect for business cards.

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Notice the label for your personal information on the bag.

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Inside Compartments Of The Haul Bag

It is upon opening the bag that the wow factor really kicks in.  The bag is gigantic.  It has what Ruffwear calls a “gatemouth” opening, which opens the bag to a full rectangle.  The inside, like the outside, has both a zippered pockets on one side and mesh pockets on the other side.  The bottom is wide and flat.

Notice one side with a zipper and one with pockets.

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IMG_4192I was pleasantly surprised to find that all the training gear that had maxed out my other training bag fit into the Ruffwear bag with plenty of room to spare.

Even when fully stuffed, the bag is lightweight and comfortable to carry.  When slung over a shoulder, it is less prone to knocking into furniture, vehicles, dogs, and people than other training bags due to the smaller dimensions and tapered top.

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The Haul Bag is not inexpensive; however, with the sturdy materials and craftsmanship, as well as the lovely yet simple design, it is a bag you will not have to replace in the near future. If you are a professional trainer, be sure to join Ruffwear’s Pro Purchase Program for a discount on their items!

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*This bag was given to The Modern Dog Trainer for free for the review. Our opinion of this product was not affected by Ruffwear’s generosity. We participate in Ruffwear’s affiliate program in order to support this blog and our dedicated contributors.

Product Review – Ruffwear Haul Bag

10 Behaviors All Obedience Classes Should Cover

Ask anyone and they have their own idea of what a dog should learn. There are the essential behaviors but there are some other behaviors that might not be taken into consideration until there is an issue. It is important to cover these in a class to provide students with a proper foundation for a well-behaved and stable dog.

Image via Bessey's Positive Paws

Image via Bessey’s Positive Paws

1. Sit

An essential behavior that most clients have already started with their dog when they come to class but is still just as important to cover. Sit is key to get as a solid behavior because it can be utilized when working on proper greetings or providing a dog with an incompatible behavior to jumping.

2. Down

Another essential behavior that clients like to know how to teach. It works as an incompatible behavior to things like jumping but also is handy when working on teaching place or a settle.

3. Leave-it

A behavior that has endless uses. Not only to teach a dog to leave food or inanimate items but other dogs, cats, people or “yuck”. You can fill in the blank.

4. Loose Leash Walking

Whether a dog is allowed freedom outdoors or not, how to walk on a leash is a behavior to start immediately. There will always be a time when a dog needs to be put on a leash and it is more pleasurable for dog and handler when the leash is loose, let alone safer.

5. Settle/Relax

Clients tend to focus their attention on exercising their dog which can lead to an anxious or hyperactive dog that doesn’t know how to chill. Dogs will adapt to the level of exercise they are given. We need to teach them to settle and relax in the face of excitement or boredom.

6. Recall

Also known as “coming when called,” this is a life saving behavior and takes lots of practice to be truly successful. Coming when called is a key behavior to teach early on in lessons. Consider incorporating a hand touch with this behavior to make sure the dog comes within reach in case of an emergency situation.

7. Place

A versatile tool like a mat, towel, dog bed etc. that can be used to have the dog target at a  specific location and then to relax and settle. Mats are portable and can be taken to coffee shops or restaurants as well.

8. Focus

Client will repeat cues to a dog when they don’t even have the dogs attention. By teaching the client this tool of gaining their dogs attention will help to eliminate frustration in the face of distractions.

9. Handling

Teaching your clients to teach their dogs to love handling is essential. It helps to create a stable, confident dog. Dogs should allow their owners to comfortably hold their feet (for nail trimming), check their mouth, look in their ears, brush their coats and accept restraint. Having strangers perform these exercises to the dog is a definite bonus to prep for vet visits! (Tip: Have everyone in class switch dogs and practice gentle handling exercises with lots of rewards.)

10. Give

Teaching “give” or a “drop it” helps prevent resource guarding. Instead of forcing something away from the dog we can give the dog the choice to drop the item for something of better value.

The above behaviors are listed in no particular order to importance. Which behavior do you think is the most important?

Product Review – Ruffwear Haul Bag

Three Ways To Teach Relaxation

Three Ways To Teach-min

Three Different Ways To Teach A Dog To Relax

Relaxation is something a lot of dogs do not know how to do in many different environments. It is also something most owners do not think they have to teach their dog. Relaxation is important because it helps lower the chance of reactivity when dogs are able to be level-headed in many different environments. Relaxation exercises are also important to help prevent separation anxiety. A dog’s ability to learn is also higher when they are relaxed versus when they are anxious or hyper.

There are many different ways to teach a dog to relax. Here are three techniques to try.

1. Relaxation Protocol

Dr. Karen Overall’s relaxation protocol is a very popular method to teach relaxation. You can find mp3’s of the relaxation protocol here. Below is a video with an explanation of what the relaxation protocol entails. You can also perform the relaxation protocol on your mat so you can relate relaxation with the mat wherever it is taken.

2. Capturing Calmness/Default Settle

Kikopup has an excellent YouTube video on how to capture a dog’s calmness. Rewarding the dog when they are not expecting it when they are calm. This is something the owners can do while watching tv at night. Teaching a default settle is a great behavior for owners who enjoy taking their dogs to outside patios for meals. These behaviors have the dogs working on relaxation because they enjoy the behavior, not just because food is present.

3. The Calm Chin Rest

Another of Kikopup’s videos touches on ‘the calm chin rest’. This is teaching a chin rest, usually without a clicker because they have a tendency to excite dogs, and working towards moving the dog’s neck and feeling for their body being loose and relaxed.

These are just three methods that can be utilized to teach relaxation. It’s important that all dogs learn how to relax in different environments as it is not healthy or fair for a dog to live in an anxious, stressful environment.

What other relaxation methods do you utilize with your clients?

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Product Review – Ruffwear Haul Bag

10 Prejudices Owners Have Against Clicker Training That Are Wrong

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1. Clicker Training Is Permissive

Clicker training does not mean you will never tell a dog “no.” Behaviors that are reinforced with a click/treat will repeat; behaviors that are ignored will go away. Ignoring behaviors and/or NOT clicking/treating is telling the dog “no, that’s not what I want.”

2. A Clicker Is Forever

Some people think, “I will have to carry a clicker and treats with me everywhere for the rest of my dog’s life.” Once the dog’s history of reinforcement for a behavior is built and the behavior is on stimulus control, the click/treat reinforcement is no longer as important. It is, however, important to remember that to maintain behaviors, reinforcement of the behavior should still occur.

3. It’s A Juggling Act

You need to have three hands (or more!) to clicker train. Practice clicker mechanics just like you practice “sit” and “down.” Get your leash, clicker, and some treats (candy or something rewarding for you) and practice without a dog (hence the treats for you!). Another way to practice is to have someone bounce a ball while you click/treat when the ball hits the ground.

4. It’s Bribery

Some people also think, “My dog will only listen to me when I have a clicker/treats.” Dogs will not do what they are asked to do until they have learned the cue and the behavior. Once dogs understand the cue and know the behavior, this is no longer an issue. Using proper clicker training mechanics is also an important part in preventing bribery – keep those hands out of the treat pouch!

5. It Isn’t Applicable To Other People

Do you want your dog to listen to someone else? Then have that person train with your dog. Or if what you want is a dog who will listen to a variety of people (vet tech, groomer, dog walker, etc.), have a variety of people train with your dog so that your dog gets used to listening to a variety of people. It is not about training method — it is about generalization and training in general.

6. A Classroom Full Of Clicking Will Confuse A Dog

Life is not lived in a vacuum and dog training is not done in a vacuum. Dogs pay attention to the whole picture – body language, verbalization, emotion, clicker, treats, etc. Your dog absolutely knows which click is for her.

7. Clicker Training Is Limited

You can train everything with a clicker – from sit to housetraining to dog sports to working dogs. Everything.

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8. You Can’t Use A Clicker For Dog Sports Or Therapy Dog Work

Clickers are not allowed in the ring or on therapy visits (with many registering organizations/groups). But you can certainly utilize clicker training to train and prepare your dog for these things (remember it’s about history of reinforcement and stimulus control). Fortunately, you can utilize the clicker in your warm-up routine (at competitions it is polite and good trial etiquette to warm up outside or away from the ring(s) if you are using a clicker so as not to distract the working dog(s)).

9. Clickers Won’t Help With Reactive Or Aggressive Dogs

Using a clicker to work with a reactive or aggressive dog can be very calming for the dog. Once the dog understands that click means reinforcement, it helps the dog feel more comfortable and confident. They enjoy knowing that a click means the same thing in the training space, at home, on the street, alone, with other dogs, etc. A clicker increases comfort and confidence in reactive dogs because it consistently reinforces the behaviors they should do in a trigger situation while creating a positive association.

10. Sound Sensitive Dogs Hate Clicker Training

There are a number of different clickers with different levels of sounds for dogs and for humans. Experiment! If you can’t find a clicker that your dog is comfortable with, try a clicking pen, a canning lid, children’s toys – be creative. You can also put your clicker in your pocket or behind your back to quiet the sound a bit. Always be careful not to click too close to a dog, especially his ears.

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Product Review – Ruffwear Haul Bag

Share A Little Win A Lot: National Train Your Dog Month

National Train Your Dog Month

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National Train Your Dog Month was started by the Association of Professional Dog Trainers in 2010. Their inspiration was to get owners aware of the benefits of training their dogs using scientifically sound techniques. Since many people adopt animals for the holidays, January seemed the perfect month to dub “National Train Your Dog” Month.

“The APDT thought it was long overdue to dedicate a month to bringing awareness to the importance of socialization and training, and most of all, to inform the public that training your dog can be easy and fun!”

In order to encourage participation in this awareness project, the APDT sponsors a contest and prizes every January.

APDT Conference and Prize Giveaway

Hurry! You only have until February 2nd at 5:00PM Pacific to win. “Win what”, you say? The APDT is giving away four great prizes, just for promoting Train Your Dog Month on social media:

1st 

A FREE APDT 5-day Registration for the 21st Annual Educational Conference Oct 14-17, 2015 in Dallas, TX https://apdt.com/conference/

2nd 

A FREE APDT Full student registration for a multi-week online course of your choice, like their course “Aggression and the Law: What Trainers Need to Know.” More courses found here: https://apdt.com/education/courses/

3rd

A FREE APDT Membership for one year, at the level of your choice.

4th

Five free APDT Webinars and a copy of “Dog Trainer’s Resource 3.” Presenters of webinars include, but are not limited to: Pat Miller, Veronica Boutelle & Gina Phairas, Robin Bennett & Susan Briggs, Teoti Anderson, Linda Case, Janis Bradley, Monty Sloan and Jacqueline Muñera.

How To Enter

Ok, I bet by now you are asking how you can get your hands on one of these great prizes? It just happens to be super easy.

Share on any of your social media outlets that January is National Train Your Dog Month (visit http://www.TrainYourDogMonth.com for inspiration). Then, once you’ve shared about Train Your Dog Month, get two or more shares or re-tweets and BAM you are on your way. Send a screenshot of the social media image along with your contact information and APDT member number to: trainyourdogmonth@apdt.com.

For official instructions and rules for entering the APDT’s National Train Your Dog Month Social Media Contest go to their website.

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Product Review – Ruffwear Haul Bag

What’s Happening The Other 23 Hours Of The Day?

Rehearsal Is The Key To Success

The way to success in becoming a star athlete or a master criminal is achieved in the same way. The more a skill or behavior is rehearsed the better and more natural it becomes. So often dog parents may come to you wanting to change a dog’s behavior. Of course we are interested in the behavior at hand, but we should be even more interested in what is happening the “other 23 hours of the day”.

What's Happening The Other 23 Hours Of The Day?

Having tunnel vision by focusing on the unwanted behavior isn’t enough. We’ve got to look at what is happening behind the scenes at all of the rehearsal time before the curtain goes up. A pro-golfer is likely to practice other calisthenics to improve his game and I’ll bet your clients dog has his own version of cross-training, too. It reminds me of Mickey, the inventive trainer in Rocky. Mickey had Rocky chase chickens to find a new and more agile way of becoming quick on his feet. Somewhere when you aren’t looking, the pup has invented his own technique for getting the result he desires.

Let’s say you feel like your client’s dog is unnecessarily barking for attention and you are at your wit’s end with this. First, we’ve got to figure out when and where else this behavior is being reinforced. Does he get practice barking away “intruders” like the UPS man or a neighbor dog being walked by the window? Although you might not be directly rewarding the pup for this action with a cookie, just the act alone of the “trigger” going away can be the reward itself to the dog. “I bark, and it goes away”, thinks the pup. “Success!” The repetition of this story is in itself a rehearsal. In turn, the rehearsal of the behavior gets stronger and more habitual. The behavior will eventually become second nature for the dog.

As a professional dog trainer even I get stumped sometimes. Imagine my astonishment when I saw my dog, Dexter with his paws on the kitchen counter! I racked by brain trying to figure out where he had learned this behavior. How had he been rewarded, and where was this rehearsed? After a week of question and observing him like a hawk, I saw him jumping up on the gate in the back of my van to gain a better vantage point. That was it! If it worked for him in the van, he’s bound to “learn” it will work for him in the kitchen. Because animals are such excellent problem-solvers they can piece together the puzzle through masterful trial and error learning. This can make the pup both clever and sly quickly, but it’s also why they are so fun to shape and train.

If the rehearsal of behavior is the key to success, then eliminating or, at least, minimizing the opportunity for the unwanted behavior is the way to begin. Common sense tells us that we aren’t going to keep the UPS guy from coming to the door, or keep other dogs out of our neighborhood, but what we do have control over is what our pup rehearses.

Let’s imagine that I am a master car thief with years of practice. Although I’ve been successful for years, one day I get pinched. I go to jail. I’m kept from practicing my craft. If one day my sentence is up, and I return to society without rehabilitation (learning a replacement behavior) I’m likely to fall back into my old ways to achieve success with my desired result. Moral of the story: If you prevent the villain from rehearsing the behavior while rehabilitating (teaching them alternative actions and behaviors), then they are much less likely to go back to their old crime.

So how do you prevent the pup from repeating bad behaviors? I teach and reward the “opposite” behavior or a DRI (Differential Reinforcement for Incompatible behavior). With barking, for example, I teach and reward a quiet cue. For jumping, I teach and reward a solid “down” or a “belly up” behavior. We should work to reward an appropriate behavior rather than starting by punishing the inappropriate behavior. We must also keep in mind those other 23 hours in the day.

Addressing the time when the dog is alone or not around us is important. For example, you can recommend crating the pup while leaving upbeat music playing to drown out sounds from outside to prevent perimeter barking. Employing simple preventatives, such as making sure the pups are well exercised and left with a food-stuffed toy to keep them engaged, can prevent them from rehearsing old behaviors.

Dogs will always be rehearsing behaviors. It’s up to us to teach and reward the behaviors we want rehearsed. How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice.

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Product Review – Ruffwear Haul Bag

3 Approaches to Teaching Loose Leash Walking

loose leash walking

Loose leash walking.  *insert ominous music*  Sometimes teaching loose leash walking to clients can feel like the bane of every dog trainer’s existence.  It’s not that the skills needed are difficult.  No, it’s the consistency and patience that are required that can make it so tedious.  So, as a modern dog trainer, what are some ways you can help teach loose leash walking to your clients?  Here, we’ll examine three videos that may be of benefit.

“Polite Walking On Leash” by Ines Gaschot

loose leash walkingThis first video shows how starting simple can make such a big impact.  Ines starts on the porch with her dog, Loker, simply clicking and treating for a loose leash while working in a small, relatively low distraction location.  Ines illustrates how to increase difficulty via distractions and duration of behavior.  She then does some troubleshooting for forging and offers alternative ways to reward dogs (changing up treat delivery, sniffing breaks, etc).  She offers helpful tips at the beginning and end of the video.  This video is fantastic due to its simplicity.  It will be easy for your clients to grasp this concept and put it into play, even after you are gone.

“Clicker Training Loose Leash Walking” by Casey Lomonaco

Casey’s approach to loose leash walking is to emphasize the placement of treat delivery.  Careful and consistent treat placement means the dog learns that being beside the owner is a Very Good Place to be.  She starts slow, just standing in one place.  She then begins pivoting 90 degrees each time to encourage the dog to start moving into position.  After the dog is confidently doing that, she begins taking large single steps, changing direction frequently.  To introduce longevity into the loose leash walking, Casey uses the “300 Peck” method.  By the end of this short video, her puppy, Cuba, is politely offering loose leash walking even though he is off leash.

“How Do I Teach My Dog Not To Pull On Leash?” by Kevin Duggan

Kevin takes a different approach from the two videos above.  His method is incredibly useful for dogs that aren’t as food motivated, or dogs that are in a highly distracting area.  He teaches the dog that all forward movement stops if the leash gets tight.  He then turns and goes another direction (“penalty yards”), teaching the dog that pulling towards a desired object actually makes it go further away.  Kevin uses his voice as praise a great deal, some treats, and also a toy that his dog desires.

 Conclusion

These videos all are highly simple and effective even though they use three different methods.  Your clients will all have different learning styles, so being able to offer them several options for teaching this skill will ensure they have success.

What other methods do you like to use to teach your clients loose leash walking?

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Product Review – Ruffwear Haul Bag

5 Uses For Crates During Training

crating during training

Many clients are averse to the idea of crating their dogs.  Being able to explain to them how crating can help their dog’s training progress may open them up to the concept.

Housetraining

Crating can be of immense benefit when it comes to housetraining a dog, regardless of age.  It keeps the dog confined to a relatively small space, keeping them from being able to roam and squat wherever they desire.  Feeding the dog in the crate makes housetraining go even faster as most dogs will not go to the bathroom where they eat.  Obviously it is important to stress to your clients the importance of taking the dog outside on a regular basis.  Also, be sure to emphasize that crating is not to be utilized 24/7, but only when the dog is not able to be immediately supervised.

Settle

Crating can teach a dog that it’s okay to relax.  Starting with very small amounts of time, clients can put their dogs in a crate with something yummy to chew on.  Doing this consistently can teach the dog that good things happen in there and it’s okay to relax and settle down.  This can be helpful at times when visitors are coming and going or the dog just needs to be out of the way for some reason.  Having a dog that will settle in its crate can be a great management tool.

Home Base

Group classes are a great time to utilize crating.  When you are talking and your attendees need to listen, they can put their dog (who knows that settling in a crate is a good thing!) in the crate so they can focus on you.  The crate can also act as a home base for the dog when things get stressful or he just needs a break.  Or make a training game of it – have your client do some work with the dog and then they and their dog can run to the crate together and throw a party when the dog enters.

Separation Distress/Anxiety

Separation distress/anxiety can be a nightmare to deal with, but crating can sometimes help ward it off.  If your client’s dog has learned to associate the crate with Very Good Things, and has learned that its crate is used for settling in and relaxing, it can help the process of treating the separation anxiety.  It is also useful to prevent a dog from pacing back and forth from window to window and barking at people/animals passing by, thereby keeping their stress levels elevated.  Crating can encourage the dog to just relax and sleep or work on a chew toy.  Note: Separation anxiety can be dangerous for the dog – if you are not confident in your ability to recommend a course of action that will keep the dog safe during training, please refer your client to somebody who is!

Preparation For Emergencies

Nobody ever wants a tragedy to occur, but sometimes they do.  What happens if your client’s dog gets sick and has to spend the night at the e-vet?  If the dog isn’t accustomed to crating, it can get incredibly stressed out, hindering treatment.  If you and your clients live in a location with natural disasters that might prompt evacuation, having a crate trained dog can make it much easier to find a place that a client can go with their dog.  Or even something as basic as your client wanting to take a vacation – dogs that are not accustomed to crating are more likely to panic in a kennel setting.

Crating responsibly can be incredibly beneficial to your clients’ progress in training their dogs.  Being able to explain the usefulness may open some otherwise closed minds.

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Product Review – Ruffwear Haul Bag

How To Structure An Open Enrollment Dog Training Class

How To Structure An Open Enrollment Dog Training Class

Open Enrollment Dog Training Classes

Open enrollment dog training classes are a big leap from traditionally scheduled and planned classes, but the conveniences they provide to our students are outstanding! Many students are looking for convenience in their classes and this concept can be a delightful change in your class schedule.

Set Up An Orientation Time For New Students

Orientation time can be a separate class time (for example: orientation is each week on Mondays at 6:00 p.m.), 15 – 30 minutes before each class, or a film a video you can send to new clients to watch before class. During orientation, cover topics such as clicker basics, classroom philosophy, and housekeeping items.

Create Your Schedule

Determine how often you want the class to “roll over” or begin again. Make a list of topics you want to cover in a typical series and how many classes it takes to include all of them (my classes “roll over” every six weeks).  Also determine how many times each week you will offer the same class, adding to the flexibility factor of this structure.

Be Prepared To Have Students At Different Levels

Open enrollment classes mean that potentially every student in your class could be at a different level on the same exercise. Be prepared to address these different levels. Using the three D’s (duration, distraction, and distance) is helpful in preparing your classes to address the different needs of students at different levels.

Make Flexible, Open-ended Lesson Plans

Having flexible, open-ended lesson plans for each class gives you direction and purpose. It will make each class session more productive if you have goals set ahead of time.

Educate Your Current And Potential Students

Remember, this may be a new concept to your students, too! Explain your new class structure, outline the benefits, and show them how this will the flexibility will suite their needs.

Give It Time To Work

We have taught traditionally planned and scheduled classes for a long time. It’s going to take some time for you and your students to get used to this new concept. Give yourself time to settle into this new routine, but make sure your plan is clear to your clients to avoid miscommunication.

Comment below if you run open enrollment dog training classes and what you think of them!

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Interacting Professionally With “Traditional” Trainers

Interacting Professionally With "Traditional" Trainers

Interacting Professionally Online and In-Person With A Variety Of Dog Trainers

Traditional trainers (those who introduce physical corrections into their training of some sort)  are as passionate about their training methods as force-free trainers are about their methods.  Unfortunately, this can often cause confrontations when the two types of trainers come together, either in person or via the internet.  Arguing is stressful and non-productive, so what are some options for gracefully handling these interactions?

(As an aside, the vast majority of traditional trainers are not interested in arguing and being rude to force-free trainers – this article is to help when dealing with the small minority that revel in being hostile.)

Turn The Other Cheek

Often traditional trainers start slinging around names and insults to rile up force-free trainers.  Though it can be frustrating, you should try to ignore this.  On the other hand, take the higher ground and do not reciprocate by throwing derogatory terms and names back at them.

Don’t Get Pulled In

Sometimes the easiest option is to walk away.  If you know that you are not going to be able to retain your composure whilst discussing your side, give yourself the power to remove yourself.  Getting riled up is not going to affect the other person.  It will simply make you miserable and possibly reflect badly on your reputation.

Agree To Disagree

Often you just reach a point in conversations where the discussion is going in circles.  Your mind is not going to change and neither is their’s.  At this point, agree to disagree.  Continuing the conversation is going to accomplish nothing other than to annoy you and waste your time. Ending the conversation this way will preserve your sanity and reputation.

Know Your Facts

Before getting involved in discussions, make sure you know your facts.  Be prepared to cite books, articles, and other reputable resources that show the power of positive reinforcement.  If you are confident about your training methods and why you use them, having the resources to back up your arguments will be helpful.

Above all, remember that positive reinforcement works for people, too.  So often, force-free trainers are so passionate about their techniques that they get riled up and lash out when challenged.  Arguing will not change minds.  Use your personal dogs and the dogs you train as good examples of the power of force-free training. Always keep in mind that everyone is working towards the same goals, you are just pursuing different pathways to get there.

What do you recommend for interactions with traditional trainers who want to argue?

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