By Zazie Todd, PhD
If people are going to pass their coin on a domestic dog preparation book, you lot would promise they would acquire advice that is useful, slowly to follow, up-to-date together with accurate. Unfortunately, some domestic dog preparation books autumn short, according to a review yesteryear Dr. Clare Browne (University of Waikato) et al of 5 best-selling books.
There is a silvery lining inwards this story: some domestic dog preparation books comprise rattling practiced information. (You'll observe my recommendations at the terminate of the article).
But the review found some pop domestic dog preparation books include information that is inconsistent, scientifically inaccurate or unclear; propose the utilisation of punishment-based methods despite their association amongst negative outcomes; together with utilisation anthropomorphisms together with references to leadership that may interfere amongst domestic dog owners’ agreement of their pet’s behaviour. This is bad intelligence for brute welfare. It’s also bad intelligence for owners who may grapple amongst their dog’s behavior due to next pathetic advice.
doctor Clare Browne told me inwards an email,
“Good domestic dog preparation books should accept information that readers tin forcefulness out sympathise together with apply, but the information must also accept a scientific basis. This review showed that non all of these pop books (that remained highly-ranked on large retailers' websites for years) encounter these functions. This is a concern, because people who read some of these books may non move getting the best information inwards damage of preparation efficacy together with brute welfare.”The review is framed inwards damage of what domestic dog guardians take away to know inwards monastic enjoin to educate their dogs. Given that behavior problems are a take away chances for dogs beingness surrendered to brute shelters, the scientists say, “if people’s preparation attempts are to a greater extent than successful, fewer dogs may move relinquished.” There tin forcefulness out move real-life consequences to next domestic dog preparation advice.
The researchers selected 5 books based on their popularity. The books were initially chosen based on a search of 3 major online booksellers (Amazon United Kingdom of Great Britain together with Northern Ireland of Britain together with Northern Republic of Ireland together with U.S. together with Fishpond NZ) inwards 2009; subsequent searches inwards 2012 together with 2014 showed their continuing popularity.
The books included inwards the review are: Cesar’s Way yesteryear Cesar Millan together with Melissa Jo Peltier; The Dog Listener yesteryear January Fennell; It’s Me or the Dog yesteryear Victoria Stilwell; Don’t Shoot the Dog! yesteryear Karen Pryor; together with How to Be Your Dog’s Best Friend yesteryear Monks of New Skete.
The 2 books that come upwardly out of the review best (the silvery lining) are It's Me or the Dog
by Victoria Stilwell and Don't Shoot the Dog!
yesteryear Karen Pryor.The researchers tell It’s Me or the Dog has electrical flow information well-nigh domestic dog behavior together with training, together with provides the information inwards a agency that’s accessible together with slowly for domestic dog owners to follow. The researchers found Don't Shoot the Dog! contains non bad information together with in-depth coverage of learning theory every bit applied to whatsoever species, including humans, although it is non specific to dogs. Both books accept an emphasis on positive reinforcement.
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| Photo: Michael Kraus; top, picsbyst (both Shutterstock) |
The Dog Listener is based on the thought that dogs accept a hierarchical construction together with oft compares dogs to wolves. Cesar’s Way is inwards component subdivision autobiography of Cesar Millan, together with is based on the ideas of dominance, energy, together with beingness the “pack leader”. How to Be Your Dog’s Best Friend is based on the thought that humans should move the “alpha” together with includes a lot well-nigh positive punishment.
So are these 5 books evidence-based? The scientists compared what the books tell to what scientific discipline tells us well-nigh how to educate a dog.
The books were read thoroughly every bit good every bit searched for explanations of aspects of learning theory (e.g. positive reinforcement, positive punishment) together with for information relevant to human-dog communication (e.g. torso language, musical note of voice, together with timing). As good every bit full general information, the researchers explicitly looked at how the books suggested people learn their dogs ‘sit’, ‘lie down’ together with ‘come’.
The researchers counted how many times particular topics were mentioned every bit good every bit the character of the information (e.g. how good the books defined positive reinforcement compared to a scientific definition).
The tallies for how many times positive reinforcement together with positive penalization are mentioned are rattling interesting. Pryor mentions R+ 46 times together with P+ vii times, together with Stilwell mentions R+ 52 times together with P+ nine times. This shows the strong emphasis these authors accept on positive reinforcement. Fennell mentions R+ thirty times together with P+ four times. Millan & Pelltier are the exclusively ones to cite P+ to a greater extent than oft than R+ (21 times vs sixteen times, respectively). Monks of New Skete cite R+ 59 times together with P+ comes upwardly 58 times.
Both the Millan & Peltier mass together with Monks of New Skete utilisation the give-and-take ‘correction’ to refer to some positive punishment, together with Monks of New Skete reserve the give-and-take ‘punishment’ for to a greater extent than harsh punishments (e.g. jerking on the leash is described every bit a correction, but shaking together with hitting the domestic dog are referred to every bit punishment). As the scientists dot out, inconsistencies inwards descriptions of reinforcement together with penalization may move confusing to domestic dog owners.
In damage of how the books covered learning theory (essential information if you lot desire to educate a dog), at that topographic point was a lot of variation. The researchers tell Pryor’s mass provided the most comprehensive information, amongst a primary focus on positive reinforcement. Three of the books did non explicate either reinforcement (Millan & Peltier), penalization (Stilwell), or both (Fennell), although they did accept examples of them inwards the book. Monks of New Skete did explicate both, but they advise starting amongst a depression score of positive penalization together with therefore increasing it over time. The scientists dot out this is non consistent amongst the scientific literature; studies demonstrate that animals tin forcefulness out habituate to penalization administered inwards this way, such that over fourth dimension high intensity penalization volition non halt the behavior (although it mightiness accept been effective if used from the beginning). This is rattling harsh together with non practiced for brute welfare.
"advising the domestic dog guardian populace to utilisation physically aversive preparation techniques, as suggested inwards some of these books, may non move the most prudent course of report of activeness inwards damage of security together with brute welfare."
The timing of delivery of reinforcement and/or penalization is crucial, but the scientists found that exclusively Pryor together with Stilwell emphasized timing together with gave clear, replicable advice.
Although all of the books referred to the utilisation of classical conditioning (except for Pryor, which has a dissimilar focus), Stilwell was the exclusively 1 to explicate it.
Only 3 of the books contained instructions for how to learn dogs to 'sit', 'lie down', together with 'come' (it's worth noting the other 2 create non depict themselves every bit domestic dog preparation books, fifty-fifty though they are pop every bit such). Stilwell contained clear instructions using non-coercive methods; Fennell was also non-coercive, but the researchers felt the instructions sometimes lacked detail. Monks of New Skete had instructions that were slowly to follow, but they suggested physically putting the domestic dog inwards seat (negative reinforcement). The researchers say, “this is surprising, every bit since the 1980s at that topographic point has been a shift away from physically coercing dogs during training.”
The researchers found Pryor has non bad information, but yesteryear definition, since the mass is well-nigh whatsoever animal, it was non specific to preparation dogs.
The score of particular well-nigh the cues people should utilisation when teaching dogs also varied across the books.
The researchers beak over the literature on domestic dog preparation methods which suggests potential risks to brute welfare from using confrontational techniques. They say,
“Although a causal link has non been established, it could move argued that punishment-based techniques accept been shown to move associated amongst fewer benefits than reward-based preparation methods together with inwards fact, accept been associated amongst pregnant negative effects (e.g., aggressive responses). Considering all of this, advising the domestic dog guardian populace to utilisation physically aversive preparation techniques, every bit suggested inwards some of these books, may non move the most prudent course of report of activeness inwards damage of security together with brute welfare."This is an of import report since it is the foremost fourth dimension scientists accept investigated the type together with character of information available inwards best-selling domestic dog preparation books. It is careful, thorough, together with methodical – together with to move frank, the results are alarming.
It is particularly concerning that books that recommend aversive methods move on to move therefore popular, given the scientific literature suggests a risk to brute welfare from using these methods (as good every bit a potential take away chances to human welfare if the domestic dog is aggressive inwards response). It shows only how much piece of occupation needs to move done to learn people how best to educate their dogs.
It also shows that every bit good every bit choosing a domestic dog trainer wisely, it is of import to take away domestic dog preparation books carefully. Unfortunately many people volition move guided yesteryear what is on the most pop lists.
In calorie-free of the books consistent seat on the best-selling lists, the scientists say,
"this indicates the books’ on-going popularity together with that they likely contribute significantly to the type of information that is accessed yesteryear domestic dog guardians."This review is a valuable contribution to the literature on domestic dog preparation together with brute welfare. Given the score of detail, it is non surprising it exclusively considers 5 books. It would move rattling interesting to consider these methods applied to other pop domestic dog preparation books too.
You tin forcefulness out follow the foremost author, Dr. Clare Browne, on Facebook.
If you lot desire to read to a greater extent than well-nigh the interrogation on domestic dog preparation methods, you lot mightiness similar to start amongst don't punish your domestic dog for peeing inwards the house, a new literature review recommends reward-based training, or you lot tin forcefulness out banking concern check out my dog preparation interrogation resources page.
My Dog Training Book Recommendations
In add-on to It's Me or the Dog: How to Have the Perfect Pet
by Victoria Stilwell together with Don't Shoot the Dog: The New Art of Teaching together with Training by Karen Pryor (both of which featured inwards the review)
, my ain recommendations of the best domestic dog preparation books are:Culture Clash
yesteryear Jean Donaldson,Train Your Dog Like a Pro
(also yesteryear Donaldson),The Power of Positive Dog Training
yesteryear Pat Miller,The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs
yesteryear Patricia McConnell,Plenty inwards Life Is Free: Reflections on Dogs, Training together with Finding Grace
yesteryear Kathy Sdao.Life Skills for Puppies: Laying the Foundation for a Loving, Lasting Relationship
by Helen Zulch together with Daniel Mills.From Fearful to Fear Free: Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Positive Program to Free Your Dog from Anxiety, Fears, together with Phobias
by Marty Becker DVM, Lisa Radosta, Wailani Sung, Mikkel Becker, together with edited yesteryear Kim Campbell Thornton.This page contains affiliate links.
You tin forcefulness out observe these books (and many others) inwards my Amazon store: https://www.amazon.com/shop/animalbookclub
Which domestic dog preparation books create you lot recommend?
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Zazie Todd, PhD, is the writer of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy
. She is the founder of the pop weblog , where she writes well-nigh everything from preparation methods to the human-canine relationship. She also writes a column for Psychology Today together with has received the prestigious Captain Haggerty Award for Best Training Article inwards 2017. Todd lives inwards Maple Ridge, BC, amongst her husband, 1 dog, together with 2 cats.Useful links:
- Check out what the Animal Book Club is reading this month
- Get merch
- Support me on Ko-fi
- Visit my Amazon store
Reference
Browne, C. M., Starkey, N. J., Foster, T. M., & McEwan, J. S. (2017). Examination of the Accuracy together with Applicability of Information inwards Popular Books on Dog Training. Brill. DOI: 10.1163/15685306-12341453
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