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As an Equine & Canine Behaviourist, I believe positive reinforcement is the only ethical answer especially when shaping new behaviours in animals that are suffering a high level of stress; as is often the case when a horse/dog is performing an undesirable behaviour.
Positive reinforcement in the form of giving a food reward is rarely sufficient to change behaviour and can even cause problems with some food orientated individuals. This is why behaviourists at the NAC are trained to use the clicker as a powerful classically conditioned secondary reinforcer.
At the consultation I will explain exactly how you and your horse/dog can have fun learning together (yes I did say fun!).
Clicker training is a positive experience whether you are training for fun or to solve a problem.
This is not a new concept and is the way in which most dolphins are trained at the large marine centres. As I am sure you can imagine, it would be very difficult, if not impossible, to train a dolphin using force and he certainly wouldn't be offering the expression and enthusiasm often seen in performances by these animals. |
