There are two main dog training categories: techniques based on learning theory (traditional dog training and positive reinforcement) and techniques based on ethology (dog whispering).
Traditional dog training, as we know it, is the earliest of these theories. It was initially developed to train war dogs and was very useful during World War I. It is associated with Colonel Konrad Most (the "father of modern dog training") who published Training Dogs: A Manual in 1910, and William R. Koehler. His book, The Koehler Method of Dog Training, was an all-time best seller and highly influential. His book is still in print decades later (www.dogwise.com has copies for sale).
Traditional dog training relies on negative reinforcement and punishment. Negative reinforcement increases the likelihood of some behavior by stopping or avoiding an unpleasant sensation. If I push on my puppy's bottom, he will sit down to avoid my pushing. Punishment is an unpleasant consequence of a particular behavior. Punishment can be yelling, hitting, or a quick jerk on a choke collar. It really depends on the person or the trainer.
Traditional dog training does not have to be brutal, but it has its detractors who believe that it is much harsher than it needs to be and that dogs do not learn well from these techniques. On the other hand, decades of dogs have been taught obedience using traditional dog training methods.
Choke chains, prong collars, leash corrections, and even shock collars (electric) are common tools in traditional dog training.
It is true that traditional dog training is usually aimed at teaching obedience and does not encompass typical canine behavioral problems. Others claim that the collars used in this technique can damage a dog's trachea.
In the 1990s a method of training called Positive Reinforcement became popular. Positive Reinforcement is taught primarily through use of a clicker, but it can be taught using words as well.
Clicker training will be discussed in a later chapter, but positive reinforcement is based on something called classical conditioning. This is the famous example of Pavlov's dogs, who learned, on their own, to salivate in the presence of the lab technician who normally fed them. The dogs associated the lab technician with their food. In his own experiment, Pavlov used bells to call the dogs to their food. The dogs quickly began to salivate in response to the bells, associating the bells with their food. A neutral stimulus (the bell) became a conditioned response. This is classical conditioning -- a simple association and conditioned response.
B.F. Skinner took this a step farther. He studied the effects of reinforcers, both rewards and punishers. Rewards increase the frequency of an action. Punishers decrease their frequency.
Positive reinforcers are anything that you add to increase the likelihood of a behavior. Adding food as a reward is a definite positive reinforcer.
So, what does this have to do with dog training? All you have to do is teach (or "condition") your dog to associate a behavior with a command, through the use of a clicker or word, and reward him.
Positive reinforcement does have critics. They say that dogs trained this way are highly food-motivated. Positive reinforcement is not only about rewarding with food, however. It is about anything that strengthens a desired behavior by virtue of a pleasant situation for the animal. Depending on the situation, you could reward by allowing your dog to go outside, taking your dog for a walk, playing with your dog, giving him a toy, and so forth.
Perhaps the biggest advantage to this kind of training is that it is very enjoyable for the dog. Training seems like a game for both the dog and the trainer. Choke collars and the like are not necessary. In addition, positive reinforcement training is very useful for dogs with behavioral problems.
According to many people, dog whispering isn't a training method as much as it is a method of behavior analysis and communication.
Dog whispering is theoretically based on the field of ethology, which studies the behavior of species under natural conditions. Ethology is a respected field and includes the study of human beings as well as animals. Theories about the ethology of dogs are based upon the study of wolf packs in the wild. As such, they draw heavily upon the idea of pack hierarchy, dominance and the "alpha" place of a pack leader. When applied to dogs living with humans, the place of the "alpha," or pack leader, is supposed to be the human according to this theory.
This theory gained popularity in the 1980s. Jan Fennell and Cesar Millan are leading proponents and it has gained a footing in popular culture through Mr. Millan's books and television shows.
There seems to be some disagreement among scholars about whether the behavior of wolf packs in the wild actually applies to domestic dogs or whether any of this information is really useful to owners. Some of the information in Dog Whispering seems to be based only on popular beliefs and not on scientific studies.
According to dog trainers, Dog Whispering does not help in teaching obedience commands. Dog Whispering advocates claim that their skill lies in reading canine body language and communicating with dogs.
Critics of Dog Whispering argue that Dog Whispering is based on dominance and that there is no scientific support for the alpha dog theory of human interaction with dogs. They say that the techniques of Dog Whispering are only based on popular myths and not any evidence or scientific studies.
In all kinds of dog training the most essential elements are timing and consistency. If your dog is confused he can't obey you. You have to strive to time your rewards and/or corrections so your dog knows exactly what you want. And you need to be consistent in your training. If you reward for something one time and ignore the same behavior the next time, your dog, again, will be confused. Always try to look at things from your dog's point of view and it will help you in your training.
At the moment the most popular kind of training in the U.S. and Canada is positive reinforcement, particularly using clicker training. Clicker training is being used for dogs in obedience, agility, rally and many other dog sports, as well as simply training dogs at home. It's a very effective means of training your dog and dogs enjoy positive reinforcement.