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Date Posted: 10:57:20 04/12/07 Thu
Author: Norman Epstein
Subject: Food in training

I looked at the Cavan Creek Boerboel site and saw they were using a trainer that quoted the following on his web site,

"Be forewarned, the words Positive Reinforcement, Luring, and Operant Conditioning are code words for bribing with food.After the first lesson your dog should heel, sit, and down on command. Food bribery creates aggression!!!!"

Here are my thoughts on the above and would like to hear yours also. First I have used food in "teaching" behaviors not only for Gordo but for all of my schutzhund titled dogs (Rottweilers, German Shepherd Dogs' and Boerboels and have been doing so for over 25 years with no aggression issues. Here is a link http://www.k9freeconnect.com:80/video/f1c579d3-933c-474e-a712-98410109fd80.htm showing this method (food) with Gordo when he was about a year old. Please notice the joy in his work. I for one do not consider using food a bribe but payment for success. How often and how long one uses food can be a hindrance in training a finished behavior. But generalized opinions such as food will lead to aggression is IMO unproductive. I am by this in no way saying that I don't believe in compulsion because I do but not for teaching. Can a dog be made to obey by force, sure but part of training is to have the dog looking forward to his training. Second, "After the first lesson your dog should heel, sit, and down on command". OK but does that mean he knows it and will he respond the same way tomorrow. Moreover why does it take years to finish a dog in obedience training if we can teach him in one day. I have know trainers who eschew food and all for various reasons and if it works for them great. But I have found that trainers who make statements such as the above for all breed and various temperaments within those breeds are overreaching in validating there methods, whatever those methods are, including mine. The difference is for the most part I let the dog dictate the training method and not try to force mine on the dog. Norman Epstein

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