It’s not uncommon for dog owners to hold different opinions on dog training. With so many schools of thought regarding training, some trainers can achieve the same results for the same behavior problems using completely different training methods. General views towards dog welfare have changed in the past several decades. Once-common shock collars and choke chains are largely anathema in modern-day training. For the most part, we can all agree on one thing: it’s unethical (and illegal) to inflict pain on an animal you’re training. In Palm Beach, Florida, a dog trainer was arrested for abuse of her clients’ dogs.
Dog trainer arrested on animal cruelty charges
Using positive dog training for good
Knighten’s actions are blatantly detrimental to the dogs in her care. Her abuse is clear-cut. But sometimes animal abuse is harder to identify. Be sure that you never take out your frustrations on your dog. Keep training sessions to five to 10-minute increments so neither you nor your dog grow frustrated. Using negative reinforcement is a common mistake among new trainers. Yelling at or physically punishing your dog only confuses them, so keep your training sessions positive and lighthearted.
While this story is concerning, most professional trainers are trustworthy, and this incident doesn’t reflect the dog training industry as a whole. But, if your dog displays signs of anxiety when heading towards a training session, investigate. Trepidation around new people is normal, but if your dog routinely dreads seeing your trainer, they might not be a good match.
