Balanced Dog Training Explained: Why We Train This Way

Every dog trainer has a method, and the argument over which is best gets heated. Here's where Real World K9 stands, why, and what the research does and doesn't say.

What "balanced" means

Balanced training uses both rewards and fair, clearly communicated consequences. Food, praise and play teach a dog what we want. When a dog knows a skill and chooses to ignore it, a calm, proportionate consequence tells the dog that the choice wasn't the right one, and we always show the dog what to do instead and reward it.

It's different from two other approaches:

• Positive-only training uses rewards and management, and avoids anything the dog may find unpleasant.
• Old-school hard training relies on force, fear or harsh handling to get compliance.

We don't do the second, and we don't think the first is the whole toolbox for every dog.

Why we train this way

This is our professional view, based on the dogs we work with:

• Clarity. Dogs learn from outcomes. When a dog understands both what earns a reward and what doesn't, there is less confusion and the dog tends to settle.
• Reliability around real distractions. A skill taught with food in the kitchen can fall apart near traffic, wildlife or another dog. Teaching how to respond when the dog is excited helps skills hold in real life.
• Safety. For dogs that bolt, chase or lunge, reliability can matter more than convenience.
• A fair deal for the owner. Many owners come to us after trying food and patience for months without success. They need a plan that works in daily life.

How we do it at Real World K9

1. Food and lead first. Where we can teach with food or a lead alone, that is where we start.
2. Tools only if needed, and in stages. If a dog needs more, we introduce tone and vibration first, and low-level stimulation only if it is still needed. Our collars' stimulation works in a similar way to a TENS machine: a muscular sensation the dog notices and learns to respond to.
3. The lowest level that works. The level is set for each individual dog, and it is never used in anger.
4. Always optional. An e-collar is never required to buy a program. It's used only with your written consent and you can withdraw it at any time.
5. Not for aggression. We refer aggression cases to qualified behaviourists.
6. You are taught first. You learn the timing, fitting and when not to use it, before anything goes home.

What the research says

The research on training methods is mixed, and we think you should know what it says rather than hear only the parts that suit us.

• A study of 63 dogs with recall problems found that dogs trained by e-collar and reward-based trainers both improved, with about 92% of owners reporting improvement and no significant difference between groups. The authors concluded there was no consistent benefit from using e-collars, and they reported more signs of stress in the e-collar group (Cooper et al., 2014).
• A related study using the same three-group design with 63 dogs found that dogs trained by positive-reinforcement trainers responded to "Come" and "Sit" on the first command more often than dogs trained with e-collars (China et al., 2020).
• A study of 92 dogs at training schools found that dogs trained with high proportions of aversive methods showed more stress behaviours, higher post-training cortisol and more "pessimistic" responses than dogs trained with mainly rewards. Dogs at schools using low proportions of aversive methods also showed more stress behaviours during sessions than reward-based dogs (Vieira de Castro et al., 2020).

Taken together, the research gives clear support for one point: harsh, heavy-handed training is bad for dogs. It doesn't show that any one approach works best for every dog and owner. We are open about that, which is why we keep rewards at the centre, use the lowest level that works, and keep any tool optional.

Where we land

We choose balanced training because, in our experience, it gives many dogs and owners clearer communication and more reliable behaviour in the real world, and we do it carefully, in stages and with your consent. Our approach is shaped by our ongoing study of canine psychology and training methodology, including the Serious Dog Business course, and by the American Standard Trainers Academy program we are enrolled in.

Book a free 30-minute assessment to meet us and ask anything. Call 0488 115 440 or email office@realworldk9.com.au.

References

1. Cooper JJ, Cracknell N, Hardiman J, Wright H, Mills D. (2014). The welfare consequences and efficacy of training pet dogs with remote electronic training collars in comparison to reward based training. PLoS ONE 9(9): e102722. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0102722
2. China L, Mills DS, Cooper JJ. (2020). Efficacy of dog training with and without remote electronic collars vs. a focus on positive reinforcement. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 7:508. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.00508
3. Vieira de Castro AC, Fuchs D, Morello GM, Pastur S, de Sousa L, Olsson IAS. (2020). Does training method matter? Evidence for the negative impact of aversive-based methods on companion dog welfare. PLoS ONE 15: e0225023. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0225023