Dr. Ian Dunbar, author of “Barking Up the Right Tree,” isn’t just a veterinarian. In addition to his veterinary degree and a PhD in dog behavior, he was the first to create puppy training classes using positive reinforcement. Dunbar’s future as a dog behaviorist seemed ordained since childhood. He has been training animals since he was five years old on the family farm in England. Now, after decades in dog training and studying dog behavior, and a reputation as one of the foremost dog training experts in the world, he is sharing what he has learned and what research shows about training and understanding our dogs.
We love our dogs. And we don’t want them to be hurt or suffer. Yet many trainers still use the negative reinforcement training methods that were popular in the 70s. Choke collars, pinch collars, even electric collars, are used as quick fixes. What Dunbar points out in this very extensive book is that what he calls “lure-reward” training is much better, more effective, and builds a stronger bond between dog and human than punishment.
Dunbar points out that all too often, dogs are punished by yelling, loud noises, jerking of a leash or pinch collar, or getting zapped by an electric collar when the dogs have no idea what they did wrong. He provides a great example of how he demonstrated that in front of a group of veterinary students. He got a volunteer and explained that the demo might be a bit strange or frightening, but gave him a safety signal to use. He was told he could opt out at any time. Then he was brought onstage where there were ten chairs in a row.
Dunbar asked him to sit. When the student went to sit in the first chair, Dunbar grabbed him by the shirt and screamed, NO!” Then Dunbar commanded him to sit again. He went to sit in another chair and this time, in addition to admonishing him, Dunbar threw him to the floor (without injury). The volunteer gave the safety signal. In a debriefing, the volunteer explained he didn’t know what Dunbar wanted him to do. Dunbar then motioned to the chairs and asked him to sit and pointed to the last chair. The student went to it and sat, and was rewarded with a $20 bill. Dunbar explained, “if you don’t give clear instructions, yet try to train by punishing a dog for predictably making mistakes, not only will it take ages to teach them what you want them to learn, you’ll most certainly harm your relationship.” The dog will learn that his human is not to be trusted. He says, “Lack of clear instruction is the number-one reason why punishment fails.”
Dunbar gives an excellent example of training a dog to stop barking by explaining that one must first teach the dog to bark on command. Then, once that is done (probably pretty easily, especially if you can get someone to knock on the door), you teach the “shush” or “quiet” command. With a reward after the dog has stopped barking for 3 seconds. For those who have dogs who bark nonstop, this section alone makes this book worthy of purchase.
This is the kind of book that should be read from start to finish as there is important information in each chapter. The text is easy to understand although some sections (especially those about positive reinforcement, positive punishment, negative reinforcement, negative punishment) might require reading over a few times. Dunbar gives entertaining and instructive anecdotes to show what he is writing about, and each one helps us understand what a dog needs in order to understand us. It’s all about communication; something Dunbar calls ESL.
What Dunbar espouses is the kind treatment of dogs and teaching them gently, with love and patience, so that they know what is expected and can respond. It’s not about delivering punishment without warning that the dog does not understand and does not know how to avoid. Some owners think their dogs know they are doing wrong, but as Dunbar explains, that’s really not the case. Dogs want to please their owners, they want to comply (especially for treats), and once they know what is expected, life with them will be a joy. He is very explicit about how to socialize young puppies, and his suggestions will ensure a grown dog who is calm and stoic in the face of all people, noises, and ground surfaces. He also explains how to socialize older dogs who may not have been properly socialized from birth. His suggestions are really eye-opening, but very wise.
And to those who complain that positive reinforcement is all about just throwing treats at the dog, read the book. It’s definitely not about that. Yes, treats are used, although Dunbar says that when starting training, you will often just give the dog kibble as rewards instead of feeding the dog. But he is also very intentional when he explains how to keep training while phasing out food lures. If you give too much food, it loses its appeal. So no, this is not just about throwing out lots of treats. This is about understanding how your dog thinks, so that you can communicate and help the dog understand what behaviors make life better.
This is a must-have book for any dog owner you know. If you have a dog, or are thinking of getting a dog, please do yourself a favor and read this book. Both you and your dog will be happy you did!
Please note: This review is based on the final, hardcover book provided by the publisher, New World Library, for review purposes.