Positive-reinforcement.

Force-free.

Fear-free.

Reward-based.

What does all that mean?

I could say a lot about everything it means, but in short it means that my primary tactic for training dogs is to reward instead of punish.

Things I do as a reward-based trainer:

• Identify what I want the dog to do

• Motivate using rewards the dog finds valuable — typically food

• Plan for the dog to succeed:

  • Break behavior down into baby steps

  • Make the right choice very easy

  • Remove the wrong choice as an option

  • Gradually increase distractions

• Take responsibility for the dog’s failures/errors

• Minimize emotional distress

Things I do not do as a reward-based trainer:

• Bribe the dog

• Chiefly deal with bad behavior by ignoring it

• Assert dominance

• Train using tools or techniques the dog wants to avoid (such as prong collars)

• Intentionally provoke the bad behavior

• Plan for the dog to fail

• Correct the dog for his failures/errors