Animal Behaviorists/Trainers?

Question

I see a lot of posts here about alpha rolls, etc. I have to laugh because the vast majority of the time, it is extremely apparent that the poster has little idea what they are talking about.

L. David Mech and his brother, Konrad Lorenz, Koehler, Karen Pryor (a student of B.F. Skinner. If you don't know who Mr. Skinner is, you don't know much about behavior), Suzanne Clothier, Ian Dunbar, are just a very, very small group of experts on dog behavior that I have read and studied. Training methods of this group vary.

So who do you think is one of the best trainers? In a nutshell how would you describe their training methods?

Answer 1

You left out Turid Rugaas, author of Calming Signals.
Both Karen Pryor and Suzanne Clothier repect her, and I think they have had seminars with her.

I have never read anything by Ian Dunbar that mentions her, but I like him, too, because he popularized Socilization, Bit e Inhibition, and "automatic" methods for sit, down, come, etc.

Answer 2

Who are the best trainers is a very subjective question. Just because Rex Carr was considered the best retriever trainer to ever live doesn't mean that he would have been a good choice to train your Beagle.

BTW, Since Ken Neil won the National Amateur this last Saturday with now NAFC Whoa Nellie, maybe he should be added to the list.

I would suppose that most everyone can come up with a trainer that influenced them the most. Here is a quote that answered that question for me.
"I will answer all your questions to the best of my ability and I will try to show you and teach you all that I know. But, it is then up to you to apply what you have been shown in an intelligent, timely, and humane manner.
All that I ask in return is that your mind remain open to what is offered, not just now by me, but by others in the future and not just to people and ideas you respect but to the ones you respect least.
What you learn - pass on. There are no secrets"
Dana Brown Ester

Just remember this when evaluating someone elses methods, and you can't go wrong.
"there is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance --- that principle is contempt prior to investigation."
Herbert Spencer


In over 50 years of training dogs, I have seen dozens of methods to train a dog and the funny part is that they all work.
What I have found is that dogs go through life stages just like people do, and if a trainer or behaviorist can't recognize what stage a dog is in, they won't get very far.

Answer 3

The trainers who's methods I respect are Karen Pryor, provided you have a dog clicker training works for, Tamar Geller is also good using common sense methods that people should be able to grasp, but my hands down favourite is Suzanne Clothier. I have tremendous respect and admiration for any trainer who takes the time to understand why a dog is doing whatever needs correcting, and treating a dog as an individual. She realizes that dogs can't all be treated the same, what works for one, won't work for another.

Dogs, and their owners, would be a whole lot better off if she was the trainer with a TV show!

Answer 4

I originally started off with Koehler, with a fair amount of success. Then I switched to Winnifred Strickland, which seemed "nicer", then Diane Bauman, who introduced me to the concept of 4 basic reasons why the dog does not obey and reacting accordingly (helping vs correcting). Since then I've read some Pryor and Dunbar, and I'm a big fan of Clothier's writings.

I don't follow any particular "method" now, I do what seems right for the dog I am working with. While I do insist on accountability from the dog, I find that usually when they do not learn what I want it's because I haven't communicated it clearly enough, so in most cases I get better results from helping them to understand rather than correcting for mistakes.

Answer 5

I think it really depends on the breed. I see the variations and the similarities.
A good trainer is able to adapt to the various breeds and situations. I like Karen Pryor a lot and read a lot of her stuff. I also like Pat Miller and am planning to go to her training school for internship.
My dogs are trained using mostly Karen Pryor and Pat Miller and Ian Dunbar's techniques.

I think the best trainer is the most versitile, consistant, and understanding trainer.

Answer 6

I use the work of Helmut Rieser myself...He is a Drive specialist .....however Pryor has peaked my interest with her inherited knowledge work.....I am considered a drive mechanic by my peers...lets face some simple facts here: Some trainers have no clue and some behaviorists are in left field....I like results myself....understanding what drive is being used and shifting it does just that....I am not in favor of feeding as a reward, as it relies too much on hunger....touch praise is the only positive form of communication a human can have with a dog....think about that...

Answer 7

I couldn't agree with you more. All the 'alpha' and 'you must be the pack leader' talk makes me cringe and it scares me to think that someone actually might apply that sort of terrible advice. I have a feeling that most people who recommend alpha roll's and domination have been overly influence by the likes of Cesar Millan. What those people don't know is that Cesar Millan has no behavioral qualifications and his methods are (in some cases) cruel and outdated.

I am a big fan of Patricia B. McConnell and Jean Donaldson. I would recommend their books to anyone.

Answer 8

It's a very subjective question, but I'd choose Suzanne Clothier. I've attended one of her seminars, and I've read some of her writings, and i think her techniques work well with my personality and lifestyle.
However, I am open to applying different techniques from several sources when it comes to training.

Answer 9

They all have their strengths and weaknesses. If I had to pick one it would be Koehler because his methods have been PROVEN on thousands of dogs, not just in the private sector but in the movie industry as well as the military and law enforcement. Of cource, having said that, I also believe that the dogs that were being trained back then were harder then the dogs that we have today. Also, society has changed since then and adopted some training methods that I find completely useless. We have become much softer and have humanized our dogs much more in the last 20-30 years, much to their detriment. Did we have as many dogs being abandoned then as we do now? Were our dogs better trained then then they are now? If so, I wonder why? Great question.

Answer 10

I have to go some what with Gail H on this one. It is ALL about what works with you and what works with YOUR dog. I myself love the dog whisperer and by using some of his tactics out of his book I am see a great change in MY dog. I am also working with a behavioral specialist that practices the same practice Cesar Milan does. I can see the difference and because I see the difference I am pleased. Before my dog would try to tear the legs off any child that dare walk near it. Obviously I can't live life like that and by applying some of Cesar's tactics now when a child approaches my dog looks right up at me to get cues on what to do. A child can actually pet him now and he will relax and allow it. Tell me it doesn't work! Perhaps your dog wouldn't respond as great, so you would have to go with someone Else's tactics. You can't call people idiots or put them down because they saw or experienced something that worked. I think the pack leader roll is important. When you are the boss in the dogs eye then they can't decide how to handle a situation they must look to you. I obviously am not a professional in Cesar's methods so me tring to explain it is only going to make it sound more rediculas. I would recommend reading the book Cesar's Way and then judging for yourself how you feel about it.