Before and After Videos

Why do some dog trainers show really dramatic before and afters, and some don’t?
Have you noticed that most of those who do post dramatic before and afters are using aversive tools or heavy handed corrections.
So why aren’t positive trainers posting before and afters? Wouldn’t it be helpful for potential clients to see what their successes are?
There are some really good reason that most positive trainers don’t post dramatic before and afters.

1. It can be risky. Dogs who give big, barky lungy reactions to things are sometimes a risk to themselves and others. It would be unethical to put them in the situation where they might scare or hurt a person or dog, or where they themselves could be hurt.
2. Guarding, reactivity and aggression are responses to what the dog perceives as a real threat. Putting them in a situation where they feel that threatened causes a huge spike in stress hormones in the body, and it can take hours to days for them to return to normal. We can’t set a dog up to experience a big rush of adrenaline and cortisol and then expect them to learn right after.
3. We’re there to work. Clients spend a lot of money to help their dog, and it wouldn’t be fair to focus on setting up scenarios to get video for Instagram.
4. Good training isn’t very exciting to the non-behaviour nerd. Counterconditioning, operant conditioning and desensitization are not flashy or sensational. We always aim to keep the dog “under threshold”, so they are able to acknowledge the problematic stimuli but are still cool and collected. None of this makes for good tv.

Instead of looking for before and after, look for credentials, practical experience and continuing education when looking for a dog trainer!
 

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