Traditional Dog Training vs Leadership without Force, The Philosophy of Dr. Sophia Yin’s Training Methods.
The Old Way: Conflict and Coercion
We’ve all heard advice that relates dog behavior to wolf social behavior: “Always eat before your dog and go through doorways first because that’s what a dominant wolf would do.” “If your dog growls or barks inappropriately or otherwise misbehaves, put him in his place by doing an alpha roll where you force him onto his back until he submits. That way you can be the boss.”
20+ years ago when Dr. Yin started training, this is the type of advice She gave because it was all She(or anyone really) knew. At that time, the choke chain or pinch collar, and a well-timed correction formed the cornerstone of dog training, and that dominance was the root of all behavior problems. Combined with a strong ability to read aggressive dogs, a lack of fear of being bitten, and fervor for trying to master the techniques of the experts of the time, these methods and ideologies served her well… Or so she thought. They were the methods of the traditional dog trainer, now sometimes called a balanced dog trainer if rewards are sometimes used. Well, times have changed and so has the science.
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