Beware Guarantees in Dog Training
When working with living beings, behavior cannot be guaranteed , especially when working with humans and dogs. (OK.when working with humans) Long-term success in dog training requires ongoing effort, consistency, and building a positive relationship between dog and human. When guarantees are promised, owners may perceive that training results will be maintained indefinitely without continued involvement, which just isn’t the case. Yet I see it over and over again.
Success in training or behavior modification relies on many factors, some of which can be controlled by your trainer, but most cannot. Dog behavior is complex and influenced by many factors, such as genetics, environment, previous experiences, learning history, and the owner’s consistency in following training practices. Your behavior consultant can give you skills and a protocol, but they can’t make you consistently manage the environment or work with your dog. How can we guarantee our work when you’ve gone rogue like that?
Additional variables exist if your dog requires behavior modification to address fear, aggression, or anxiety. Unlike obedience training, behavior modification requires careful, individualized approaches. It’s a collaborative effort that may have changing expectations and goals. It takes as long as it takes. Guaranteeing results oversimplifies these variables and can lead to unrealistic expectations for the dog’s owner and trainer. We’re all on the same team—me, you, and your dog!
Offering guarantees also increases the risk of using coercive or forceful methods to produce rapid results. When trainers are bound to guarantees, there may be pressure to use quick but potentially harmful techniques to the dog’s welfare. Punishment-based techniques might be employed to achieve compliance quickly, which can lead to stress, fear, and potentially aggressive behaviors. It should be noted that offering guarantees is a pretty reliable red flag for a trainer who uses coercive methods to cause dogs pain or discomfort on purpose.
Guaranteeing work is actually against the code of ethics for our certifying organizations. As a professional certified by the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC), Karen Pryor Academy (KPA), and the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT), Good Human Dog Training has pledged to abide by these organizations’ ethics statements, which include:
“Trainers/behavior consultants refrain from providing guarantees regarding the specific outcome of training and behavior plans.” IAABC
“Trainers refrain from providing guarantees regarding the specific outcome of training and behavior plans.” KPA
“Trainers/behavior consultants refrain from providing guarantees regarding the specific outcome of training and behavior plans.” CCPDT
It is acknowledged that Good Human Dog Training has not represented, promised, guaranteed, or warranted that your dog will never bite, will not be dangerous in the future, will not exhibit other behavioral problems, or that the results of the training will last for any particular amount of time.
At Good Human Dog Training, we can guarantee a few things
- Kindness
We will treat you and your family with kindness. We respect that everyone comes from a different place and needs kindness, compassion, and care without judgment. - Honesty
We guarantee full transparency in our assessments, setting realistic expectations and achievable goals collaboratively with our clients. Sometimes, we may tell you things you don’t want to hear, and we are sorry. We always take immense care to deliver all information with kindness and tact. - Education and experience
We are always learning! We continue our education and use the most up-to-date protocols founded on scientific principles. Gaining CEUs is also a great way to learn from our colleagues. - Customized approach
We know there is no one-size-fits-all training plan. We offer a customized approach based on each client’s goals, additional variables, and dog’s needs. - Ongoing Support
We will continue to support you and your dog. Let us know if your training hits a snag, and we’ll troubleshoot it with you. - Humane methods
We guarantee that we will use only humane methods based on the latest science that are efficient, effective, and fun. Say that five times fast. - We believe in you!
If you are consistent, follow your trainer’s instructions, and are kind when training your dog, you will see a behavior change!
We guarantee that everybody, especially your dog, will come out of this better than they came in, starting with the first session. Schedule here.
