No to violence

Dog training: keep your eyes open when choosing a trainer

Training should be fun for both dog and human. The favorite toy is a great reward!

(Bild: stock.adobe.com/st.kolesnikov - stock.adobe.com)

A recent case shows how important it is to take a close look at the chosen dog trainer in advance. If there is talk of punishment, correction, dominance or even violence, the training can quickly go in the wrong direction. Even with "problem dogs", the first step should be to build up trust. 

Roaring, blows to the head and violent grabbing of the collar. These are the impressions that "Krone" reader Dana J. (name changed) retained from training with a dog trainer in Burgenland. Completely shocked, she wrote to the editors of the animal corner because she was stunned by the way she and her young four-legged friend were treated. 

"Always these sh***s Labradors!", the trainer screamed at the dog's welcome, which was obviously too stormy for her. To show the animal his misbehavior directly, the trainer hit him several times on the head with the flat of her hand. "That's not a slap, it's a physical correction," she explained to Ms. J. when asked. 

Does the dog trainer work seriously?

• The trainer's training, qualifications and further training are clearly traceable
• The working method is openly presented
• The focus is on reward-based training
• No unrealistic promises of success - sustainable behavioral change takes time and practice
• Defined services and prices on the website
• The Vienna Animal Welfare Ombudsman's Office provides its own guide for downloading.

No to violence 
Methods such as these aim to change unwanted behavior through an unpleasant experience for the dog. However, recent studies show that dogs have the emotional competence of a two-year-old toddler. Anyone who resorts to a "healthy spanking" in this case seems to have missed out on non-violent and sustainable education in all areas. 

"Modern dog training is based on motivation, joy and loving support. If you try to get the dog to stop unwanted behavior with a strong jerk on the leash or a pat on the head, this only reflects your own inability," says Ursula Aigner. She is an expert in this field and takes the approach of "training instead of dominating".

Dog trainer Ursula Aigner works according to animal welfare criteria. This enabled her protégé "Struppi" to regain trust in people.

(Bild: privat)

Aigner was one of the first to pass the state seal of approval for "animal welfare qualified dog trainers" by means of an examination. As a behavioral biologist, she knows exactly that using force in training has the opposite effect and only creates more problems in the long term. 

"Aversive methods can actually lead to the dog abandoning the unwanted behavior for the time being. The dog owner chalks this up to supposed success. But often the dog has not even understood that its behavior was undesirable. He is much more likely to associate the stimulus trigger with a fear-inducing or painful experience and therefore avoids it in the short term," says the expert. 

If you try to get the dog to stop unwanted behavior by jerking the leash or hitting it on the head, this only reflects your own inability to do so

Ursula Aigner, Verhaltensbiologin und Hundetrainerin 

Question of trust
A partnership can only work on an equal footing. "The owner is the highest authority for the dog. He expects sovereignty and protection from him. If I meet my dog with force instead of leading him out of critical situations, he will most likely react with stress-related behavior and aggression at some point, and that's when it can become dangerous," explains the expert.

Aigner sees the fact that "dog training" is a so-called "free trade" as a particular problem. Anyone can practise it - regardless of whether they have any relevant qualifications. The market is full of people who present themselves as "wunderwuzzies" - also heavily on social networks. So if you want to rely on canine craftsmanship and sound knowledge from a dog trainer, you should do a little more research than some of the "stories" of trainers on Instagram promise. 

In the beginning, you couldn't put the bite basket on "Struppi" in the TierQuarTier. Now it works without any problems and is eagerly awaited.

(Bild: privat)

Everyday life at the animal shelter is no walk in the park. Regular exercise is extremely important and is the order of the day.

(Bild: privat)

Ursula Aigner sees the results of incorrect or - even worse - no dog training at all several times a week, including some spectacular TV formats. At the city of Vienna's animal shelter, she works with dogs who tell her wordlessly through their body language that hardly anything good has happened to them in their lives so far. The story is always the same: they were abandoned because people got tired of them. They have been found abandoned and no one is looking for them. Or the authorities ordered them to be taken away. 

Loss of trust
All these animals have lost their trust in humans. Stressed, sometimes frightened or aggressive, they sit in the TierQuarTier and are supposed to find new homes. But who takes on an animal with an unknown history that even experienced animal keepers cannot always assess? 

Mongrel "Struppi" (left) and AmStaff male "Herkules" have regained trust in people with a lot of time and love from their trainers.

(Bild: privat)

Long sitters in the home
This also applies to "Struppi" and "Herkules". One was picked up running free, the other had to be secured with a catch pole during a delogation. Together with Marion Umek, Ursula Aigner worked for over a year to ensure that the two could now be handed over to experienced hands. 

The Animal Corner accompanied the two on a walk with their trainers in the animal shelter's exercise area. "Confronting so-called 'problem dogs' with violence or punishment will not help them to display normal and safe behavior. Violence breeds counter-violence," agree Umek and Aigner. 

At TierQuarTier, we take a deliberately sustainable approach that is based exclusively on positive training and rewards desirable behavior instead of punishing problem behavior. In this way, the four-legged friends gain confidence in dealing with people and other dogs without being pushed even further into fear or aggression through punishment. 

Thanks to trainer Marion Umek, "Hercules" has learned what is expected of him - and what is not.

(Bild: privat)

The trainers are also clear: "Love alone is not enough when dealing with dogs like this." In order to overcome their insecurity and thus also their problematic behavior, the dogs need a regular routine, consistency and a step-by-step approach to the difficult situation. 

An experienced dog trainer will show the right way with know-how and patience and will not use methods that leave both dog and master distraught.

Second chance 
"Struppi" (about eleven years old) and "Herkules" (seven years old) are waiting at TierQuarTier for a new home with experienced dog owners. Placement involves big changes for both of them and they need time to gain the trust of their future owners. They learn this by not being overwhelmed, understanding their (body) language and responding to their needs. It is therefore necessary that interested parties are prepared to invest time, actively involve themselves in reward-oriented training and ultimately continue the training at home.

The two dogs can be adopted in a step-by-step process. This means that you get to know the dog over several weeks and look after it until a good relationship of trust has been established. You will be supported and guided by TierQuarTier staff and trainers.