4 on The Floor Dog Training, LLC

Thank you zak George.

Public Letter to Ivan Balabanov

Dear Mr. Balabanov,

I am writing on behalf of many in the modern dog training community to address serious concerns regarding your participation and professional conduct in the study titled “Comparison of the Efficacy and Welfare of Different Training Methods in Stopping Chasing Behavior in Dogs.”

The study revealed that 100% of the dogs in the shock collar group yelped in pain when shocked. The study notes, “We did not observe negative welfare impacts in the dogs trained with e-collars beyond presumably pain-induced yelps in immediate response to the electric shocks.” This confirms immediate distress caused by the shocks with 8 dogs in your custody.

Even more troubling is that 25% of the dogs in the shock collar group were removed because they exceeded the 20 shocks allowed, yet those attempts still failed to suppress their chasing behavior.

The details of the study indicate not only the infliction of pain but also ineffectiveness in a significant number of cases - even under controlled conditions led by “experts” like yourself. And somehow it was the two dogs who were shocked more than 20x in a session who were disqualified, and not the trainers who continued to shock the dogs until they reached the 20x threshold.

Your involvement in both shock collar training and the so-called “positive reinforcement” training groups in the study further raises concerns especially since the methods presented for positive reinforcement were not representative of established, humane training practices.

A modern approach involves marking a desirable behavior and reinforcing it consistently across different contexts, not merely “calling” a dog back with food.

The study's design misleads the public into believing positive reinforcement is ineffective by setting it up to fail without proper proofing and controlled settings. As a figure in the aversive training community, your participation in this study and its promotion raise ethical questions, especially given your awareness of the broader scientific consensus against aversive methods.

It is concerning that your involvement could mislead the public and dog guardians into believing shock collars are an appropriate and humane training tool.

The modern dog training community requests that you cease all public education efforts that promote pain, fear, and intimidation-based methods which are holding our industry back and which put the public at risk. Our understanding is that you have scheduled a workshop overseas, where based on your history you are likely to advocate for these outdated techniques. These methods contradict the ethical standards for dog welfare, especially in countries like the United Kingdom.

As a practitioner of dog training, we urge you to reconsider your approach and align your practices with scientifically supported, humane training methods, consistent with the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists and their international counterparts.

The modern dog training community stands ready to escalate public discourse and scrutiny if these unethical practices persist in the interest of public health and safety.

Zak George

We also acknowledge the involvement of Dr. Clive Wynne from Arizona State University as a co-author of this study. While Dr. Wynne’s academic standing is now under scrutiny due to his endorsement of research methods that caused 100% of the shock collar group dogs to yelp in pain, we remain focused on addressing the immediate welfare concerns this study raises.

The study in question: Johnson, A.C., & Wynne, C.D.L. (2024). “Comparison of the Efficacy and Welfare of Different Training Methods in Stopping Chasing Behavior in Dogs.” Animals, 14(18), 2632. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14182632

This is a great video for parents and children that live with or are around dogs. Thank you Be Bitesmart for this video

Paws to Prevent: Be BiteSmart Meet Charlie and his human, Alex! Together, they teach children how to be safe around dogs! Charlie the dog uses his body language to communicate to Alex tha...

CULTIVATING CALMNESS

We teach our dogs all sorts of things, but maybe don’t realise that teaching “calm” is also an important behaviour that has so many positive applications for both us and our dogs.

“Calm” can be defined as the absence of agitation or excitement; a feeling of tranquility; serenity and peace. These feelings are so often lacking in both our lives and that of our dogs.

Besides teaching dogs to settle on a mat or in another place or capturing and rewarding calm behaviour, here are some other ways to promote calmness.

Scenting or sniffing is a really effective and simple way to promote relaxation. It lowers the pulse rate and creates feelings of wellbeing.

Chewing is another powerful relaxation tool. Dogs use the chewing to relieve stress, frustration or anxiety. Chewing has a calming effect on the adrenal-pituitary axis in the brain which triggers the release of endorphins. It’s like self-medication for stress or anxiety.

Relaxing music that is specifically made for dogs can also work well, especially with dogs that get over excited in a car or have storm or firework fear.

When playing an exciting, high-energy game with your dog, take frequent breaks before starting up again to help your dog wind down and become calmer.

Aromatherapy, ear or other types of massage are other ways to help create calmness.

Cortisol holidays are also really important after a stressful event to prevent trigger stacking and allow cortisol levels to return to normal.

Conventional wisdom says that the ability to remain calm is a character trait that most of us lack, but Neuroscience teaches us that remaining calm under pressure is not an inborn trait, but a skill that needs to be learnt, practiced and managed and this applies to our dogs as well.

Frank is hanging out for a few hours today. He IS as sweet as he looks 😍

What an Incredible discovery. This rivals what we were told about animal behaviors. There are many stories similar to this. Behavior is not black and white.

Against the Odds: Bear and Wolf Become Best Friends In the icy wilderness of Finland, an unusual friendship blossomed. A grey wolf and a brown bear, typically solitary creatures, formed a remarkable connection. This bond challenged the instincts of their species. Daily Adventures Together The female wolf and the male bear explored their home in Kuhmo...

A Chuck it Duck. Dog approved!

I said it before and I will say it a million and one times again

"Empathy above all else."

Truly seeing the world through your dog's eyes changes everything.

It's like fumbling in the dark and then turning on a light.

Having empathy not only fosters higher welfare for your dog but also enriches your emotional intelligence.

You will start to become more attuned to your feelings and reactions, gaining many insights into your own behavior—not just your dog's!

Traditional ways focus on teaching the dog what to do, but I focus on you.

Coaching, supporting and guiding you.

The biggest changes in our dogs happen when we learn WHO our dogs are.

Only then can we shift ourselves to meet them where they are at.

This allows us to grow together.

If you are looking for someone to guide you on your journey of growth comment HEAL to get the link for my private coaching platform.

I can't wait to meet and empower you! 💜

Could you imagine if schools used adversives to teach children? 🤔 The idea of wanting to cause discomfort or pain to your dog, all in the name of having an "obedient" dog. Is that really the kind of relationship you want to have with your dog?

Aversive dog training methods rely on force and intimidation, both negatively impact a dog's brain chemistry and welfare.

This treatment of dogs causes stress, leading to the release of cortisol and adrenaline, which can result in anxiety and fear. Over time, chronic stress may impair the dog's ability to learn, develop trust, and form healthy bonds with their guardian.

Increased stress also suppresses serotonin production, a neurotransmitter crucial for mood regulation, ultimately diminishing the dog's overall well-being and happiness.

Become a force free dog trainer with The ISCP https://www.theiscp.com/challenge-page/online-dog-trainingcourse

There is a misconception about what it means to socialize your dog. It has far less to do with dogs playing with dogs. It's raising and training dogs to have social manners out in public. We humans live by a social norm, dogs should too.

What is a ‘sociable’ dog?

A sociable dog is not one that will simply play with every dog they see - they are a dog that can be in the presence of other dogs in a calm way. A sociable dog is not always a ‘friendly’ dog either, they are one that chooses to not react when around other dogs, so long as the other dogs leave them alone.

Play is important of course, but more important is having a dog that is able to ‘just be’ around other dogs in a calm way, as some dogs are over-enthusiastic and some are reactive if other dogs rush-up.

We definitely should never ‘let them get on with it’. Just think about that; should we let a Great Dane rush up to play with a Chihuahua? Of course not, one overly-friendly paw from the Dane onto the Chihuahua’s back, and it’s likely to be 'game-over' for the little fella….

So, in order to get a sociable dog, we may need to manage the environment for them to help them succeed in being calm around dogs in general - take time to allow them all to settle and relax, and don’t allow any non-consensual play or high-energy games to start with (and only then with dogs of a similar character).
More often than not, it’s the initial meeting that sparks confrontation, so watch the dog’s body language and manage them for their best possible outing.

Let us know if you would like some help with this.

August Puppy class is now available! Classes begin Tuesday August 6th and runs for 4 weeks. This is open to puppies 9 wks to 6 mo. A peak into what you and your pup will be learning is included. Classes are small so book now! Click on the link to reserve your spot. https://pocketsuite.io/book/vicki-bissonnette/item/puppy-basics-101.-ages-9-weeks-to-6-months

"𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘫𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱?"
"𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨?"

Not barking. Not jumping up. Not pulling. These aren't behaviours. These are the absence of behaviour and we can't teach a 'nothing'. We're always behaving, every moment so while it's possible to suppress one behaviour (if you use punitive methods, which I don't) that has to be replaced by something else and there's absolutely no guarantee that what it's replaced with will be what we want! A dog who is punished for jumping to get attention may decide to bark for it instead....

A lot of behaviour problems arise because we have never taken the time to actively teach our dogs what we'd like them to do in a given situation. So in the absence of direction from us the dog simply does what makes sense to them.

Breige has recently discovered that the sofa is a nice place to be but her owners would prefer she doesn't go on the furniture. So instead of making our focus "how do we stop her going on the sofa" instead we're teaching her that settling on her bed on the floor is the most rewarding place to hang out. And, as an added benefit, as well as learning a useful behaviour (settle on a mat) in this context she's also learning a transferable skill which will be useful in other contexts - going to a cafe, visiting friends, travelling on public transport etc.

So the next time you find yourself thinking "𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱..." instead flip that on its head and ask "𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘐 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦...". because proactively teaching your dog what you'd like them to do and making it easy & rewarding for them to do it is a far better long term recipe for harmony and success than wasting your energy constantly saying "stop it".

👀

Dogs and Consent: Understanding Boundaries for Canine Interactions When we welcome dogs into our lives, we often treat them as part of the family, showering them with affection and cuddles. However, what many of us don't realise is that our well-intentioned hugs might not be as comforting to our canine friends as we think. This blog explores the importance of under...

"𝘼 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙙𝙤𝙜 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙...."

Tradition might lead us to believe that behaviours like sit, down or heel are fundamental for a "good dog" but are they really? While these behaviours have a place under certain conditions I don't think they are usually the skills which most owners get the most benefit from most of the time.

Instead the lifeskills which (I think) make life with a dog easier (and isn't that what most of us are after?) are -

• the ability to move well on lead
• the ability to interact politely with other dogs & people
• the ability not to interact with other dogs & people
• the ability to settle
• the ability to be relaxed and calm alone for short periods
• the ability to recall when asked

And, importantly, all of these also have demonstrable benefits for the dog too.

Lots of us have busy lives and don't have unlimited time to devote to teaching our dogs so it makes sense to really think about what behaviours are likely to be the most beneficial to you and your dog and focus your efforts on those instead of blindly following traditional dogma.

Teach what you really need; not what you think you "should".

Positive reinforcement in dog training is ethical because it rewards desired behaviours, fostering trust and respect. It avoids fear and aggression, common in punishment-based methods, promoting a happier, more confident dog. This approach is effective and compassionate, ensuring dogs learn in a humane way. Canine Principles only uses ethical and kind methods with both dogs and people.

As a licensed Family Paws Parent Educator and a certified behavior consultant whose speciality is fear and aggression, I work with a lot of families with dogs and kids. Often I'll get called when the baby is approaching toddlerhood and the dog is struggling. Many families are surprised at this because often the dog was comfortable during infanthood but then struggles during toddlerhood as the child gain mobility and independence. Let's be proactive not reactive. Plan ahead to keep everyone safe and prepared.

If you are expecting, I recommend scheduling my one-on one pre-baby or toddler prep session: https://rescuedbytraining.com/project/pre-baby-toddler-prep/ to help set you and your dog up for success.