Although claims have been made that reward and aversive/mixed methods are, at least, equally effective, the existing scientific literature is inconsistent. In addition to the effects on welfare, efficacy and efficiency are also relevant aspects to consider for the choice of training methods. These results suggest that the choice of training methods may also affect dog attachment to owner. In parallel, in a study aimed at assessing the relationship between training methods and dog-owner bond, Vieira de Castro el al (2019) found that a secure attachment tended to be more consistent in dogs trained with reward methods, as revealed by behaviors displayed during a Strange Situation Procedure. These findings strongly suggest that using aversive stimuli in training compromises companion dog welfare both within and outside the training context. Recently, in the first large-scale quasi-experimental study of companion dog training (n = 92), Vieira de Castro et al (2020) found that dogs trained with aversive stimuli displayed more stress behaviors during training, showed higher elevations in cortisol levels after training and, if trained exclusively with aversive methods, were more ‘pessimistic’ in a cognitive bias task than dogs trained with either reward and mixed methods. However, the scientific evidence for this has been limited as most studies lack objective welfare measures, investigation of the entire range of aversive techniques and companion dog-focused research. Strong claims have been made for the negative effect of the use of aversive stimuli in training on dog welfare and dog-owner bond. The methods used to train dogs range broadly with some using rewards and other non-invasive techniques (reward methods), others using mainly aversive stimuli (aversive methods) and still others using a combination of both (mixed methods). This study will be performed in collaboration with the Portuguese Army and with the Portuguese Public Security Police (PSP) and integrated with their dog training programs. The reliability of the behaviors and the time taken to learn them will be assessed in order to evaluate the efficacy and efficiency, respectively, of the different training methods. Later, the dogs will perform a standardized test where they will be required to perform the trained behaviors. One group will be trained to perform a set of tasks (food refusal, interrupted recall, dumbbell retrieval and placing items in a basket) using reward methods and the other group will be trained for the same tasks using mixed methods. Military (n = 10) and police (n = 20) dogs will be pseudo-randomly allocated to two groups. The use of working dogs will allow for a rigorous experimental design and control, with randomization of treatments. To that end, we will apply different dog training methods in a population of working dogs and evaluate the outcome after a period of training. Hence, the goal of the current study is to investigate the efficacy and efficiency of different dog training methods. Although there is growing scientific evidence that training with aversive stimuli has a negative impact on dog welfare, the scientific literature on the efficacy and efficiency of the different methodologies is scarce and inconsistent.
This important discussion, however, has not always been based in solid scientific evidence. At the same time, training methods based on the use of rewards are claimed to be more humane and equally or more effective than aversive or mixed methods. The use of aversive stimuli in training is highly controversial and several veterinary and animal protection organizations have recommended a ban on pinch collars, e-collars and other techniques that induce fear or pain in dogs, on the grounds that such methods compromise dog welfare. Dog training methods range widely from those using predominantly aversive stimuli (aversive methods), to those combining aversive and rewarding stimuli (mixed methods) and those focusing on the use of rewards (reward methods). For working dogs, training is crucial for them to successfully accomplish their jobs. For companion dogs, training helps preventing or managing dog behavioral problems-the most frequently cited reason for relinquishing and euthanasia, and it promotes successful dog-human relationships and thus maximizes benefits humans derive from bonding with dogs. Dogs play an important role in our society as companions and work partners, and proper training of these dogs is pivotal.
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