Dogs And Music
Dogs And Music
What a Title!! I’m hoping it draws attention and makes you curious. It’s not click bait though.
I hope the title makes you come into this without any preconceived ideas. An open mind ready to hear something different. In the dog training world, there is a lot going on right now and people can benefit from it if they open their mind instead of retreating to their corner of defense.
Dog training is very much like music, and I intend to use those similarities to hopefully clarify some things as well as make training relatable to everyone. Since everyone listens to music it is a great analogy to use for this topic of dog training. I’ve long said, Dog Training is 3 parts.
1. Science
2. Skill
3. Art.
Music is the same 3 parts. The science of music is mostly based in math. The science in dog training is mostly based in behavioral sciences. The skill in music is broad and there is a multitude of skill levels and how the skills are used. The skill in Dog Training is broad and there is a multitude of skill levels and how the skills ae used. The art of music is intangible and yet we all can recognize a musician when they are artful. The art in dog training is intangible as well and yet we can all recognize a high-level trainer when they are working with a dog.
1. Science
Music is not made by a bunch of mathematicians getting together and calculating a single formula that makes great music. There are an infinite number of mathematical ways in which great music is made. All music is indeed based in math. Without math there is no music. How the mathematical based is used is what creates the variety of music and some of the commonalities of music. Math is the science that lays the foundation for music to be created.
Dog Training is not made by a bunch of behavioral researchers creating a formula for the best way to train dogs. There are an infinite number of ways behavioral science in which great dog training is done. All dog training is indeed based in behavioral science. Without behavioral science there is no dog training. How the behavioral science is applied is what creates the variety in dog training as well as the commonalities. Behavioral Science lays the foundation for dog training to create from.
2. Skill
Musicians must have skill to create music. Skill in music is about the hands-on action of playing the music. There’s timing, applications of methods, maintaining and adjusting their instrument and many other skills that must be developed to be proficient in playing music.
Dog Trainers must have skill to train dogs. Skill in dog training is about the hands-on action of training dogs. There’s timing, applications of methods, maintaining and adjusting equipment and many other skills that must be developed to proficiently train dogs.
3. Art
Musicians can have all the mathematical knowledge and skill in the world but not have the artistic ability to create great music. Think of the musician that is technical and has deep understanding of how the math works within music, but they seem very mechanical when the are playing. Without the artistic ability to pull all of the options from the math and skill there is music, and it can be good, but it lacks that next level.
Dog Trainers can have all the behavioral scientific knowledge and skill in the world but not have the artistic ability to create great dog training. Dog Trainers just like musicians can become very mechanical when they are training. Without the artistic ability to pull all the options from the behavioral science and skill, the training is good but, they cannot train at a high level.
With that analogy laid out we can attempt to eliminate some of the confusion people have about Dog Training and can be better equipped to choose a Dog Trainer.
Music is a personal choice when it comes to what anyone thinks is “The Best” music. In music there are many genres and styles and people often choose one genre or style as their favorite. Although debates may come up in choices of music and people can at times be passionate about one genre over the other, there are typically varying levels of musicians in all genres, some not as good as others but every genre and style will still have high-level musicians within it. Those high-level musicians are respected and acknowledged even by the people that do not like the particular genre. The different genres and styles are what create the variety in music that keeps music evolving and moving forward. Math is the foundation of music but very few people listen to music for the math. If you want to understand music and maybe even play it, you do not look for a mathematician, you go to a musician.
Dog Training is a personal choice when it comes to what anyone thinks is “The Best” training. In Dog Training there are many methods and styles and people often choose one method or style as their favorite. Although debates may come up in choices of Dog Training and people can be passionate about one method over another, there typically varying levels of Trainers in all methods, some not as good as others but every method or style will still have high-level Trainer within it. Those high-level Trainers should be respected and acknowledged by even the people that do not like the particular method or style. The different methods and styles should be what keeps Training evolving and moving forward. Behavioral Science is the foundation of Training but very few people have a dog for the science. If you want to understand your dog and maybe even do some training with them, you do not look for a behavioral science researcher, you go to a Trainer.
The Dog Training world is having a debate.
In the last paragraph you may have noticed I used the word “should” when talking about the High-Level Dog Trainers being respected. The debate currently going on has been brewing for years if not decades. It has now reached a point that respect is discarded and most of the conversation is camps that are divided between methods. Much like a music debate that one genre is better than the other and any musician that would play music from that genre is no longer a musician. Silly but that’s where it is currently at in the Dog Training world.
How did we get here?
It is easy to understand the debate and how to navigate through it for useful Dog Training information.
We have come to this place due to a reversal of common-sense approaches to Dog Training. Over the last couple of decades Behavioral Science has made many advances and our understanding of behavior has gotten better. This is a good thing. However, the unforeseen consequence is that people have begun to look only at the small gains in Behavioral understanding as the end all for Dog Training. Rather than going to the Dog Trainers for how to train a dog, there is a push to go to the Behavioral Researchers for how to train a dog. To stay with my music analogy, it would be the same as some adjustment to a mathematical equation has been discovered and then people decide to start asking the mathematicians to tell the musicians how they should now play music. It is completely backwards.
Recently there has by a single mindset that claim to have the ONLY method to train a dog to get laws passed that would ensure their way of training would be the ONLY legal way to train. This is what has brought all of this to a head and the discussions have begun in earnest. This would be like one genre of music getting a law passed that ONLY their genre was legal to play music.
How to navigate this maze if you are a trainer or looking for a trainer.
Think about it like you would music. Look for a method or style that you prefer. Understand that every trainer will be at different levels of Knowledge of Science, Skill, and Artistic ability. Go to the trainer you can see train and makes you want to keep coming back because you appreciate how they train. If you’re a trainer, find the method or style that fits you and learn the behavioral science, practice the skills, and create within the boundaries of both.
Be wary of any method that needs to outlaw all other methods to be successful!!!