is a non-stop controversy over what
is the best way to train a dog?
Should a dog work for treats or should
we train a dog using force.
Should punishment be inflicted on the
dog or should we simply try to ignore
bad behavior and then reward good
behavior.
Spending almost the past two decades
working with and training dogs, I have
obviously developed my own theories and
methods.
I strongly believe in a reward-based
training system, and that we should
spend more time rewarding behavior
than punishing behavior.
I have formed my opinions and methods
through a lot of experimentation and
observation.
AND...
Also by becoming a student of dogs.
Dogs really are incredible animals and
truly are mans best friend. One perfect
example is the story of a dog named
Balto.
In 1925 at a time when the world was
turning to machines for all of its
answers, a team of huskies were the
solution to saving a small town in
Nome, Alaska from a diphtheria out-
break.
Diphtheria is a highly contagious disease
that would quickly spread to all of the
people in Nome.
Without the anti-toxin to combat it, there
was no telling how many people would die in
Nome.
Nome is about 1000 miles away from Anchorage,
and trains at the time could get to a town
Nenana that was about 700 miles from Nome,
still a considerable distance away.
The one plane in Nome was taken out of
storage and the citizens tried to start
it.
The engine was frozen.
The other plane in the area had been taken
apart and stored for the winter.
Shipping channels were frozen solid.
The only way to cover the 700 miles was
to use a relay of dog teams.
Twenty sled dog teams came together to
cover the distance and bring the anti-
toxin to Nome.
It was estimated that it would take the
sled dog teams about 13 days to traverse
the terrain from Nenana to Nome.
The sled dog teams fought fierce winds, strong
enough to knock over both the dogs and the
sleds. They battled freezing temperatures,
sometimes as cold as 40 below.
On February 1, 1925, the anti-toxin was handed
off for the last time to a team led by Gunnar
Kassen in the village of Bluff, Alaska.
Kassens sled dog team set off to cover the
final leg to Nome.
The lead dog...
Balto.
Balto was a two year old Siberian husky born in
Nome. Balto spent the early part of his life as
part of a dog team that transported supplies to
miners in the surrounding area.
The funny thing about Balto is that he was considered
a "scrub dog," meaning an inferior or slow-working
dog.
Balto was far from being a "scrub dog" as youll
soon discover.
You see, on the last leg of the trip to Nome,
a blinding blizzard began, temperatures dropped
to -50 degrees and generating wind gusts in
excess of 50 mph.
Kassen found himself unable to navigate, and
almost gave up all hope of making it to Nome
in time.
But Balto knew the trail well, and, following
his instincts, led the team through the cold
and snow.
Over the next 20 hours, Balto slowly led his
sled dog team over the final 53 miles.
On February 2 at 5.30 AM, the team finally
arrived in Nome.
The dogs were too tired to even bark, Kassen
went to the front of the sled team and fell to
his knees petting Balto saying: "Damn fine dog,
damn fine dog."
The serum had successfully been delivered -- only
seven days after leaving Anchorage, and just
127 1/2 hours after leaving Nenana.
Balto went on to become a big celebrity and
even has a life-size statue in New York Citys
Central Park.
The bronze sculpture is New Yorks Citys only
statue commemorating a dog. The statue includes a
plaque with an inscription that reads:
"Dedicated to the indomitable spirit of the
sled dogs that relayed anti-toxin 600 miles
over treacherous waters, through arctic blizzards,
from Nenana to the relief of stricken Nome in the
winter of 1925 - Endurance, Fidelity, Intelligence."
I share that story because it really helps put
things into perspective when we think about
training dogs.
How can you read a story like Baltos and not
realize what incredible animals dogs are and
how closely linked we are to dogs.
When you think about it, there are thousands of
Baltos walking around right now.
Dogs leading blind people, dogs assisting deaf
people, dogs helping people with disabilities, dogs
finding lost people, dog sniffing out bombs, illegal
drugs, protecting their owners, guarding, herding,
hunting, and police dogs are just a few examples.
Dogs are now being trained to sniff out cancer,
to detect when a epelectic person is about to
have a seizure, the list goes on and on.
Its one of the reasons why I am always preaching
the benefits of positive reinforcement. How and
WHY would we want to inflict pain on an animal
that gives us so much?
BUT...
It does not mean that I never use any forms of
punishment. I do...but I do it without inflicting
pain.
In my new Good K9 Manners program:
http://www.goodk9manners.com/
I show dog owners creative ways to stop bad
behavior without the heavy use of force.
In my next installment Im going to share
with you an email that I received about
barking.
Youll going to learn when to apply positive
methods, when to use a negative consequence,
and when you should ignore the behavior.
All the best,
Eric
P.S. If youd really like to learn how to teach
your dog good manners you can still get my
mini-manners video course at:
Good K9 Manners
Guess what? Its FREE!
