The Force-Free Dilemma

Dog training methodology is an increasingly hotly contested topic. A number of vocal trainers insist that dogs should be instructed through exclusively positive reinforcement, and that training should be totally force-free. Popularized through social media, the force-free training movement has grown into a lucrative, billion-dollar industry, but the consequences may outweigh the positives.
This book examines the current state of dog training and discusses ethical alternatives to force-free methods. Chapters cover the history of dog training, common myths, equipment, and the merits of balanced training methods that don’t dogmatically avoid occasional force.

Nicola Ferguson is a neurodiverse service dog trainer from the Wirral Peninsula, England, UK. In addition to training service dogs, she writes science fiction books and humorous books about dogs.

Nicola Ferguson. Series Editor Brian Patrick Duggan
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 269
Bibliographic Info: glossary, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2024
pISBN: 978-1-4766-9257-9
eISBN: 978-1-4766-5071-5
Imprint: McFarland
Series: Dogs in Our World

Introduction 1
Chapter One. Definitions, and Dog Training Through the Ages 11
Chapter Two. An Introduction to the Science of Dog Training 25
Chapter Three. Myth Busting 48
Chapter Four. Corrections and Management 88
Chapter Five. More on Training Tools and Equipment 102
Chapter Six. The Science 117
Chapter Seven. The Innate Drives of Dogs: Brain Structure and Physiology 140
Chapter Eight. Balanced Training versus ­Force-Free Training 157
Chapter Nine. Legal Beagles 174
Chapter Ten. Cults 193
Conclusion 212
Glossary 229
Chapter Notes 237
Bibliography 255
Index 257