Positive Reinforcement Beats Force in Training Dogs & Cats

by Steve Dale

The veterinarian shakes the carrier and the cat drops to the floor with a thud. The dog groomer looks like she's wrestling with her client as she attempts to clip the pet's nails. Both are common practices but they're wrong, says veterinarian and applied animal behaviorist Dr. Sophia Yin, based in Davis, Calif., author of "Handling, Restraint and Behavior Modification of Dogs and Cats." She hopes this groundbreaking book will change how pets are dealt with at veterinary clinics, shelters, groomers and even in our homes.

Yin says that Cesar Millan, TV's 'dog whisperer,' seems to have success by forcing dogs into what he calls submission. Yin says too many veterinary professionals and groomers use the same techniques every day. She even concedes that she once did, too.

"It's what I was taught, and I didn't know any better than using force. For us, at that time, what mattered was that we were able to get the procedure completed."

Yin continues, "What (Millan) says he does is to make himself a pack leader. That's not the case. What he's really doing (called forced helplessness) is like if you're afraid of spiders and freaking out because they're all around you -- but you're being forcibly restrained. You finally realize you are helpless; you can't do a thing about it. You finally give up. But that doesn't mean you're any less anxious. In fact, you're likely to be more afraid. Forcible techniques don't help, except to intensify fear. The goal is to implement techniques that help to make the pet more secure."

The outcome of force may cause a previously content and amicable dog or cat to develop other problems.

For example, Yin recalled a cat named Skippy who was so terrified of vet visits that his owners simply stopped going. The owners did hire someone to trim the cat's nails at their home but the pet was terrified of him. As a result, Skippy became aggressive toward any stranger entering the house.

For cats or dogs who detest having their nails trimmed, the solution is called desensitization and counter-conditioning: Take the clipper out and simply feed your dog (or cat) as you hold the clipper. Yin adds, "Now, touch the dog's feet and offer a treat. Stop giving the treat as you stop the handling. Soon, the pet will figure out, 'wow, this is fun, she touches me and I get fed.'" Yin adds that veterinary professionals or groomers should take the time - and we're only talking 10 minutes or so - to desensitize a dog rather than to allow the anxiety to heighten with each visit.

You can even teach a cat to actually enjoy, or at least accept, taking a pill. Yin says all cat owners should buy a pill gun device (available at some pet stores and online), and place some moist food or baby food on it. Once every few days, offer the treat. A few months or a few years later, when the cat really needs to take a pill, he'll likely be happy about taking the treat or baby food as he always has.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, on average, cats visit the veterinarian about half as often as dogs. As a result, many cats die from diseases that might have been treated if only discovered earlier. Many more cats simply don't get treatment because visiting the veterinarian is such an ordeal.

From a cat's point of view, the trauma begins when the carrier is pulled out; the pet knows exactly what this means. Some cats desperately attempt to run off, while others hide. Owners feel awful because they have to stuff a very distressed cat into the carrier, and the cat may even be thinking 'I'm going to die.' There is an alternative, says Yin.

"Cats are actually sometimes easier to train than dogs, and you can teach them to go right into the carrier on command. Begin by keeping the carrier out all the time. Drop treats and kibble around it. The cat's curiosity and hunger will take over. Once the cat is willing to eat near the carrier, place the entire meal inside. Soon the cat may even choose to sleep inside the carrier because it's a secure place."

Once the cat feels comfortable inside the carrier, walk to another room in your house with the carrier, open the door and let the cat hop out. Repeat this action many times. Finally, just before dinnertime, take your tabby for a car ride. Head around the block and return home to feed your cat dinner. Now, instead of the destination being a vet office, it's a yummy meal.

Of course, puppies and kittens can easily be desensitized to veterinary clinics. "Take them there for treats," says Yin. "My dog loved the veterinary clinic because it's a fun place; good things happen there."

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