(an analysis from a behaviorist’s perspective)

Many canine training videos are available in today’s market. While the prices may vary widely, the underlying methods are the same: place a choke collar on the dog, attach a lead to the collar and commence forcing the dog to heel, sit, stay or down by delivering jerks or snaps to the dog’s neck or blows to the dog’s hindquarters depending on the specific exercise being trained. Bits of food, praise and/or pats are used to reward the dog once the desired behavior occurs. These techniques are punitive in that the dog is punished by snaps or jerks to the neck, etc., until the dog correctly performs the desired behavior at which point the dog receives the food, praise or a pat or all three.

For example, once the choke collar and lead have been attached, a typical routine to train a dog to heel would proceed as follows:

The Shiloh Training Method (STM), originated by Tina Barber, offers a different approach to the traditional methods of training. STM uses operant conditioning and positive reinforcement procedures from the field of behavioral psychology. Starting with naturally occurring canine behaviors, the trainer, through successive approximations, shapes the dog’s behavior, carefully reinforcing all behaviors that approximate the final, target behavior.

Reinforcers are generally non-food items and vary from dog to dog depending on what object the trainer finds is most reinforcing for the particular dog. Thus, a reinforcer may be a ball, a small tug, a favorite toy, etc. At all times during the training session, the trainer ensures that the dog can see the reinforcer in the trainer’s hand. Also, the dog and trainer, together, play with the object throughout the training session. By using a non-food object liked by the dog, the trainer accomplishes two critical objectives:

Use of food as the only reinforcer, limits the amount of time the dog is in contact with the reinforcer as it is impractical to attempt to deliver food in a continuous flow while working with the dog. Additionally, if a way were found to continuously deliver the food reinforcer, the dog’s attention would be on eating not training, until the dog became satiated, at which point the food would no longer be reinforcing. Non-food, concrete reinforcers that are visible to the dog will motivate the dog until the dog (or trainer) is too tired to continue.

Most STM training is done off-lead except for dogs with special behavior problems. Although STM trained dogs do not require leads, STM incorporates lead training simply because many municipalities have leash laws. The "body language" of STM trained dogs communicates confidence, spirit and enjoyment in pleasing the trainer. STM trained dogs and their trainers work together as a team continuously reinforcing love, respect and trust for one another.