Benefits of Choice-based Training

Dogs have many, many things decided for them. When they eat, when they go outside, whether they go to the park that day. As their caretakers, we provide and prohibit their access to resources. This is especially true as society moves into smaller, tightly compacted homes with little natural enrichment and freedom. We also call ourselves dog OWNERS, implying dogs are our property. Sometimes this makes us forget they are sentient creatures with their own desires, motivations, and preferences. Often I have seen people pressuring their dogs into unpleasant situations, either ignoring or being completely unaware that the dog is fearful or uncomfortable. One way that people have begun to give their canine companions more control is through choice-based training.

Choice-based training is rooted in the philosophy that animals should be able to opt in or out of behaviors that make them uncomfortable. The goal is to provide them agency and control over their environment. This does not mean that we allow the dog to control us, or that we never do anything unpleasant but necessary. Instead, we give them an easily communicable way to say “yes, proceed” and “no, stop”. Giving your dog a way to communicate clearly lessens their stress and helps them feel more comfortable in a space. You can implement choice-based training in different ways depending on the goal. The first is to observe the dog’s body language closely and honor the times they say “no” by moving away, refusing to approach, or stiffening their body. The second is to train (often through shaping) a specific observable behavior to communicate “yes”. In the absence of this consent signal, the “no” is implied. Both of these are a valuable way to gather information. A body language example is a dog stiffening and pulling their paw away during nail trims. Training a specific behavior may look like using a chin rest as a “yes” button to begin grooming.

Providing choice is often found to actually speed up training, rather than slow or derail it. When the dogs understand that they can control the environment, even in a small way, it empowers them. The concept of operant conditioning can give insight into this. Participation in the behavior/environment earns the dog reinforcement. Positive reinforcement works because an animal is likely to repeat a behavior that is rewarded, so they can be rewarded again. The dog choosing not to participate is respected, but that also means their opportunity for reinforcement closes.
Choice-based training builds up a dog who actively participates. They are a more willing learner.

Another reason choice-based training is beneficial is that it prevents the dog from escalating their “no”. If their attempts to opt out are ignored, their discomfort can escalate into aggression. Since their subtle, polite cues are not being respected, they can only try to say NO louder and more clearly. Generally, dogs only escalate to aggressive behavior when their warnings are repeatedly ignored, and they are repeatedly pushed into extreme discomfort (it is important to note that this is not the case for every dog, depending on their genetics and learning history). If the dog understands how to stop something scary or uncomfortable, they never feel the need to escalate. This is extra important for dogs who have felt the need to escalate in the past.

Forcing a dog to comply with your wishes may not lead to aggression, but rather learned helplessness. Learned helplessness is when an animal learns that they have no impact on their environment, so they shut down and offer nothing at all, even often in the presence of punishment or pain. They are letting the world happen to them because they have discovered that they cannot do anything about it. When they are in this mindset, the dog is still incredibly uncomfortable/fearful. They don’t show their discomfort outwardly and seem to “accept their fate”. While we cannot avoid running into situations where the dog does not have a choice (such as an emergency vet procedure), we can buffer them against that helplessness by providing choice in the areas of life that we can.

Choice-based training is a relatively new area of dog training, but this concept has been present in the area of parenting and teaching children for much longer. Any individual who is given some amount of choice becomes a more active participant in their learning and growth. Providing our dogs with choice and agency does not take away from our role as caretakers and pathway to resources; it enriches it, allowing them to step into their care with confidence instead of grudging compliance.