More Truth about Aversive Training Methods

A University of Pennsylvania study was publixhed in Applied Animal Behavior Science recently. The study looked at such "firm" training techniques of hitting the dog, growling at the dog, and physically forcing the dog onto his or her back. They found that 25 percent of dogs subjected to these techniques responded with aggression. The techniques, far from asserting dominance over the dog, resulted in making dogs fearful, which then manifested as aggression. (Most canine aggression, by the way, is fear-based.)
The report mentions the popularity of Cesar Milan, the "dog whisperer," specifically, but also notes that this idea of "firm dominance" goes back many years, and will likely take years to wipe away. It seems we've already been trying for years!