there is a fine line in this subject of training, a lot of people call this kind of reprimand an alpha roll, but if it is done correctly, it is simply a correction that is understood to the dog because it is DOG LANGUAGE. You are not tackling the dog when i decribe my method of punishment for a puppy, you are pinning the dog for a short moment while giving a huge verbal correction. It is a way to SHOCK the puppy out of a behavior, the same way a mother does to her puppies. In no way does it result in a fearful or cowering dog. They understand the correction and their behavior will modify quickly, but if we use a reprimand they dont understand (like hitting them with a newspaper or locking them in a crate), it will take much longer and the puppy becomes very confused.
When i talk about the exercise of holding a dog on his back, this is not as a punishment, this is conditioning submission, it is a calm, relaxing exercise and is not rolling your dog. However, you must hold your dog down in some instances, esp puppies if they rebel because you have to show the exercise is over on your terms, and only when calm will they be released. Its the same as conditioning a dog to have his paws touched type of thing.
A lot of people use alpha rolling with the same energy and force they would use if they were hitting the dog. Violently and forcefully. They scruff the dog and throw it on its back and that IS NOT what i am talking about. However, if done right, the exercise DOES work in calming the dog down, even ceaser milan does it, but you can see in his method it is not violent, but calm and quick, enough to get a point accross and thats it. It is not a punishment that needs to occur every day, or even every month. It is an exercise I stress with puppies because it is so similar to what their mother does with them. It shouldnt be used when your dog does something "kinda wrong" but when yukon growls or challenges his owner, he should be reprimanded the same way his mother or other litter mate would, with a fast, loud but non violent punishment to shock him and deter him from behaving the same way again.
As a trainer for 5 years, i have watched the alpha controversy explode and seen many "trainers" take the technique and run with it so to speak. Using it as the only form of punishment and thinking that if they alpha roll the dog, they dont need to do anything else to have a happy trained dog. There are other trainers that also NEVER punish, and only reward their dogs, thinking this will produce a well behaved dog. The truth is is that every dog is different but most need a little bit of everything in order to be a good dog, just like people. None of my methods EVER involve physically hurting a dog or causing fear. If they did, I wouldnt be a humane trainer. I use positive reinforcement methods but also use negative punishment and reinforcement (not necessarily 'bad') as well as conditioning and shaping and habituation and aversion. Everything rolled into one. Some dogs i KNOW not to use some methods with. So please excuse me if it appeared as though i was speaking for every dog with food aggression issues or total dog training as a whole. Notice when I was describing dealing with an adult dog with CPA i never mentioned alpha rolling him, because I simply wouldnt do that. I was advising mama23 on yukon and yukon only.
I think from now on i will not give out behavior advice. If you would like a consult with me you may PM me and I will give general tips on behavior on the boards but it just may be too touchy. I would like to state though that I am certified through CCPDT as a trainer. I studied Canine behavior in college and wrote my thesis on positive training methods after working with Elephants at the zoo for 2 years and am currently working on a book about the origin of the dog and how it relates to wolves. (did you know that there is only a .2% difference in wolf DNA vs dog DNA? they are that similar)
I am sorry to have offended anyone or gone against what others believe is the best way to handle their dog.
