BEHAV I O R & H EA LT H
Positive
What is your education? I attended the University of Vermont from Fall 2014 to Spring 2017, graduating with Honors with a B.S. in animal science. I wrote my honors senior thesis on problematic behaviors in recently adopted dogs. This thesis was researched under the guidance of Jamie Shaw (Canine Behaviorist, owner/operator of The Dog School) and Kelley Bollen (M.S., Certified Animal Behavior Consultant), using their data to survey clients who adopted rescue/shelter dogs in New England. After I graduated I apprenticed under Jamie Shaw for 2 years, where I lived with Haylie and dog, Wren Photo Credit: Catherine Hibbard/Berkshire Humane Society and worked for her at The Dog School in Huntington, Vermont. Jamie was one of New England’s first behaviorists, and an expert on dog-to-dog communication. With Jamie I learned how to treat and manage a wide array of behavior issues, conduct safe play and read canine body language in extreme detail. I also guest lectured often in her canine behavior courses at UVM, which was where I fell in love with teaching others about dogs.
reinforcement training Written by Haylie Gernert-Dott
What certifications do you have or are you working towards? I am currently working towards my Certified Professional Dog Trainer-Knowledge and Skills Assessed (CPDT-KSA). I will be sitting for the KA exam this Spring, and will be submitting my KSA application soon thereafter) and Certified Behavior Consultant Canine-Knowledge Assessed (CBCC-KA) through the Association of Professional Dog Trainers. Additionally, I am working towards Certified Dog Behavior Consultant through the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. I believe certifications are important in dog training and behavior modification What is your experience? I started working with “difficult” dogs and horses at age 12. I worked for rides and lessons at a local barn in Upstate New York, and took any rides I could get. This meant that I usually rode the horses who needed work, exercise or were otherwise not the first choice for other riders. I also began my own dog-walking business around the neighborhood, and because of my experience with my own reactive dog, was able to take on dogs who had similar issues. During school breaks at UVM I worked at the Animal Protective Foundation in Scotia, New York where I helped with their low-cost spay and neuter clinic, then became an animal care tech with a focus on training and behavior management in the kennel. During my junior and senior semesters at UVM I was Jamie Shaw’s teaching assistant for her canine behavior classes. After graduating, I began my apprenticeship with Jamie Shaw at The Dog School in Huntington Vermont, where I helped her in daily care and training of dogs who boarded with us, worked with her on behavior consultations and guest lectured in her classes at UVM. After I finished my two- year apprenticeship I moved to Cummington, Massachusetts where I started my own behavior consultation business (Hilldogs Behavior Consulting & Training), offering private consultation and behavior modification for dogs in the hilltowns of Western Massachusetts. What is in your toolbox? Primarily treats and toys! I find that most dogs can be motivated with the right combination of treats (varying types, sizes, and consistencies depending on the dog, day, environment and task at hand) and cooperative toy play. The most important thing is to figure out what works for the dog in front of you in that particular moment. Like us, dogs find different things reinforcing on different days and in different environments. For example, my dog works well for FreshPet dog food around the house, but works better for a hard plastic Frisbee (NOT a soft one, mind you) when outside or in a more stressful environment. There is NO “one size fits all” type of reinforcement that works for all dogs, but all dogs can be trained using positive reinforcement! Ultimately, the specific tools in my toolbox vary depending on the dog I am working with. But additional “tools” I often use are front-attachment harnesses, head halters, basket muzzles, long lines, clickers, GPS collars and a good bait bag/treat pouch. What services do you offer? (i.e. group, private in home, virtual, etc.) At Berkshire Humane Society I offer private on-site and virtual consultations, group classes, virtual puppy orientations, and adoption behavior counseling.
Family Dog School
Berkshire Humane Society
Trainer:Haylie Bernert-Dott
413-447-7878 extension139 www.BerkshireHumane.org
8 • Winter 2020 | Mountain Dog Magazine
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he most common complaint I hear about this style of training is that “My dog doesn’t work for food.” The implication is that therefore the dog cannot be trained using positive reinforcement. What I wish people knew was that positive reinforcement is so much more than food! What I love most about being a dog trainer is that every dog is a puzzle, and they are different every single day. A dog may work well for treats in one scenario, but be unable to eat when you take them outside to work. They may enjoy working for a tennis ball one day, but be completely disinterested in it the next. The challenge is to figure out exactly what makes each dog tick, and to create training scenarios in which they can WIN that reinforcement consistently through working with you. Over time, training with positive reinforcement builds a deep connection between dog and handler, built on trust and open communication. To me there is no better feeling in the world than when you are working as a team with a dog, feeling that synergy as you move through exercises together, doing things together that would be impossible to do alone. Positive reinforcement training is an invaluable tool for shelters. Here dogs are often confused, anxious and often come with established behavior issues. Positive reinforcement training gives these dogs agency over what happens to them. In an environment where they have little choice, they know that they can perform behaviors that earn them food, attention, access to play and other valuable things. This agency improves their mental health, and helps them build working relationships with the staff and volunteers they interact with every day. Through these relationships our shelter dogs learn to trust humans once more, and begin positive behavior change that makes them better candidates for adoption. At Berkshire Humane Society positive reinforcement training is the bedrock of our canine welfare program. Using positive reinforcement with our dogs alleviates stress and creates a safer, calmer, more trusting environment for our dogs and the humans who care for them. Our humane training protocols make life better for our dogs during their time with us, and set them up for long-term success in their adoptive homes!
