Thoughts on “traditional” dog training vs positive reinforcement only...?

i think it depends on the dog, some like my collie cross instantly cooperate and are happier when they are with their human and others like my little terrier are more of the " free spirit " ilk and need a little more persuading to do the right thing. my collie cross is a follower and the terrier is more of a leader so they both require a very different approach. i have very many years of dog ownership but had forgotten quiite how persistant a terrier can be if they want to do something naughty...i will admit i scruffed my terrier when he was quite young as the nice way of stopping biting did not work, scruffing made him realise that i wasnt taking any nonsense and i have a lovely affectionate happy little dog who is a delight (most of the time!!!)
 
I'd say it's all very dog dependent. Positive reinforcement worked well for our GSD when he was young. But when adolescence came that went out the window.... in no means are we over the top but he NEEDS boundaries and NEEDS to know that the word NO will be reinforced of nessecary. Very rarely does he require more than an "Ah-Ah" now but he knows the consequences if he continues to push it.
 
Just to go back to your actual, problem, OP; our Rottweilers are very well socialised and dog neutral away from home but one of them thinks that if we walk from home,rather than from the car, she owns the whole area and gets a bit 'guardy' of us towards other dogs.

We have found that rather than attempting to distract her/deal with the behaviour, if we speak to the owner of the other dog, just 'good morning!' it doesn't have to be a conversation, she immediately relaxes and understands that they are 'allowed' to be there.
 
The thing with treat based training it only works if the dog is motivated by food .
Drams not in least motivated by treats he is however motivated by pleasing me and he was the easiest dog ever to train it was a joyful thing for both of us.
I think your approach has to be led by the dog you are training .
Some need you to be quite strong with them some need you to extremely careful with correction some will do anything for a treat .
As soon as any one tells you their way is the only way and any other way is wrong you should move on .
 
It really does depend on the dog. I trained my older dog 'positive only' for the first 18 months of his life and I'm still suffering the consequences eight years later. It was extremely unfair of me to let a dog as mentally headstrong as him, believe he could do his own thing and make his own choices and then when he got too big and bold for it to be cute and funny anymore, to say 'no, actually I lied, life is hard and involves stress' when I should have done that much earlier. Even now that he is retired, simple requests elicit the canine equivalent of 'but whhyyyyy....I don't want toooo'.
 
Thank you all for your replies! Really helpful and enlightening.

First time I’ve walked them on my own today for a while (husband has been walking as I’ve been working). Trainer’s advice was to walk them in “exercise” mode at heel rather than let them be at liberty and sniff around at will, ignore other dogs and correct any unwanted behaviour (before it escalates).

Older dog immediately got with the program and walked at heel the entire way, younger dog had a bit of difficulty with the concept for a stretch due to kamakaze squirrels, but hey, he’s a 2 year old greyhound. We met 6 dogs on our way, did a couple of “ah ah” and “no” when the ears went up and there was NOT A SINGLE GROWL OR BARK, even when a grumpy old lab we’ve met before ran up barking and when we passed dogs on the towpath. She barely paid any attention to the other dogs.

I’m actually quite amazed, but obviously delighted!
 
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