Leadership and animal training - the Participative Leader

October 26, 7:34 PMClicker Training ExaminerEve Alexander

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Part 4 of the Leadership and Animal Training series

Horse whisperer Frank Bell created the 7-Step Safety System.

Cesar Millan, dog whisperer, trains people to train their dogs.

The very best animal trainers are participative or democratic leaders. Frank Bell calls it 'evolved' training. Participative leaders invite and welcome feedback to help guide their decisions.

Natural horsemanship icon Pat Parelli says his relationship with his horses is 51% - 49%, which is almost an equal partnership. Because we've brought horses and dogs into our human world, it makes sense for the human to accept 51% of the partnership to help navigate the animal through our world. Pat says if he's lost in the wilderness, he's going to give the horse 51% of the relationship, trusting the horse to get them both home safely.

Trust is a vital part of this trainer's program. While the first two types of trainers rely on fear and pain to control animals, this trainer builds trust and confidence. Frank Bell says to give to the horse first. Find a spot to rub that gives the horse pleasure. Rub his eyes and other places he cannot rub for himself. Show him that you are his friend and that you will provide for him. Then, Frank says, the horse will give back to you willingly.

A participative leader is a good teacher. This trainer genuinely cares about helping the animal achieve its full potential. If the dog or horse doesn't get it, the trainer will change the approach and find a different way to show the animal what behavior is desired. This trainer never hits or yells at animals.This trainer takes responsibility for being the animal's teacher.

Participative leaders observe the animals and respond accordingly. When problems arise the participative leader looks for clues. Is the dog ill? Does the horse's saddle cause pain? If things get tense, this trainer will back off and give the animal space and time to decompress. If an animal appears confused or unsure, they will return to a previous lesson the animal understood well and build from there. Their goal is to increase the animal's self confidence and intellectual ability.

This type of trainer uses positive reinforcement and looks for opportunities to praise and reward the animal. It might be a food treat, a hug, a play session, a walk, or simply an end to the lesson. These types of trainers always end a training session on a good note. Their sessions are short and positive. They don't drill endlessly. Pat Parelli advocates stopping after three correct responses.

These trainers don't push or prod the animals. They use positive reinforcement to create enthusiasm and motivation. They use the most subtle of cues so that sometimes it looks as if they are communicating telepathically with their animal student. The result is a beautiful display of an animal performing willingly because he respects and trusts his teacher.

Another sign of a participative leader is their willingness to share their techniques with the animal's owner. Cesar Millan's motto is "I rehabilitate dogs and I train people." This is a very important distinction. While the first two types of trainers use esoteric and even illegal training methods handed down from tradition, and don't believe the average pet owner is smart enough to train their animals, the participative leader wants to show you how to do it yourself. These are the people who develop home study programs and DVDs you can follow to learn their techniques. You'll see these trainers on TV, like The Dog Whisperer show as well as the many horse trainers appearing on the RFD channel.

This is the type of leader a clicker trainer is. We don't fight with animals, we don't hurt them or make them afraid. We build their self-confidence, we stimulate their intellect, we demonstrate our love, and we treat them dignity.

What about the Laissez Faire or Free Rein Leader?

More articles:

• How does clicker training work?
• What is horse whispering?
• TAGteach - clicker training for people
• The attitude of a clicker trainer
• What is operant conditioning?
• Training frightened animals - the approach and retreat technique
• Empowering vs overpowering in clicker training

The copyright of this article is owned by Eve Alexander. Permission to republish in print or online must be granted by Eve Alexander in writing.

 Photo credits: Frank Bell, www.horsewhisperer.com; Cesar Millan, www.cesarmillaninc.com