What is balance training and why is it important?

By Bear

What is Balance Training?

If you’ve been following me on Instagram for a while, you’ll know that I’ve actually been balance trained. If you don’t know what that is, it’s an alternative type of training for dogs that uses both positive and negative reinforcement as a way of encouraging positive behaviours and minimising the negative. Don’t worry - it’s not about punishing bad behaviour but to change it. It’s about trying to show that if I choose to engage in a certain behaviour, my owner Jade is going to correct me so I won’t do it at all. It’s not that I don’t like other dogs, I just like my own space and it comes out all aggressive… I’m getting better though, I promise! 

Balance training accessories I use

All my special balance training accessories were introduced to me in a positive way and little by little. So when I was first shown my new gadgets, we tried them all at home first so I could get used to wearing them and how they felt, before being overwhelmed with all the noises and smells outside AS WELL AS the training accessories! My owners even tried the e-collar themselves before allowing me to use it. Because of this positive introduction, I actually get a bit excited now when I see my things come out as it means I’m getting to go on a walk and, as long as I don’t need to be corrected, it’s much more enjoyable for me than when I first started going outside.

E-collar

Short for electric collar, an e-collar is controlled by a remote that sends signals to a little box on the collar to create a stimulating feeling in your muscles. I really like my e-collar as it means I get to explore off lead - I’m actually wearing it less and less nowadays as my recall has improved massively!

Recommended e-collar

Grot Collar

The grot means that I won’t pull when I’m walking, otherwise it’ll tighten and be really uncomfortable. It sits behind my ears and isn’t tight. We use my grot mostly when I need to walk through areas that are overstimulating as this can make me anxious. If I’m going to be let off my lead, we use the grot with my e-collar because it’s not bulky to wear. Using my grot has taught me to walk nicely alongside whoever is walking me, and to take my time and enjoy being outside. 

Prong Collar

When I was a bit younger, I didn’t quite understand ‘no’ and didn’t realise that I wasn’t behaving well. When I wear the prong, if I pull on the lead it will apply equal pressure to my neck and I’ll instantly know I’ve done something I shouldn’t. If I were wearing a normal collar and pulled really hard, this could cause damage as the force from the movement isn’t evenly distributed. Prong collars are a bit scary looking but aren’t scary at all and are really effective in communicating between owners and dogs. 

Recommended prong collar

Slip Lead

Very similar to a grot in its concept but it looks a bit different. A slip lead is one whole piece that combines both the lead and collar. A grot is a separate attachment.

Training accessories aren’t the most glamorous or fun to look at, so it’s lucky that my owner likes to customise them! It’s nice being able to choose from fashionable handmade accessories that make me look a little different. It’s also useful when I’m having training sessions outside that other dogs and owners understand that I’m in training and can be reactive, so sometimes I get to wear a special lead connector, too!

Why balance training?

It wasn’t easy choosing to do balance training. We tried both positive and force free training before balance because it just wasn’t working for me. Much like humans learn things in different ways, so do dogs! Turns out that I learn best when I see there are consequences for my behaviour by getting corrected by my owner.

It took a long time to find the trainer that was right for me and I’m doing such a good job now! My trainer took the time to understand me and tried out lots of different things to find out what I liked and what was going to work best - including my different training accessories. Sadly my trainer doesn’t train anymore, but there’s lots of balance trainers out there. You just need to make sure you find the right one for you!

Balance training methods I tried

There are lots of different ways of doing balance training, but these were my favourite and worked best for me.

Bitework training

As I’m a dog with a high prey drive - thanks to being a German Shepherd and Dutch Herder cross - bite training was perfect for me. Bitework involved teaching me to bite on a certain command but also in specific situations. It’s given me confidence that biting isn’t always the answer if I’m scared or distressed. My owners are now better at noticing when I’m feeling anxious and know they need to distract me.

Increased obedience training

The same principle as basic obedience training but goes a little further than commands such as sit, down, stay…  

Protection training

It’s official, I’m a guard dog! No, not really, but I have been trained to protect my family. Make sure you only do protection training with a proper professional who knows what they’re doing.

Swimming

Not really training but a good way of keeping me busy because I looooove to swim. I get bored easily and taking me swimming is a really good way of using up my energy.

Paws for thought

Balance training doesn’t have the best reputation but it has certainly worked for me. Through balance training, my owners have met lots of new and lovely people who have been really supportive as I’m getting less reactive. It’s really good for me that I can go out and meet new people and dogs and not scare them off with my bark! 

Plus, the more I go out, the more I get to wear all my different and customised accessories - how exciting!

Until the next time, Bear 🐾