Positive First is a descriptive term Glenn Cooke announced earlier in one of our episodes. He feels better describes what the Balanced dog training community have been trying to represent.
Naturally, there are counter arguments that it doesn’t represent the industry based on the correct scientific terms. There was additional points that it could be perceived as to closely associated with positive only.
Glenn and Pat start to unpack the success of starting with positive reinforcement and then re assessing. This way if you start positive and can remain within that system of training, there is no problem. If you need to move along to adding aversive, then you can implement the LIMA system.
If you have never heard of LIMA, it is the acronym for, Least Invasive Minimally Aversive. it does a very nice job of describing a better selection pathway for training when using the Operant system.
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A very interesting podcast! I only found you guys a few weeks ago and this is the only podcast I listen too. I should add that I identify as a positive trainer, although I wouldn’t say “positive only” as it is, as we all know, impossible. Maybe I will now start calling myself Positive First. I do like the term and I think it’s actually what many positive trainers would use as well, apart from the really extreme ones.
For me the term balanced trainer has always been equal to outdated theories and quite brutal methods, until now that is. I was absolutely positively shocked by your knowledge of the learning theory and its application. I haven’t met many people here (Scotland), outside of the “positive trainers” community, who would be equally knowledgeable on this topic. I’ll definitely spend more time listening to your talks and learning from you. I’m not likely to use the tools you use but listening to a different perspective has already changed the way I think about certain training and behaviour issues.
I’m also glad that you haven’t, so far (I only listened to 3 episodes) been talking too bad about positive trainers, a few jokes here and there didn’t put me off. There is enough hate on each side of the fence…