I read once that the only thing two dog trainers agree on is that a third dog trainer is doing something wrong.
People have VERY strong opinions about training methods, and there tends to be a lot of name-calling about it (positive only training gets called "bribery"; training that uses aversives like prong collars or e-collars gets called "cruel" or "fear-based.") But in my opinion, there is no one right way that works for all dogs and all people in all circumstances. After a lot of research and many generations of dogs, here is what I have concluded: use the least aversive method possible that 1) works for you and 2) works for your dog and 3) that you can sustain.
Anything that you do not do consistently will not work. For instance, lots of people are big proponents of using positive reinforcement with clickers. And lots of people have had success with clickers. But when I tried it, I found myself fumbling with too many things in my hands (leash, clicker, treats, poop bags), and missing cues. So I wasn't able to do it consistently, and it wasn't sustainable for me as a method. But it might work beautifully for you!
Several years ago, I adopted a stunning 6-year-old Aussie, Ima, with serious dog aggression. I mean, spittle flying, jaws snapping, yanking my arm off on walks to try to kill any other dog she saw. She wasn't interested in treats and couldn't be distracted by balls or toys. So we used both positive reinforcement (though praise and attention) and aversives (prong collar and verbal corrections,) as a way to communicate with her about what was acceptable behavior and what wasn't. And honestly, it was like Ima was waiting for us to show her that we were in charge so that she could relax and go "off duty." Within a couple of weeks, we were able to go from her barking her brains out to just a quick verbal correction. Not kidding. We could just say, "Thank you. That's enough." and she would immediately relax and go back to her nap or walk or whatever she was doing, like, "Oh, you got this? Cool." I have heard some people decry prong collars as cruel or abusive, but I would argue that it was much less cruel than letting Ima stay in that state of stress and arousal while attempting to raise her threshold for what she perceived to be huge threats.
By the same token, a prong collar might be too strong an aversive for a different dog. I had my Shih-Tzu mix, Sufjan, from about 6 months old. And he was happy to do just about anything for treats. That made it really simple to communicate with him what I behaviors I wanted. So it took about 2 months of training and another few to wean him off the treats, but that was all he needed. And it was annoying to keep treats with me all the time, but it was a small price to pay to be able to stay consistent. A prong collar would have been too harsh a correction because he didn't really need it.
Training is all about developing your relationship with the dog, learning understand each other. I say, don't believe anyone who tells you their way is the ONLY way. Go with what works for you, stick with it, and you will get to have a fabulous relationship with a marvelous companion that respects you, protects your chickens, and makes your life more joyful.
I wanna go to a breeder for my next dog and have them pick hahah never done that before
