Force-free vs balanced board and train

What the evidence and the professional bodies say

The clearest statement comes from the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior. Its 2021 Humane Dog Training position statement recommends that only reward-based methods be used for all dog training, including the treatment of behavior problems, and says there is no evidence that aversive methods are more effective. The statement lists prong collars, shock collars, leash jerks and alpha rolls among the aversive methods it advises against. AVSAB has since said it stands behind that position.

Studies point the same way. A 2020 study by Vieira de Castro and colleagues found more stress behaviors and higher cortisol in dogs from aversive-based training schools than in dogs from reward-based ones. A 2020 study by China, Mills and Cooper found reward-based training was at least as effective as e-collar training for recall and chasing problems.

To be fair to the other side, balanced trainers argue that well-timed, low-level corrections are humane and can resolve some problems quickly. The International Association of Canine Professionals, whose members include many balanced trainers, opposes laws that ban or restrict what it describes as the humane use of e-collars and prong collars. That is a genuine disagreement among dog professionals, but the veterinary behavior specialists have taken a clear side.

Fallout: why punishment can backfire

The main worry with corrections is fallout: side effects that show up later. A dog who is corrected when it sees another dog may stop barking but learn that other dogs predict pain, which can make the underlying reactivity worse. Corrections can also suppress warning signals like growling, which removes the early alarm before a bite.

Board and train adds a specific risk. Because the owner is not there, a quiet, obedient dog at pick-up can be a well-trained dog or a dog that has shut down. Ask how the program tells the difference, and look at your dog’s body language when you collect it: loose, curious and engaged is what you want to see.

Questions to ask any board-and-train program

Labels are easy to claim, so ask specific questions and expect specific answers. A trainer who is confident in their method will be glad to explain it.

• Which collars, leads and tools will my dog wear during the stay?
• What happens, exactly, when my dog gets something wrong?
• How do you treat fear or reactivity, not just the visible outburst?
• Will I need to use the same equipment at home, and for how long?
• What do your daily updates show, and can you explain the plan in writing?

The verdict, and where Dogtown stands

Choose a force-free program if you want an approach backed by the veterinary behavior community, if your dog is fearful, sensitive or reactive, or if you would not be comfortable using a correction tool yourself at home. A balanced program is a choice some owners make, but go in knowing what tools will be used and what you will be expected to continue.

Dogtown’s board and train is relationship-based and fear- and force-free, built on positive reinforcement and clear communication, and led by Gabriella Pope, who focuses on the why behind behavior. Our pages on force-free board and train and board and train without e-collars or prong collars go further into how that works.