Over the last few years, we have seen a significant rise in demand for available online dog training advice. From what I can see, these courses have become extremely popular for a few key reasons:
Social media has played a major role in spreading and promoting rewards-based training across Australia, particularly among younger people, university-educated audiences, and those with more progressive views. Unfortunately, social media is also full of conflicting and often inaccurate information about dogs (as it is with many topics), which leaves many clients confused about what training methods they should trust.
After spending decades educating and helping people with their dogs, I now find that a large part of my work involves re-education—correcting information they’ve picked up online or from trainers who promote purely positive methods.
These approaches are often described as “pure positive” training. While I would not consider all of these individuals unprofessional, I do believe the term “professional dog trainer” should involve a broader and more balanced understanding of behaviour. Positive reinforcement absolutely works—I use it extensively in my own training—but it is not the only tool required for reliable behaviour change.
Some of the claims made within this space suggest that dogs can simply “figure things out” through deductive reasoning. However, dogs do not reason in that way. A dog’s behaviour is shaped by genetics, environment, learning history, and how it has been reinforced over time.
Another common claim is that unwanted behaviour can simply be “replaced” with an alternative behaviour. But this raises an important question: what happens if the original behaviour is highly rewarding or closely aligned with the dog’s natural drives? In those cases, simply offering an alternative is often not enough on its own.
Rather than making broad generalizations about different training philosophies, it is more useful to examine specific methods.
Many of these approaches are referred to as “redirection” or “distraction-based” training. On the surface, they sound effective. In practice, however, they can lack depth when used as a standalone solution.
For example, if a dog is engaging in an unwanted behaviour and a toy, food, or ball is introduced at that moment, the dog is effectively being reinforced during that behaviour—even if the reward is not immediately consumed. The timing alone can strengthen the behaviour. It’s a simple concept, but an important one.
Because of this, I often see owners being encouraged to repeatedly redirect or “lure” their dogs out of behaviour in a way that can feel like constant pleading or begging. This can be frustrating for owners and, over time, ineffective for the dog.
I regularly work with behaviour cases that have become significantly worse due to over-reliance on positive-only methods without clear structure or consequence-based learning. In many cases, this leaves owners guessing rather than progressing.
One of the most serious concerns I see is in aggression cases. In some situations, the only tools offered are reward-based strategies or medication. While medication has its place in certain cases, it is often used as a primary long-term solution rather than a temporary support tool.
I have worked with many dogs that were heavily medicated simply to cope with everyday situations like walking. In some cases, the dogs were so sedated they could barely function. This is distressing to see, especially when alternative behavioural approaches may not have been fully explored.
Over the years, I have successfully rehabilitated many of these dogs—reducing or eliminating the need for medication—allowing them to walk calmly, interact appropriately with other dogs, and live more balanced lives. Each case is different, but these outcomes are far more achievable than many people realize when the right approach is applied.
Check out Sidney’s YouTube channel (4974) Sidney Aarons Professional Dog Trainer – YouTube
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