Magic Touch^™

Dog Training Method

The TLC Magic Touch tm sm method is a training method that uses the principles of Classical and Operant Conditioning. The difference is we use ALL aspects of Operant Conditioning, Positive Reinforcement, and Negative Reinforcement. I have to spend a minute talking about Negative Reinforcement. Negative Reinforcement creates rapid behavior conditioning that can be permanent and is extremley stable. There are many misconceptions among the lay and amateur dog hobbyists calling themselves trainers or behaviorists about negative reinforcement. IT IS NOT HARSH...AND IT IS NOT PUNISHMENT...Those that will lead you to believe this are not applied K9 Behaviorists and don't understand how learning takes place with the least amount of stress and quickest results.

BILL GLATZEL's TLC Magic Touch tm sm approach is based on using the principles of operant conditioning and classical conditioning. "We use Negative Reinforcement when the dog makes incorrect decisions for permanent, lasting and stable command reliability," says Glatzel. But then he goes on to say, "We also use Positive Reinforcement, and praise when the dog makes the right decision." Most people and unfortunately MANY people CALLING themselves "Dog Trainers" or "Behaviorists," don't understand Negative Reinforcement. The problem is one of a lack of understanding and proper foundation in the true science of canine learning theory. You can't throw out half the science behind learning theory, and then expect real stable, real reliable behavior in a puppy or dog in the REAL world with Distractions.

Negative Reinforcement does not mean, punishment, and does not mean pain, does not mean harsh corrections. Here is a perfect example of Negative reinforcement. Let's say you are very interested in walking down the block straight ahead. If I want you to turn right with me, and you don't, I might tap on your shoulder to get your attention so you will turn with me. That is Negative Reinforcement. You turn right with me so I will stop tapping you on the shoulder. This is basically the extent of the Negative Reinforcement used in our training.

If you were to use ONLY Total Positive Reinforcement, this is EXACTLY what needs to happen. If you were walking down the block straight ahead, and I want you to turn with me to the right and I can't use any Negative Reinforcement to get your attention and communicate to you what I'd like you to do; Using only Positive Reinforcement I need to wait until you decide on your own if you WANT to turn to the right without ANY communication or direction from me. I have to hope that you just "GET IT." Now you tell me who is training who here, the dog or the dog handler? In Positive Reinforcement Only Training you literally have to just wait for the puppy or dog to act they way you want, then you give a click and follow that with a food treat. Using ONLY Positive Reinforcement can take months if not years to effectively train a dog in what will take me just minutes or hours.

Our Whole Method approach is easy for puppies and dogs to understand because we always communicate our intentions to the puppy or dog. It is frustrating and confusing to a puppy or dog when they don't get the communication and direction that Only Positive Reinforcement Training limits. This is stressful to the puppy or dog. And with the puppy or dog always calling the "shots" and then getting FOOD, this quickly can lead to dominance issues, and an aggressive dog that controls the owner rather than you having control of your puppy or dog.

"The concept of Negative Reinforcement is difficult to teach and learn because of the word negative. Negative Reinforcement is often confused with Punishment. They are very different, however. I'm sure you have experienced Negative Reinforcement many times and did not even realize it. If you did not realize it, was it so EVIL! Driving in heavy traffic is a negative condition for most of us. You leave home earlier than usual one morning, and don't run into heavy traffic. You leave home earlier again the next morning and again you avoid heavy traffic. Your behavior of leaving home earlier is strengthened by the consequence of the avoidance of heavy traffic. This is Negative Reinforcement!

Negative Reinforcement strengthens a behavior because a negative condition is stopped or avoided as a consequence of the behavior.

Punishment, on the other hand, weakens a behavior because a negative condition is introduced or experienced as a consequence of the behavior. But Bill Glatzel's detractors say they can train dogs without corrections, by simply using food as a bribe, clickers, toys, positive reinforcement only.

GLATZEL doesn't buy it, and remains skeptical..

Our system is better than clicker only training, (TPR) Total Positive Reinforcement systems that lack the needed "permanence" and staying power that you need if you want to accomplish any kind of Off-Leash Reliability or any reliability without bribing with food. This often leads to canine aggression, and dominance issues with the dog over the owner, increased behavior problems like destructive chewing, marking, (regression in house training), and much more. And our system is better over traditional, FORCE/HARSH training. Our System is force-free, gentle, and produces rapid results with permanent reliability in the most distracting environments and instances.

• Rapid Results with 1/2 the time and effort of most ALL other training systems.
• End and Eliminate Behavior Problems of ALL kinds in usually just 1 to 2 lessons.
• Off-Leash Heeling and full Obedience Command and Control in just 3 to 5 lessons.
• Limitless training- see our Training Services
• Both Verbal and Hand Signal Control and Command of Your Dog.
• Off-Leash Reliability with distractions of ALL kinds.
• Accelerated and Advanced Training Results in 1/2 the time and with 1/2 the work.
• And there are "no-limits" to the many other uses for any level of training!

If you are interested in living in peace with your dog, if you are interested in rediscovering the joy that exists between man and his "Best Friend", please call us at the number below and talk to one of our trainers to discover which one of our programs will work for you.

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