LOL Danegirl! When you've had enough, can you pass me some? LOL
Listen. There are different methods to train a dog. Getting a dog to do certain things, even phenomenal things is one small part of it, IMO. The other part in training dogs is that they are not harmed or exploited to a degree that isn't good for them or damaging to the relationship between human and dog.
The positive training "movement" if you will is utilizing very effective training methods based on sound, solid science and loads of experience of educated behaviorists and such. When learned, these methods are every bit, if not more reliable because the dog learns self control rather than being forced. There are oodles of data that support this. You'd have to do your own research because it's too much to type. And heaven knows, my posts are wicked long as it is.
The idea is that the dog is learning to earn, not learning to avoid a punishment. There are consequences and some serious fall out from using a lot of harsh punishment. These are well substantiated if you do some research into it. There are some good links and articles posted on some recent threads here as well as books and other articles online. If you study behaviorism and canine behavior specifically, you will understand what I'm talking about.
Having a dog do certain tasks is great, but at what cost? I do not believe that a dog is happy when he is hit, jerked hard with a choke or prong collar, scolded sternly and made fearful. I believe that many of the expressions and body language signs that dogs use, people mistake for happiness when they are in fact signs of appeasement. Great amounts of study have been made on this subject alone. There is a huge amount of detrimental side affects associated with harsh punishment. I say "harsh" because punishment can be part of training. Punishment can be soft and sweet. It does not have to be severely aversive. For example, my Dobe has learned that if he's gone too far out to the end of his leash and I need him to get back closer to me (this is on a casual loose leash walk, not a formal heel) all I say is "uh-oh" in a playful, baby talk voice. I kid you not. So, there I'm adding something (positive) which makes him stop doing what he's doing (punishment) and change his behavior. When teaching him this, I'd reinforce him for getting back into position. I never yanked on his collar or scolded him. I'd pause in my walking which he had learned means that forward motion is about to stop. He'd stop and I'd wait. He knew that being along side me equalled forward movement so he backed up along side me and was reinforced heavily for it. Now, it's just a little reminder, "uh-oh" and he flies back beside me.
When we're walking and I don't let him have that much freedom but it's still not a formal heel, I tell him, "nice walkies." And he stays rather next to me, but there is still some leway. Heel is "heel" and that is a very precise position which he learned with a clicker. He's very precise and looks at me every several steps. I don't like the way they often do it where the dog looks at you the whole time. So for our needs and life style, it's just every so often or if I ask, "watch me." I started him with no leash or collar and alternated between naked and the use of a leash. There is nothing to pull against. (no opposition reflex which dogs have in abundance) If the dog wants a click and treat, he walks the right way. If not, I just keep walking. Soon the dog figures out where to be in order to get the covetted treat. A little bit hungry dog helps and a variation of treats help, starting with a not so tasty treat and using the tastier treats for more difficult things. All that is kind of simplified and there's a little more to it as far a variable reward schedules to make the dog not dependent on treats later, once the behavior is installed and some shaping....whereby the dog is rewarded for approximations of the ultimate behavior and then the ante is raised and no longer is he rewarded for sloppier behavior. He needs to give me more. Soon, that becomes the base from which we work and so on.
In other words, the dog is using his own head more. He is having more fun working for reward. He is more lively and exuberant. It's all a game. There is no pain or discomfort, no worry about doing the right thing or else. It works very thoroughly and makes for excellent reliability if done RIGHT. It takes a little study, yes. But what doesn't?