Training Technologies. Science, Humans and Dogs in the Age of Positive Dog Training

Abstract

The practices of dog training influence the lives of numerous dogs and dog owners, but have not received much academic attention in terms of empirical studies. Both humans and dogs are shaped through these practices, but as the conditions are partly determined by already established networks, it is not simply a matter of the trainer’s personal choice. In order to explore the entanglements of technology, gender, humans, and dogs in dog training practices, this article applies a material semiotic perspective inspired by John Law and Donna Haraway. Taking the changes towards "positive training" and the technology of clicker training as its point of departure, the article explores the emergence and effects of different training practices and the networks that provide their conditions.