We recently had the chance to connect with Michelle Gihring and have shared our conversation below.
Michelle, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: Would YOU hire you? Why or why not?
Yes! I would hire me. The animal training industry is tricky to navigate due to there being no required certifications. I have found that customers don’t know how to navigate finding a trainer with appropriate education and certifications in the type of animal training they are seeking. Most clients are looking for positive reinforcement training, and most trainers would say that is what they mainly do. However, most trainers use negative reinforcement techniques as well without disclosing it to the client. My overarching certification is through Karen Pryor Academy. For me to be a Certified Training Partner with them, I have to promise to only use positive reinforcement training techniques on all animals I handle. I can and will lose my endorsement if I use methods that are not approved. I had to complete a rigorous training program and demonstrate that I can apply their science-supported training techniques to acquire the certification, and I need to complete regular Continuing Education Credits to keep it. I have a passion for continuing to educate myself on animal behavior science and putting in the work to achieve my clients’ goals. I would hire me because I have science-based education on positive reinforcement training, I have proven my ability to apply those techniques, and I am held to the high standards of Karen Pryor Academy as I go about my daily work with animals.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Michelle Gihring KPA CTP #54383 and the owner of Positive Precision. I am a positive reinforcement animal trainer based out of Northwest Houston that has been professionally training animals since 2011. I enjoy working with animals of all species. I have even trained some of my chickens! I specialize in all types of working dogs and helping clients achieve their goals using positive reinforcement training techniques ONLY. I keep myself educated and up to date on studies done by animal behaviorists so I can provide the best and most innovative positive reinforcement training techniques for my clients.
I love to problem-solve! In recent years, I am spending time learning about cooperative care training for all species and how to most effectively work with fearful, reactive, and aggressive animals.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who taught you the most about work?
My father, Gerald Frye, taught me the most about work. He owns his own business in the health care industry and has since before I was born. What he pressed most upon me was that no matter what work I chose to pursue, that I should strive to be the best at it. His business’ motto is “Best by Any Standard.” In my work with animal training, I display that by spending a lot of time and money on furthering my education in animal behavior. I travel to conferences, take intensive in-person courses, and complete online courses on animal behavior to continue providing the best and most innovative animal training techniques to my clients. I also seek to provide high quality facilities that are kept clean. I am always making improvements on both my services and my property to equip my clients with the best quality services and products I can.
The second quality my father taught me was integrity. I am honest and up front about what I can and cannot provide for my clients. I am forthcoming about the education I have and the education I am still pursuing when it comes to meeting their specific needs. When I take on an animal, I commit to solving the client’s problem. There have been times that I have kept a boarding client’s animal longer than initially planned for no additional charge so I could complete the training the client needed when the animal was taking longer to achieve new skills than originally anticipated. Producing a high quality product, or well-trained animal, is more important to me than any other factor in my work.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
There are opportunities around every corner. Be prepared for them when they come. Find peace and joy in the process.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
My industry focuses too much on the immediate results and does not concern itself with the long-lasting impact of the type of training used. For example, If a trainer wants to train an off-leash recall with a dog, the trainer could use an electric (shock) collar and get what appears to be a reliable recall within a few training sessions using classical conditioning. When the client picks the dog up, the trainer can demonstrate how well the dog immediately comes when called when using the electric collar. However, several problems will arise over time. The dog may become collar-wise and only recall if the electric collar is on the dog. Studies have found that if negative reinforcement training is used, the trained behavior WILL degrade over time. The off-leash recall trained through a shock collar will degrade. The dog may require being commanded more than once before it responds to the cue. The dog will take the long and scenic route back to you rather than coming directly. Eventually, the dog will ignore you entirely if you aren’t willing to keep the shock collar charged and ready at all times. To me, that indicates the dog resents the electric collar and any behavior trained with it. Using electric collars is not the long-term solution to a solid off-leash recall.
As a positive reinforcement trainer, it is my job to find a reinforcer that appropriately motivates the dog to WANT to come back! Animal trainers find the most success by practicing operant conditioning; which most people are familiar with because they have seen a clicker used in dog training. In the off-leash recall example, we start small by putting a puppy or adult dog on a long-line, sitting on the floor, and calling its name. When the puppy/dog looks up to respond to its name, I click my clicker to mark the dog responding to its name, then the treat and praise party begins. The puppy runs the short distance toward me to join my party, and I have found my first point of success toward an off leash recall! I slowly and intentionally build toward being able to take the dog to any location off leash with high level distractions. I mark and celebrate each success point. That produces a dog that hears its off-leash recall cue and responds immediately and with excitement. A dog that knows only its favorite things come from training is a dog that is happy to partner with its handler for the rest of its life.
When training an animal, I play the long game. I want to produce results that hold up over the lifetime of the animal, not a result that looks good right now but will not still be there months or years after training.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I am doing what I was born to do. When I was a kid, I would find animals to interact with everywhere I went. If I was at a party at someone’s house, you would find me on the floor petting the dog. In fact, that is still true. Animals gravitate toward me, too. Perhaps they like me because they sense that I am safe and desire a partnership with them. I can’t be sure. I can be sure that God gave me a gift with animals, and I have spent my life pursuing skills to complement that gift. Together, the God-given gift and the skills I have acquired have made me an exceptional trainer and steward of other species.
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