What does old school mean to you??

When people use terms like Old School and being firm what does that mean to you?

Old school as a term would be either negative as in old-fashioned & outdated, or positive as in retro (e.g. "old school music" to me would mean stuff from my early teens) . In terms of dog training, I would interpret old school as using physical methods, aversives, choke chains, etc. - so a negative thing. Being firm would depend on the context but paired with old school, again, I'd think negative - firm physically, e.g. scruffing a dog, or firm with the voice, e.g. shouting. In another context, it could simply mean being consistant and having rules in place, not necessarily negatively (e.g. being firm about no dogs allowed on the sofa/in the bed).

Old School i take to mean things like choke chains, bopping on the nose. Firm i take to mean slightly rough?
That said i think firm depends on context, i'd describe myself as very firm but very fair especially with my horses, and they don't get beaten up, they just know their boundaries and that it's usually quicker/easier to do what i ask!

Yup, as above. Be the leader, choke chains, shouting, smack on the nose, physical manipulation (like pushing the bum down to teach Sit), sound aversion like rattle bottles, scruffing, alpha rolling, no dogs on furniture, must go out the door first, must eat first etc

The terms old school and firm conjur up all sorts of negative methods to me none of which id ever use on my dog.

How was it that people decided these forms of training were negative?

Some really Cool electro and gangster tunes from the eighties and early nineties before hiphop went downhill

its had to be said ^^

Well I do not allow my dogs on the furniture. Does that make me old school?

Last time I looked this was not a crime................ or considered dog cruelty.

Not sure that anyone said it was a crime or cruelty....

In my mind it fits with the old school attitude with not ever allowing dogs through doors first, making them move if they are in front of you, always eating before you feed them. It's a general approach to dog training.

That's not to say that specific aspects can't be used independently and for various reasons. I also do not allow my dog on furniture but that's because he's far too big and hairy

My friend's husband hit my CKC on the muzzle when he mouthed him as a curious 8/9 week old pup does. He told me that was the old school method of correcting unwanted behaviour. We've not seen/spoken to friend's husband since then and pup is now 6 months old. That's the new school way of ditching unwanted guests who hit puppies.