In the world of dog training, LIMA (Least Intrusive, Minimally Aversive) is the gold standard for fairness and effectiveness. The standard it sets has guided our work since day one. Coined by dog trainer Steven R. Lindsay, LIMA is a balanced approach that prioritizes positive reinforcement while acknowledging the judicious use of aversive techniques when all other options have been exhausted.
Our goal at Lucid Dog Training has always been to improve the quality of life for people and dogs by enhancing the relationship between them. At its core, LIMA methods accomplish this by prioritizing the gentlest, least stressful methods possible to train dogs. It isn’t an exaggeration to say that 99% of dog training should be performed using positive reinforcement. Positive Reinforcement has been associated with lower incidences of aggression, avoidant and fearful behaviors in dogs, and other benefits. With over a decade dedicated to Lindsay’s LIMA-based training approach – we’ve seen similarly successful results thousands of times.
With that being said, some trainers, and even some training organizations, insist that aversive methods are never used in LIMA training. This simply isn’t true and can be demonstrated with a quick review of the literature. Emphasizing methods based on fair exchange, cooperation, play, and overall well-being should always be the goal, but as with people, sometimes reinforcers and rewards won’t have the desired effect and corrective measures are necessary for changing not only unwanted, but possibly dangerous, behaviors in dogs. Lindsay’s original work outlines these details clearly, and we recommend anyone who desires to learn about LIMA at the highest level to read his work:
https://a.co/d/ee3RzyM
The Keys to LIMA:
LIMA is competency based.
It requires people to possess the necessary knowledge and skills to assess situations and ensure (as the name suggests) that the least intrusive and minimally aversive procedure is always used. This emphasis on competency underscores the importance of ongoing education and a learn-by-doing approach, not only for dog trainers, but for anyone taking on the responsibility of raising and training a dog. You can expect future posts on this subject from us since training people along with their dogs is the crux of our approach.
LIMA is a customizable approach that creates consistency.
While “custom” and “consistent” are two attributes that may seem contradictory, they’re both important and possible to do together. Tailoring training approaches to individual dogs and their families is important. One-size-fits-all approaches to anything rarely work as desired. Equally important to customization is consistent expectations across the entire family to ensure clarity is achievable for the dog. LIMA’s structure, and the techniques that are rooted in it, make both goals achievable for different dogs and families by first doing what is best by the dog and secondly, making sure everyone follows the same system.
LIMA emphasizes fairness.
Another crucial aspect of LIMA training is the focus on giving dogs as much control and choice as possible. This approach respects each dog’s unique characteristics, preferences, abilities, and needs – making training easier and more effective. Dog trainers and owners who aren’t willing or able to shift their expectations of their dogs, if needed, aren’t utilizing LIMA. Just as every parent needs to sometime adjust what they wish for their child to be or do; good dog owners must do the same. Understanding the Humane Hierarchy, which we’ll cover in our next post, makes such pivots possible.
LIMA emphasizes effectiveness.
While LIMA prioritizes positive reinforcement, it is important to understand all four quadrants of operant conditioning, as both positive punishment (adding a correction) and negative punishment (removing the dog from a situation) can be misused. We see this all the time. You likely have too. Negative punishment can be just as harmful as the misuse of positive punishment, since the dog never gets the chance to overcome the challenge, causing continued stress to the dog and handler every time the situation arises. Many people make this mistake daily, especially while on walks, without realizing the damage they’re causing.
This is the first of a series of posts regarding LIMA. Please subscribe to Lucid Thoughts to learn more.