BAD sources and social media hype:

Don’t assume a “scientific study” is a valid one. Unfortunately, not all studies are created equal. 

Anyone can run a study, what you want to look for are studies that have been published in well-respected journals (some help on how to do this here). This means they’ve been peer reviewed (by scientists working in the same field) and are far more likely to provide reliable, empirical data.

🛑 If the “research” in question was not published in a reputable journal, or has no controls, that’s a red flag.

It’s also important to understand that the scientific process takes time to work, so “new” studies should be taken with a grain of salt. As one might expect, the media is going to be reporting what’s “new and exciting” rather than “here’s confirmation of what we already thought we knew.” So, while it may be worth reading, don’t jump to the conclusion that it’s a scientific truth.

Revolutionaries:

Sure, it’s not uncommon that a trainer discovers an exceptionally effective way of teaching a dog particular behaviors. We always recommend you talk and listen to input from a variety of trainers and methodologies. But at the end of the day, we’re all using one form or another of associative learning (operant conditioning). So while “there's more than one way to skin a cat” there won’t be a REVOLUTIONARY training method that you’re missing out on. The important thing is to find a trainer that has relevant experience in what you’re interested in and has at least a basic understanding of the scientific processes involved.