Over the past few decades, we have seen a shift from aversive dog training methods to force-free, positive reinforcement training. Instead of punishing a dog for unwanted behaviors, we reward him for behaviors we like which will increase the likelihood that he will display these behaviors more frequently. Research has proven that positive reinforcement is the most effective and safest training method. It is a powerful training tool and certainly the kindest training method for our dogs, who most of us consider family.
Punishment-Based Training and Its Many Disadvantages
Punishment-based training is rooted in dominance theory, which suggests unwanted behaviors are a dog’s attempt to show dominance. Consequently, behavior problems are solved by establishing dominance over the dog - “showing him who's the boss.”
Did you know? This theory stems from a 1930s study conducted with captive wolves. The wolves displayed significantly different behaviors from their wild counterparts Yet, the findings from the study were erroneously applied to wild wolves and later to domestic dogs.
Although those concepts have long since been debunked, many still believe that punishment is a useful training method. Aversive training techniques range from intimidation, such as yelling, staring the dog down, startling her with unpleasant sounds, and spraying her with water or citronella, to physical punishment, such as hitting, kicking, pinning the dog to the ground, jerking the leash, and using aversive collars. Sadly, some aversive training advocates have recently been on the rise on social media, promoting confrontational and punishment-based training methods once again. Not only are these methods outdated and unnecessary, but they are also harmful, unsafe, often ineffective, and they may lead to serious problems.
9 Reasons Why Aversive Training Should Be Avoided
"Effective" Punishment Comes at a High Price
Four criteria are necessary for punishment to be effective:
Correct timing of the aversive
Correct intensity of the aversive, which varies from dog to dog
Consistent application of the aversive
The behavior correction is not to lead to avoidance aka fear.
This means the person applying the corrections has to learn these methods which takes time and practice. Meanwhile the dog suffers while that learning is taking place.
The "Effectiveness" of Punishment Differs Between Dogs
While yelling may make one dog stop in his tracks, another dog may not even blink. A strong, confident dog may bounce back from intimidation and physical force while an already timid dog may be traumatized for the rest of his life. The experience of emotional and physical discomfort is subjective, and we cannot predict how any given dog will respond.
Punishment Looses Its Effectiveness Over Time
When a dog is repeatedly and routinely exposed to punishment, she may get used to it. At first, yelling at your dog when she engages in an unwanted behavior may stop her, but after a while she may not respond to yelling anymore. The next step may be spraying her with a water bottle, until she gets used to that one. What will you do next? Punishment methods will often escalate over time. After all, if a little discomfort won’t change a behavior, maybe pain will. So people use harsher leash corrections, increase shock intensity, and physical violence.
Punishment May Cause or Increase Fear and Anxiety
In most cases aggression is rooted in fear. Therefore, punishing a dog for displaying aggressive behavior is counterproductive and does not solve the underlying problem. Punishing a fearful dog will usually increase his fear and anxiety.
Did you know? Dogs that are punished on a regular basis will often shut down. They stop displaying any behaviors to avoid punishment. Advocates of aversive methods describe this as a desirable “calm submissive” state. However, this is an incorrect description because submission is rooted in fear, and no-one can be fearful and calm at the same time. In psychology, this state is called “learned helplessness” where the dog experienced repeated stress and is unable to control or change the situation.
Punishment May Lead to Aggression
Confrontational and punishment-based training methods can lead to an aggressive reaction. A dog that is punished for growling in the hopes of curbing aggressive behavior will learn that her communication efforts are fruitless. Next time, she may skip the warning and immediately resort to biting which now makes her a dangerous dog.
Any dog may react aggressively when pain is inflicted on him or he feels cornered. Over time, aggression may increase and also be directed towards other people and dogs. This is why aversive training is unsafe for everyone involved.
Your Dog May Associate the Aversive with You
A dog experiences punishment only when his person is present, so he will learn to suppress unwanted behaviors. But he may still display them when the person is not around. Punishing a dog later for going through the trash is ineffective because he is not able to make an association between the punishment and what he did hours earlier. It only harms the dog-human relationship. The dog will learn that his person cannot be trusted and that it is better to avoid them. Training should always strengthen the bond between you and your dog, not weaken it.
Harsh Punishment Is Cruel and Inhumane
Harsh training methods, such as hitting, kicking, pinning a dog to the ground (“alpha roll”), and aversive tools, such as shock, choke, and prong collars, can result in physical injuries to the dog and also impact her mental health. Contrary to some people’s belief that a dog’s neck is not very sensitive, the use of aversive collars can indeed easily injure their neck and lead to long-term damage to the thyroid, trachea, and esophagus. Obviously, these training tools are painful to dogs, or they wouldn’t respond to them.
Did you know? Some European countries prohibit the use of such tools because they are considered inhumane.
Punishment Doesn't Teach Your Dog the Behaviors You WANT Her to Do
Training a dog through punishment means setting her up for failure. For example, people wait for their dog to steal food from the kitchen counter, and then punish her for it. But they haven’t taught her what they would like her to do instead. This leads to a great deal of confusion, and confusion often leads to fear. The dog may shut down because she is afraid of doing anything that might trigger pain or discomfort.
A much more effective training method would be to teach the dog the “leave it” cue and not to leave food on the kitchen counter until she has mastered this skill.
Aversive Training Is Simply Unnecessary - So Why Choose this Method?
We don't need to use physical or mental punishment to get training results. So why would people ever choose to use it? Positive reinforcement training is based in behavior science rooted in kindness and empathy and has proven to be very effective. Knowing that treating a dog with kindness works should render any aversive training irrelevant.
The 3 Principles of Positive Reinforcement Training
Prevention and Management
The number one priority is keeping our dog and everyone else safe. We set up the environment so our dog cannot engage in any unwanted or unsafe behaviors. It is much easier and more effective to prevent than correct unwanted behaviors.
For example: We keep our dog on a leash to prevent him from running into the street. We put up baby gates so he can’t run out the door or access the trashcan.
Substitution
In positive reinforcement training, we focus on the behaviors we want our dogs to do. We substitute any unwanted behavior with a behavior we like.
For example: If we don’t want our dog to jump on people, we teach him to sit for greetings. If we don’t want our dog to chew the remote control, we provide chew toys and teach her to use those instead.
Systematic Desensitization
By nature, dogs are sensitive to motion, sound, and touch to a varying degree. We need to systematically desensitize them to any scary triggers by associating good things with them. This is how many behavior problems rooted in fear can be addressed.
For example: If your dog lunges at skateboarders, reward and praise her at whatever distance from the skateboarders where she remains calm, rather than yell at her and jerk on the leash. Eventually, she will associate skateboarders with good things, thereby changing the way she feels about them. Note: Over time, dogs can be weaned off treats to the point where they are no longer necessary.
In Summary - Positive Reinforcement Training Is the Better and Kinder Choice
Positive reinforcement training is all about prevention and management, that is setting up the environment so that our dog cannot engage in any unwanted or unsafe behaviors, and then teaching him what we would like him to do. We prevent chewing, digging, jumping, stealing, and running out the door, and teach him to sit, lie down, stay, and leave it. We use rewards in the form of food, praise, play, and affection to reward a desired behavior which will increase the occurrence of that behavior.
For example: If your dog gets a treat every time he sits, he will sit more often. Contrary to the common belief of aversive training advocates, rewarding a behavior is not the same as bribing. Over time, the new behavior will become a habit, and we can wean our dog off treats. While the correct use and timing of rewards are necessary for the training to be successful, any mistake you make will not lead to harmful effects as it would in aversive training.
Force-free, positive reinforcement training is based on communication and trust instead of intimidation and physical force. This safe and effective training is fun for you and your dog and strengthens your bond. It’s the kind of training your best friend deserves.
*An edited version of this article was previously published in Animal Wellness Magazine:
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