Reinforcement drives behavior. Rewards are the communication tools that say to the animal, “Yes, give me more of that!” What puts the brakes on behavior and makes it stop? Sometimes it’s punishment and sometimes it’s management. Punishment severity ranges from humane to inhumane, and it’s the punished who makes that determination. 

Let me be clear. If you’re using punishment on a daily, hourly, minute-by-minute basis, you need to change your behavior. Punishment does not teach the animal what to do. You have failed to give your animal a strong foundation through antecedent arrangement and training with reinforcement. If you find yourself constantly using punishment, contact a force-free trainer today. Help is a click or a phone call away. 

More so, have you ever considered that you could be unintentionally punishing your dog? 

I’ve seen it time and time again. The dog in a group class is pulling away, sniffing the ground or staring at another dog, completely oblivious to her person on the other end of the leash. The person jerks the leash and alternates commanding “sit” and the dog’s name in punitive tones. The dog eventually sits. I suspect this dog only hears her name or is asked to sit in conjunction with punishment. The student probably doesn’t recognize that he is unintentionally punishing his dog. The dog’s response to her name and sitting is likely to become slower and slower. It’s not the dog’s fault, it’s the person’s fault. Intentional or unintentional, this is a direct result of using these cues as part of a punishment protocol.

So what’s the unprepared student to do when the dog isn’t paying attention to him? Send in the treat drone! Put the most fabulous smelling treat right in front of the dog’s nose (for most dogs this is a meatball), and lure the dog’s head around to face the student. The student should then feed the dog while taking steps backwards. This will increase the distance from the distraction, thus making it easier for the dog to respond to name and sit cues.

Alternatively, this student could have prepared. Before ever attending class, he could have rewarded his dog’s name and sitting response in his living room, in front of his home, at an outdoor cafe, and at a pet supply store. This student could teach his dog that in a new environment, your most rewarding choice is to look at me and sit. Having a large reinforcement history for sitting and paying attention means these are more likely to become default behaviors. Reinforcement drives behavior.

Need help? We’re offering quick tune-up classes just in time for the holidays.  Manners for Entertaining and Skills Solutions Series filling now! 

Using antecedent arrangement and training sets everyone up for success. Find yourself using punishment often? Wondering why your dog’s behavior is getting worse? Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Contact a force-free trainer today. We want to teach your dog that her most rewarding choice is to listen to you.