Pick of the Litter Dog Training
South King County, WA
Jennifer Schneider, CPDT
Phone: (206) 779-3552

Surprisingly, dogs learn in much the same manner as mice, cats and even humans – this is called Conditioning.  Operant conditioning, or as sometimes called consequence learning, is a type of conditioning that involves learning that specific behaviors produce specific consequences, and is often used to teach obedience skills.   Classical conditioning, or association learning, is another type of conditioning that involves learning that one item is related to another in some manner, and is often used to modify problem behaviors.  Dog’s have very complex minds, but when it comes to learning, they respond in a fairly typical manner. By understanding these typical methods of learning, we, as dog owners, can learn to train our dogs using only positive techniques.

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The traditional Operant conditioning method used in dog training involves the use of a technique called positive punishment to teach an animal what is expected of them. In general terms positive punishment involves the presentation of a bad consequence.  For example, when you give your dog the command to sit, and he or she does not respond to the command, you deliver and sharp yank of their training collar and force their rear end to the ground. The presentation of this bad consequence will tend to make the behavior of not responding to the command less likely in the future. The pitfalls of punishment greatly outweigh the usefulness of the method. There are four main reasons punishment is not a good training device: (1) it can lead to aggression, (2) it is often associated with whomever does the punishing, (3) it suppresses the behavior rather than eliminates it, and, (4) it is uncomfortable for most pet owners. 

Plus, why punish your dog if there is another, easier way to combat the problem? 

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A new type of training method, becoming popular within the twenty years, involves the use of rewards and motivation. Called positive reinforcement, this type of learning involves the presentation of a good consequence. For instance, when you give your dog a command to sit and he or she does so promptly and correctly, a reward is given. Rewards can be anything, from the dog’s favorite treat to a tennis ball to their bowl of dog food. These rewards serve to increase the likelihood that your dog will sit on command in the future, thus making the correct behavior into a habit.  
Positive reinforcement works for five important reasons: (1) rewarded behaviors are repeated (2) ignored behaviors are eliminated (3) your dog will be eager to participate in training (4) it yields long lasting results (5) it produces permanent changes in your dog's behavior.

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Copyright 2008, Jennifer Schneider. All rights reserved.