Punishment and Corrections

Punishment is the use of an adversary to decrease a chosen behavior. Leash corrections are a type of adversary that are commonly used in traditional dog training. I had to ask myself....why do corrections work? Perhaps they work because they interrupt the behavior. They also work because they let the dog know, in a clear way, that a certain behavior brings negative consequences, the basis of classical conditioning. A dog will be more likely to repeat behaviors that bring about desired outcomes and less likely to repeat behaviors that result in unpleasant or unwanted results. So, then how is it that sometimes punishment doesn't work? I believe it doesn't work because of its ill effects, like the stress it can put on the dog and the negative impact it has on the relationship we have with our dogs. Most punishment doesn't work out well because it is too harsh, badly timed, mis-used in anger or is inconsistent. I believe that there is a way to correctly correct a dog that won't damage it, but would alway recommend using positive methods over punitive. Nertheless, in some cases, especially where the dog is either causing harm or danger to itself or to humans, punishment can clearly be used in a constructive way.

When we watch wolves, the untamed but genetic equivalent to domesticated dogs, we see certain pack behaviors. These are based on instinct as well as learned practices. Dogs like wolves are very physical in the way they communicate. However, it does not suffice to say you can simply dominate your dog, as an alpha wolf would and solve the problems you are having with your dog. You must first take into consideration that you want a tame and people friendly pet, not a wild animal. Also, you must take into account the individual dog and your relationship with it. A soft, shy or even a newly adopted dog most likely will not have a strong enough bond to you to withstand a correction without a certain amount of negative fall out. If we simply use a few tricks to set up chain of command, physical dominance is never necessary. These are rules, such as humans come first, enter the room first, exit the house first, eat first and get first dibs on the couch. In fact they get access to all resources first and are the keepers of all that is good. Those good things include treats, toys, freedom and lots of affection.

Punishment doesn't mean abuse or physical dominance! It can be an effective adversary to simply withdraw attention or access to something to decrease a desired behaviour. The tricky thing with all types of punishment is that the adversary must be administered immediately and calmly in order to be effective. Regardless, it is always preferable to use positive reinforcement and reward based training systems. In my personal opinion, you should only use "punishment" when the dog clearly understands what is expected of it and that the correction is directly linked to non-compliance. You must use adversaries responsibly and thoughtfully. There are some dogs who can handle and possibly require strong corrections, but that kind of training should be left to seasoned professionals. For most dogs harsh adversaries can be dangerous and detrimental.

In closing I would like to stress that all corrections should only be done properly and calmly in order to decrease a behavior, NOT to "punish" the dog. Punishment is most often practiced in moments of anger and used inconsistently, sometimes after the fact. A dog simply cannot link a correction to something that is not going on simultaneously. It will associate the punishment with what is present at the time of the correction, most likely the handler. People unintentionally create serious fear and aggression issues by using inappropriate correctives. In training, the well being of the dog is the most important thing to keep in mind. Every dog has a different threshold for stimulus and a different temperament. Not all dogs respond equally to punishment. If a correction is not working, then it is not appropriate to simply increase the intensity of the correction. It may be that the dog is confused, or overwhelmed and shutting down. Also, I cannot stress enough the importance of reinforcing good behaviors and providing the dog with an alternative behavior to set it up to win. When you set your dog up to succeed, you both succeed!