07/02/2025
I often hear from science based, force free dog professionals, that punishment doesnât work in training.
They say this for various reasons, all of which totally make sense, to a degree.
: We want to make things clear for people who are not trained in the science of dog training, we don't want to baffle them with the intricacies of learning theory.
: We donât want dogs to be punished because we feel it isnât ethical.
: We know there are better ways to teach.
: We want people to stop getting their information from uneducated sources.
The problem is punishment CAN stop the behaviour. We all know this. If something is uncomfortable, painful, unpleasant, either physically or emotionally we often stop what we are doing. And when I talk about punishment it's not all about shock collars and yanking on leads, itâs raising our voice, shouting, pushing a dogs bum down to get them to sit. In these instances, we are using discomfort, fear and force, all of which are forms of punishment, to get the results we want. By saying otherwise I believe it makes our knowledge sound unreliable. If we teach people that punishment doesnât work, then another trainer shows them an aversive technique that stops a behaviour, who is that person going to listen to?
In my opinion, teaching needs to be honest, even if the truth can sometimes be difficult to explain or accept.
So if punishment works, why donât I use it?
The number one reason is, I respect dogs. I care about how they feel. I want them to do things I ask of them because they enjoy my company, trust me, understand me and are happy to work with me. They are my friends, my family and I wish to treat them as such. I know through science that they think, have emotions, feel and suffer like we do.
Another reason I do not like using punishment is, it is not dealing with the root cause of the problem. It is not addressing the why.
If my dog is jumping up at me, yelling no may get them to stop. But if they are jumping up because they are happy to see me, is shouting at them an appropriate response? If every time I went to hug my husband, he shouted at me, I'd start to feel pretty sh*tty about our relationship. What if my dog jumps at me due to needing reassurance, would a knee in the chest and a stern ânoâ help them feel reassured? Build their confidence? If I am shouting ânoâ at a dog for barking at another dog, am I asking why? If it's due to fear then my yelling is creating more fear for an already fearful dog. If it's due to excitement then I am just adding more fuel to the fire.
Punishing a dog is like putting a lid on a boiling pan of water. It may stop it from bubbling over for a while but eventually, it will just boil out over the sides.
Another reason is, we all react to punishment in different ways. If someone punished me I'd be likely to shout or lash out. Others may feel scared, retreat or cower. A small vibrate from an E-collar could be nothing to some dogs and agony to others. Not only does genetics and life experience affect the way we perceive punishment but also health and mood. Something I may cope well with one day may feel totally overwhelming and really upset me the next. Having a headache, sore joints or just having a bad day can change how we perceive things. How can we ever know from dog to dog and day to day how much punishment is needed? It's not a risk I'm willing to take.
Punishment can decrease confidence, happiness, and create relationships based on pressure and fear, not trust and love.
And finally, I know there is another way! So why would I use punishment when I can teach in a way that creates confident happy dogs.
If we look at how our methods have changed when teaching children and trying to rehabilitate and heal people suffering from mental health issues, we can see how far we have come. Punishment may stop behaviour but the fallouts from it can be disastrous. And as my mum used to always tell me, treat others in the way in which you would like to be treated yourself.
Qualified Dog Trainer - MDI (CPDT) Foundation Skills; Behaviour Modification; K9 NoseWork (NACSW)
