05/26/2025
AN ISSUE OF TERMINOLOGY
No, you shouldn't go to a "positive reinforcement trainer" for your reactive or aggressive dog.
Yes, you read that right.
No, I am not advocating for aversive tools or punishment for reactive or aggressive dogs. These dogs especially need to feel safe and understood in order to recover, not to be intimidated into submission.
However, the term "positive reinforcement" has a very specific definition in animal training. It refers to one of the four quadrants of operant conditioning, where a reinforcer is added to increase the likelihood of a behaviour.
The problem with positive reinforcement (and operant conditioning in general), is that it focuses on the BEHAVIOUR that the dog is displaying. However, for dogs that struggle with fearfulness, reactivity, or aggression, we really need to focus on the EMOTION that is driving the behaviour.
Can positive reinforcement be a piece of the puzzle in a good reactivity or aggression behaviour modification plan? Yes, absolutely! But approaches that focus on positive reinforcement alone are doomed to fail in the cases of dogs with intense, complex emotional challenges.
Your behaviour professional's toolbox should also include:
- Classical conditioning
- Desensitization
- Management protocols
- Fulfilling species-specific needs
- Creating opportunities for agency
- Reducing exposure to stress
- Improving human-dog communication
- Teaching emotional coping skills
- Building trust
- And more...
In the online dog community, the term "positive reinforcement" is often applied more loosely to a training philosophy that avoids the use of aversive tools. However, it is important that we use terminology correctly. Positive reinforcement has a very specific definition, and it is not just a synonym for "force-free".
When we tell people to find a positive reinforcement trainer for their dog's reactivity or aggression, we risk them choosing a trainer who will only use operant conditioning to approach the issue. While rewards-based operant conditioning is wonderful for teaching obedience and tricks, it alone is not enough to tackle serious emotional challenges.
If you have a reactive or aggressive dog, what you really need is a behaviour consultant or other behaviour professional who understands the multi-pronged approach that is needed to resolve these issues. You need someone with the appropriate certifications, education, and experience to understand what your dog needs.
When people choose the wrong behaviour professional who uses ineffective training strategies with their dog, it unfortunately perpetuates the myth that force-free trainers cannot help dogs with serious behaviour challenges. This couldn't be further from the truth! But the general public needs more clarity and guidance on how to choose the right professional for their dog.