16/01/2024
Important to note that the dogs in this study, came from "schools that taught different methods". This means that the positive reinforcement, mixed and aversive groups were trained by people who are well-versed in how to properly train using their particular methods. I.e. the positive reinforcement trainers correctly executed their method of training, in the same way that the aversive and mixed groups were trained by people correctly executing their method of training.
This is important because it means that even when done "correctly" the results found significantly higher cortisol levels, significantly more frequent behavioral stress signals (lip licking, yawns, etc), and more "pessimistic" behavior on cognitive tests.
Aversive or mixed based training is not the answer.
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0225023&fbclid=IwAR0_my42zprlnwHwiDm0sLvVjbw5Pb_EjfTL3xTkSUCIN2drJI-90MoUopo
Dog training methods range broadly from those using mostly positive punishment and negative reinforcement (aversive-based) to those using primarily positive reinforcement (reward-based). Although aversive-based training has been strongly criticized for negatively affecting dog welfare, there is no c...
