09/08/2025
The problem with redirecting…
Here’s a message I received the other day. It’s unfortunately indicative of a current training trend, and I know lots of folks are on this same course… and struggling due to it.
Here’s the popular recommendation: when your dog engages in an unwanted behavior, instead of correcting/punishing the actual unwanted behavior (giving your dog clarity about what to do and not do), you instead redirect them with a toy or food, OR you have them perform an incompatible behavior like sit, down, place etc.
Let’s take a look at what this approach creates:
1/ If we offer food or a toy when the dog engages in the behavior we’re reinforcing the unwanted behavior, and giving zero information about that behavior being unwanted.
2/ If we ask the dog to perform an incompatible behavior we’re giving the dog zero information about the actual behavior that is unwanted, and are simply asking the dog to perform something else which will temporarily stop the unwanted behavior… until the dog desires to do it again.
3/ If we try to redirect an unwanted behavior with food or a toy, or another command, we are having a powerful conversation with our dogs — a conversation that 1/ presents us as doormats incapable of sharing valuable consequences for poor choices, and 2/ encourages our dogs to become demanding, pushy, boundary-less brats because they’ve received no valuable consequences for poor behavior.
So what are we getting with this “kinder”, “gentler”, “smarter” training approach? 1/ We actively make the behavior worse via reinforcement. 2/ We get dogs who receive no clarity about what they should and shouldn’t do, because we’re withholding that valuable information, which is delivered through clearly shared consequences. 3/ We create unhealthy, dysfunctional relationship dynamics where we are treated poorly, because we’ve taught our dogs that we needn’t be respected. 4/ We create bratty, entitled, pushy dogs.
Or, we could keep this whole dog training thing simple and clear and healthy. We could simply share positive consequences for desired behavior and negative consequences for undesired behavior, and live happily ever after.
