Why 'Punishment' Can Make Behaviour Problems Worse

When a dog shows a behaviour we don’t want, it’s natural to look for a way to stop it. Social media is full of quick fixes: a dog does something undesirable, someone uses a training tool, and the behaviour seems to disappear in seconds. We may not even realise that we are using 'punishment' in certain training techniques.

But behaviour change is rarely that simple. Changing a dog’s habits and helping them feel differently about a situation takes time. Progress can have ups and downs, and sometimes there are setbacks along the way. That may not make for a snappy video, but it’s often what real progress looks like. A video may show a dog stopping a behaviour, but it can’t tell us whether the dog feels better or is simply afraid to carry on.

Short clips can also make it difficult to see the whole picture- and even that video may have been the result of months of work, but stating that doesn't sell the video. A dog’s body language can be subtle, and signs of stress may be missed. A technique might look effective while the dog is actually uncomfortable or frightened, resulting in a 'shutdown' of behaviours.

What do we mean by punishment?

In operant conditioning, positive and negative don’t mean good and bad. They actually mean adding or removing something, which is another way some trainers can be sneaky about how they advertise their training. 'Balanced' training is a phrase now being used for training that will likely use all these quadrants of operant conditioning.

• Positive reinforcement (R+) means adding something pleasant to make a behaviour more likely. For example, giving a dog a treat/reward when they come back to you or display a behaviour you are wanting. (A.K.A. force-free training)

• Negative reinforcement (R-) means removing something unpleasant to make a behaviour more likely. For example, releasing tension on the neck via a slip lead or prong collar when the dog walks loosely.

• Negative punishment (P-) means removing something pleasant to make a behaviour less likely. For example, lifting your plate when a dog tries to steal food from it, or ending a play session as the dog has got too mouthy.

• Positive punishment (P+) means adding something unpleasant to make a behaviour less likely. A shock collar used to stop barking is one example.

This post mainly focuses on positive punishment. It is still so common in dog training, and it can include anything intended to suppress an unwanted behaviour, from telling a dog off verbally to physically punishing them.

Stopping a behaviour isn’t the same as changing it

Punishment may stop a behaviour in the moment, but that doesn’t necessarily change why the dog was doing it.

A dog who barks, growls, jumps, or pulls on the lead may be responding to fear, frustration, excitement, or stress. They’re not necessarily choosing to be difficult or defiant. Punishing the behaviour can add more pressure without addressing what the dog is feeling or what they need help with.

The dog might stop showing the behaviour because they’re worried about being punished again. But that doesn’t mean the underlying feeling has gone away. In some situations, the dog may become more anxious, or their behaviour may change in a way that’s harder to recognise.

That’s why it’s important to look beyond the behaviour we can see. We need to understand what is driving it and help the dog learn a different response.

Punishment can affect trust

Dogs need to feel safe with the people who care for them. If their owner becomes someone they’re worried about, it can be harder for them to relax, learn, and respond confidently.

For example, say you're terrified of having your blood taken, and you've walked out of waiting rooms before an appointment. If somebody slapped you on the back of the head or shouted at you every time you tried to leave, you might eventually stop trying to leave that room and therefore have the blood taken, as being shouted at is a worse consequence than a needle- so you feel you have no choice. But you wouldn’t be any less afraid of having the blood taken. You might become even more anxious about the appointment next time, or try to avoid it altogether.

They haven’t changed how you feel. They’ve made the whole experience more frightening.

The same idea applies to dogs. Punishment might suppress a behaviour, which looks like it's worked on the surface, but it doesn’t automatically make the dog feel safer or more comfortable. For lasting behaviour change, we need to help the dog change their experience of the situation.

Lasting change comes from understanding what’s behind the behaviour and helping the dog learn a safer, more appropriate response.

Esme x