Correcting Through Punishment Does Not Create Confident Dogs, But Here’s What Does!

Verbal corrections and correcting through punishment are two forms of classical conditioning. Either way, your dog will learn what is wrong but not make a conscious choice.

When you use punishment as correction it will show up as anxiety for your dog, as they become fearful towards the correction. This form of training only works when you are nearby because otherwise your dog will fall back into old habits just as easily as they were seemingly taught.

When a dog is corrected through punishment, they become sneaky and confused, no longer trusting you as the owner. So punishment will STOP a behaviour, but it needs to be severely life altering to have a long term effect on your dog’s habits.

Therefore, we believe in operant conditioning or as we like to call it ‘The Magic of Choice’. Giving your dog a choice will either lead to pleasant or unpleasant consequences, giving your dog a choice to repeat or avoid certain behaviours.

In reinforcement-based training we also focus on the things YOU want by rewarding what is good and not giving access to the things you do not like.

By giving your dog an opportunity to learn and grow, you set them up for success while building their confidence. When you give positive clarity to your dog, the need for blame or punishment is no longer needed and training becomes more fun!

Are you ready to find the positive opportunities in training your dog? Ready for more fun while creating a life long relationship with your best friend? Check out our Dog Mastery program, where we give you all the knowledge you need to build your dog’s confidence, no matter the situation!

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