Just wanted to say THANKS! so much for being my teacher! I really enjoyed my classes! Love Reagle Beagle
-- Megan & Ron Christ - Rancho Santa Margarita
PUNISHMENT
CAN I PUNISH? Few owners have the stomach for real punishment and they lack the skills to do if effectively. Take into consideration that punishment is only effective when the punishment is intense enough to stop the behavior on the first try. If not you will only "stun" the behavior and then you will need to punish harder and harder, escalating way beyond your original intention. This is cruel and can be abusive. The goal of an aversive (punishment) is to quickly and permanently change the unwanted behavior, not to have the owner feel better since the dog was punished.
CAN PUNISHMENT DO HARM?
Fearful, defensive, or angry dogs can be made worse. Corrections may frustrate the dog and lead to defensive biting or excessive shyness.
Dogs rarely relate the punishment to the one behavior you were concerned about. They often start to mistrust the owner who punishes and stop coming when called.
Dogs often "shut down". They become excessively nervous about the areas or situations in which they have been punished. This will lessen your dog's response to commands in these situations, which are usually the times you need the commands the most. The dog feels like they can do nothing right so it is safer to do nothing at all.
Dogs may substitute the behavior for another undesirable behavior. It's better to teach the dog how they can be right in the first place so you can pick which behavior will be substituted. Example: sit instead of jump. Punishing jumping can lead to submissive urination, biting, growling, or more jumping.
QUICK TIP: INEFFECTIVE PUNISHMENT CAN DO A MILLION TIMES MORE HARM THAN
GIVING A TREAT AT THE WRONG MOMENT. THE RISK OF POORLY APPLIED PUNISHMENT
IS GREATER THAN THE POTENTIAL REWARD.
MANY FACTORS INFLUENCE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PUNISHMENT
Applying punishment at the wrong time can become a reward. Example: dog is barking at back door to be let in. Owner walks to door & yells at dog. The dog temporarily stops and starts again. Your dog was rewarded with your attention and your voice. Would've been better to leave him with interactive toys, let him in before he got bored, or ignore the barking.
Applying punishment won't generalize. If you yank on the leash to stop sniffing, the dog may think he's not to pull when you are on concrete versus grass or when you come to that one location but not others. You would have to yank all the time, everywhere. The risk to your dog's neck and trachea is not worth it. Follow your instructor's guide to teach LLW punishment free.
Applying punishment at the wrong time can be cruel. If you come home and find the couch destroyed, the dog may have done it ten minutes or 2 hours before you came home. If you punish, most likely you will just be punishing your dog for greeting you. Next time, confine your dog when you are not home.
Using "No". If your dog makes the wrong choice when it comes to jumping or running away when called, clap your hands loudly with a loud NO. Then call your dog & praise them. Using "No" should be an interruptor of the bad behavior. THEN, you have to tell the dog what they should've been doing instead, sitting or coming. Then praise for the good behavior.
No punishment is harmless. However, the least harmful is a squirt bottle with water. Using a squirt for some dogs can reduce barking or wild behavior. For excessive mouthiness, using the gentle leader is a better option.
Using timeout as a removal of reward is a great option. Have a designated timeout area. If dog has no crate issues, you can use the crate. If your dog is still uneasy about the crate, use an x-pen or gated off room as a timeout area. If your dog makes a wrong decision, then a brief trip to timeout can teach them wrong behaviors have a consequence. Use a neutral voice to signal the timeout like saying "bummer", then lead them to timeout (don't call them). Timeouts should last around 30 seconds. If your dog keeps making the same mistake, then revisit your training plan to see where the flaw is.
