Aversive Dog Training Methods: The Fallout and Why It Matters
Written By Lauren Tsao, MS, CDBC, CPDT-KA
Dogs are trained using a variety of methods, some more effective than others. Aversive dog training methods (e.g. methods using primarily negative reinforcement and positive punishment) can actually do more harm than good. When training your dog, it is important to be aware of the consequences of using aversive training methods because the fallout from methods falling into that category can be difficult to reverse. They can also take you further away from achieving your dog training goals. While aversive training methods might achieve the desired result in the short term, they can have long-term negative consequences for your dog's behavior. Read on to find out more about a few ways your dog can present fallout from these training methods and why aversive training methods should be avoided.
What Is Aversive Dog Training?
Aversive dog training is a category of training methods that use positive punishment (adding something uncomfortable or undesirable for the learner to decrease a target behavior) or negative reinforcement (removal of something uncomfortable or undesirable to increase a target behavior) in order to change your dog’s behavior. This might include scolding your dog after they have an accident during potty training, using a shock collar to stop barking, or using a prong collar or choke chain to stop pulling on the leash.
Aversive dog training methods are often used because they are thought to be faster or more effective for dogs with major behavioral concerns than positive reinforcement methods (which increase desired behaviors by adding something the learner finds valuable, like treats, praise, play, or other things your dog finds naturally reinforcing and pleasant).
However, aversive training methods can have long-term negative consequences for your dog's behavior. They aren’t faster than positive reinforcement-based training because all training takes repetition. And simply suppressing a behavior using aversive methods doesn’t mean that behavior will not return later or is completely “trained out” of a dog. This is why many people find themselves unable to remove their dogs’ training collars without the dog returning to the old behaviors because the presence of the collars was merely suppressing the behavior and hadn’t truly trained anything other than “If this collar is present, I could feel discomfort or pain.” Dogs trained with positive reinforcement have been found to have fewer problem behaviors than their counterparts. Additionally, due to the possibility of increased aggression towards the owner, aversive training methods are actually less ideal for dogs with major behavior concerns, like aggression or reactivity.
The Fallout of Aversive Dog Training Methods
One of the most common fallout effects of aversive training is escape and avoidance-related behaviors. These are behaviors that your dog performs in order to avoid the punisher. For example, some dogs will learn to hide their potty accidents and go inside when the owner isn't looking. Others will urinate behind furniture instead of in their designated potty area to avoid the punishment that will occur if they go in front of the owner. In worst-case scenarios, I have seen dogs that refuse to use the bathroom in front of their owners watching them, so the dog refuses to use the bathroom on walks as well because the owner is nearby. This has the opposite desired effect of the dog alerting the owner of when they need to go to the bathroom, so the owner can take them outside.
In addition to escape and avoidance-related behaviors, generalized apathy and pessimism can also occur as a result of aversive training methods. Generalized apathy is when the dog not only decreases the punished behavior but all behavior in order to avoid further punishment. This can lead to a dog that is more difficult to train because they don’t offer many behaviors on their own for fear of discomfort.
I have unfortunately seen this occur with a previous student’s dog who had been trained to leave food alone and stay on a dog bed using an e-collar by another trainer. Due to the application of the e-collar training, the dog would refuse to leave their dog bed if the bed was present in the room and they wouldn’t offer any other behaviors. Even releasing the dog from the bed was difficult because the dog was afraid to leave the safety of the bed, where they had learned they wouldn’t receive any corrections. Additionally, they wouldn’t take treats from hands because the food itself had become dangerous and scary to even attempt to take. While many untrained eyes would have looked at the dog and thought the dog was extremely obedient and calm, the dog was now unable to enjoy life to the fullest without fear or present normal, healthy dog behaviors — even when the owner told the dog it was okay to do these behaviors.
Why It Matters
It's important to be aware of the potential fallout of using aversive dog training methods because it can have serious consequences on your dog's well-being and welfare. If you're using aversives to train your dog and you're seeing any of these negative side effects, it's time to switch to positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is a much more humane training method that will result in a happy and well-behaved dog in the long run. Your dog will also thank you for it!
When training your dog, it is important to be aware of the consequences of using aversive training methods. While aversive training methods might appear to achieve the desired result in the short term, they can have long-term negative consequences for your dog's behavior, including escape and avoidance-related behaviors, generalized apathy, and increased pessimism. If you are struggling to train your dog using positive reinforcement methods, seek professional help from a certified dog behavior consultant or certified professional dog trainer who uses positive reinforcement-based methods.
You can contact me, a certified dog behavior consultant and certified professional dog trainer for training help in the Jackson, MS metro area or virtually for worldwide assistance or join us for the upcoming webinar on November 19th, 2022 on the Seductive Allure of Aversive Dog Training to find out why many owners reach for aversive training methods first and later regret it.
