Dog training 101 - Positive Discouragement and Operant Conditioning

Have you heard of the term Operant Conditioning? This is a scientific theory behind learning, both in animals and humans. There are 4 quadrants to Operant Conditioning; last week, we dove into negative reinforcement. Today, we look at positive discouragement, and next week, we will cover the final quadrant.

If you missed the first week's post about positive reinforcement, you can catch up with it here! Last week's post about negative reinforcement is here!

Operant conditioning is a learning principle that was developed by psychologist B.F. Skinner in the early 20th century. It is based on the idea that behaviours are influenced by the consequences that follow them. In essence, behaviours that are rewarded tend to be repeated, while those that are punished tend to diminish.

Before we get started, let me make a few things crystal clear:

• I’m not a dog trainer yet; I’m on my way to becoming one. Everything I share here comes from what I’ve learned in my journey toward becoming a qualified dog trainer.

• In this theory, "negative" and "positive" don’t refer to bad and good. Instead, they mean to remove or add something, much like in math.

  For example, giving your dog a treat is considered positive because you’re adding something enjoyable to the situation. On the other hand, not fussing over your dog when they jump up is seen as negative because you’re removing attention.

• Reinforcement means to encourage the frequency of a behaviour, and discouragement (usually referred to as punishment) is to reduce the frequency of a behaviour.

• I’m not promoting punishment as a way to correct a dog’s behaviour. I have used the word discouragement instead of punishment to help you understand this. This information is meant to help you understand Operant Conditioning, how it works, and the best methods you can use for training your dog at home.

  
  
  
  

Here's a quick breakdown of the quadrants:

The 4 quadrants of Operant Conditioning

Positive Reinforcement - Adding a reward to increase the frequency of a behaviour.

Negative Reinforcement - Removing something to increase the frequency of a behaviour.

Positive Discouragement - Adding something to decrease the frequency of a behaviour.

Negative Discouragement - Removing something to decrease the frequency of a behaviour.

In today's post, we will focus on positive discouragement, what it means and how it works.

The Basics - What is Positive Discouragement (punishment)?

Positive discouragement is the addition of a stimulus to discourage a behaviour.

Here are some examples where you can use positive discouragement:

• You use a correction marker like "No" or a clap to discourage the dog from doing a bad behaviour like digging.

• You're dog is ignoring you on a walk so you give the lead a short tug to get their focus on you.

• You put your dog on a lead because they were trying to run off.

Putting your dog on a lead is Positive Discouragement

This is the most controversial quadrant of operant conditioning, and it's easy to see why. When I mention adding something to discourage a behaviour, many of you may immediately think of extreme measures like hitting a dog or using an E-collar. While these are examples of punishment, they represent very extreme approaches.

Discouraging a behaviour in your dog should always be done within the limits of both the dog and yourself. There may be times when the process feels uncomfortable, but at no point should it involve harming or abusing your dog.

We all encounter negative experiences that teach us valuable lessons. For instance, when a child touches a hot stove and gets burned, they become more cautious around stoves in the future. This is an example of positive punishment in action.

Livestock owners often use electric fences to keep their animals contained. It's not the fence itself that holds them in place; after all, cows and pigs could easily push over flimsy barriers. Instead, they learn to avoid the fence because they associate it with pain from previous encounters.

In the realm of dog training, similar lessons occur even without human interaction. A puppy that sniffs a thorny branch and gets poked in the nose learns to be more careful when exploring its environment to avoid further pain.

The issue surrounding positive discouragement is that it often gets misused and has developed a bad reputation. However, the truth is that it is necessary, just like all the quadrants in operant conditioning. You can't effectively use one without considering the others.

For example, you might use a sharp "No" to communicate to your dog that digging in the garden is unacceptable. This serves as positive discouragement. Once your dog stops digging, you can then reward them, transitioning into positive reinforcement.

Another example is putting your dog on the lead when they are not listening and behaving unsafely. This action represents positive discouragement, as you are adding the lead to manage their behaviour. When your dog calms down and starts listening again, you can remove the lead, which is an instance of negative reinforcement, as you are taking away the lead to encourage the desired behaviour.

Here are some examples of positive discouragement that should never be used:

• You put a prong collar on your dog because he pulls on the lead. Every time he pulls, the prongs dig into his neck to discourage the pulling.

• Your dog is barking at the postman and you hit the dog to discourage the behaviour.

A sharp "No" can often be enough to stop a behaviour, but remember to follow up with a reward when the behaviour is stopped.

My experience

I rescued a German Shepherd cross Husky three years ago, and when I first brought her home, I did extensive research because her behaviour was challenging to manage, especially during walks. She was reactive and would pull like she was in a sled race. I knew what I was getting into when I rescued her, but it was a lot to handle, and my research wasn’t yielding any effective solutions. I tried technique after technique, idea after idea, and nothing seemed to work. However, I was determined not to resort to correction collars.

Over time, I discovered methods that worked for us, and while Anayah is still a handful, she has made significant progress. She is less reactive, although she still needs her space, and she no longer tries to tug my arm out of its socket—unless she’s over-stimulated or really needs to go out.

I've seen countless videos claiming that prong collars, E-collars, and similar tools are acceptable, and sometimes even necessary, for correcting poor behaviour, especially in larger dogs with strong personalities. One trainer even suggested that a dog like mine would require a prong collar, insisting there was no alternative.

But I want to prove him wrong and demonstrate that these tools are not needed.

Would a prong collar have made my life easier? Absolutely.

Would it have ruined the trust I worked so hard to build with her? Without a doubt.

Would I prefer a dog who trusts me over one who is scared of me? A resounding yes!

Would I prefer a dog who trusts me over one who is scared of me? A resounding yes!

The key point is that correction collars and similar tools are simply not necessary. The "harshest" tool I've ever used on Anayah is a gentle leader or a figure-of-eight lead.

It's perfectly normal for some dogs to dislike other dogs—just as some humans may not get along with others! Some dogs are energetic and enthusiastic, while others can be larger than life and seem like an impossible case. But that perception is not true! You just need to discover what motivates them and what effectively discourages unwanted behaviour without causing harm or abuse.

If you're considering using a prong collar, an E-collar, or something similar, I suggest trying it around your own neck first.

Things to consider

Now that we’ve explored what positive reinforcement is and I’ve shared my experiences, let’s summarise the key points to remember.

• Firstly, positive discouragement is not cruel if done correctly. It doesn’t mean you can be harsh with your dog. It’s all about gently guiding their behaviour.

• Make sure you know your dog’s limits and don’t push them too far. Every dog has their own capabilities and comfort zones, so it’s important to pay attention to their signals and ensure that training remains a positive experience for them.

• If positive discouragement is used incorrectly, it can lead to issues like aggression and anxiety. This is why it’s vital to take a balanced approach to training. Relying solely on positive discouragement won’t give you lasting results; you need to incorporate various aspects of operant conditioning to create a well-rounded training strategy.

• Lastly, tools like e-collars and prong collars are NOT needed for effective results. Many trainers successfully use humane methods that focus on understanding and patience, proving that you can achieve great outcomes without resorting to harsh equipment.

By keeping these key points in mind, you can build a better relationship with your dog and achieve effective training results that benefit both of you.

See you next week for the final quadrant of Operant Conditioning!