Clark Animal Care Center / Say NO to Punishment-Based Dog Training

Say NO to Punishment-Based Dog Training

A new position statement released by the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) cautions veterinarians about the use of punishment-based dog training techniques that can cause serious behavioral problems.

Dr. John Ciribassi, AVSAB president states, "A major problem with using punishment is that it suppresses behavior temporarily but does not necessarily modify the underlying cause of the behavior. As a result, it may make animals worse in the long run. For example, a fear aggressive dog may become more fearful of people making future aggression more likely."

Additionally, punishment may interfere with the bond that exists between the owner and animal. "We can have a problem with the pet not trusting the owner because it is unable to consistently anticipate what the owner is going to do in any given situation," states Ciribassi. "This occurs because people tend to punish inconsistently and because punishment is often a consequence of the owner's anger which leads to its use well after the bad behavior has occurred and in an overly intense level over a prolonged period."

Instead of yelling at dogs, holding them down in an 'alpha roll', or using choke chains or pinch collars, the AVSAB suggests that "a more appropriate approach is to determine how the pet is being rewarded for the bad behavior, remove that reward and control the environment, and reward a more appropriate behavior."