30/05/2026
THIS is why I don't use corrections or punishment with dogs...
Mostly scientists are on the same page these days when it comes to animal needs and emotions.
Most animal behaviour scientists are happy that there are such things as Motivating Operations which affect the value of rewards, and most neuroscientists are happy that there are at least two emotional states - positive and negative.
After that, things get a bit heated and argumentative. I don't care for that. I just want to know what will best help my dog learn to thrive.
There are hundreds of reasons not to use corrections or punishment with dogs, but this is a biggie:
Punishment and corrections do not reduce needs or emotions.
Let's think about this. Take a basic need: water. If you're thirsty, punishing or correcting you every time you went for a drink might absolutely reduce behaviours connected to searching for water or imbibing it. You might even get a bit weird and anxious around taps and bars or cafés and refrigerators.
But does it reduce the need?
You'd still be thirsty, right?
Punishing you or correcting you for looking for water wouldn't stop you needing it, would it?
Let's get more complex and look at emotions.
Most neuroscientists agree there's a basic emotional and behavioural reaction they name 'fear'.
If you're afraid of the dark, you absolutely might stop trying to put the light on if I zap you with a cattle prod every time you did.
But would you stop being afraid of the dark?
It might stop the behaviour, but would it stop the fear?
So when we see so-called trainers using leash corrections or shock with dogs who are reactive, does that reduce the behaviour?
Sure. Mostly. I don't know. It definitely does for their two minute reel, story or TikTok.
Does it reduce the NEED for safety?
Do you need me to answer?
Does it reduce the emotional response of fear?
Still need an answer?
And one more question that always puts me firmly in the 'no choke, prong, shock' corner...
What happens to needs-driven or emotionally-driven behaviour when needs are not met?
Depending on how strong the need or emotion is, it might go away temporarily.
Zapping you with a cattle prod if you go to the tap or switch on the light might work temporarily if you're not very thirsty or scared.
If you're so thirsty that you can't think of anything else, water becomes your only focus. You'll do anything to have that need met. Likewise if you're terrified, safety becomes your only focus. You'll do anything to feel safe.
For our dogs who struggle out in the world, that sometimes means barking, lunging, snarling, snapping or even biting, just as much as it means cowering, trembling or freezing.
Sometimes it means temporarily shutting down.
Sometimes it means finding *some* other behaviour that doesn't result in a punishment.
In humans, we often use the word 'masking' for such behaviours. You act as if, just to avoid punishment or sanctions. Your conformity masks your need, temporarily.
The problem with needs and emotions is that punishment will perhaps suppress or reduce the behaviour.
When needs are not addressed, the stronger those needs become, the more chance there is of *some* behaviour or other emerging to get that need met.
What we don't get to do is then throw our arms up in faux shock and outrage and complain that the dog bit us or the dog wet themselves. Needs will find a way to be met.
Sanctions work pretty efficiently with non-needs-driven behaviour.
Putting litter in a bin is one example of behaviour that isn't really needs-driven for most of us, so sanctions if I litter may work (well, as long as I'm being policed and surveiled and there are sanctions in place).
Thing is, rewards also work really well with non-needs-driven behaviour.
I used to always like taking my pop bottles back to the shop for the 2p reward. Kids in the 70s literally fought over who got to take the pop bottles back to the shop. So sanctions aren't better with non-needs-driven behaviour than rewards.
And if sanctions, punishments or corrections manage to temporarily reduce or suppress emotion reactions or physiological responses, then they're almost inevitably bound to fail.
All this is not to say that all needs can and must be met. Sometimes, they just can't. Much as I love terriers, I don't function on 1 hour's sleep if they decide 2am is a *really* good time to play tug and they're going to bark and bark until I engage with them.
Our job as guardians is to meet needs and help our dogs learn how to thrive.
Sometimes, where needs seem bigger than the norm, there are other issues we need to address.
Thirst is a prime example. If our dog is thirstier than their norm and it's not hot or they're not drinking more because they're stressed about something, then we're going to the vet in the morning, buddy.
And if you are scared of the vet, I'm going to help you understand that vets are nothing to be scared of, even if they need to stab you with a pointy sharp thing to get a blood sample and they follow you round with a Tupperware until you p*e.
Needs have reasons and if our dogs' needs seem excessive or we cannot meet them no matter how we try, then it's time to see a vet and a behaviour consultant. Other things may well be going on.
But we wouldn't reach for a shock collar to stop our diabetic dog drinking as much.
So why are we reaching for shock collars to stop our fearful dog showing signs that they're afraid?
Emotions, physiology and behaviour are so closely interlinked in places that it's almost impossible to separate them out in some instances. We don't get to decide that our dog's fears are irrational in the same way that we don't get to decide that their heart rate is irrational.
If we're not going round saying, 'well, dog, your need to eat is IRRATIONAL and a bit of a NUISANCE, buddy... I'm going to punish you every time you get hungry', then we shouldn't be saying, 'Well, dog, your fear is IRRATIONAL and a bit EMBARRASSING for me, so I'm going to punish you every time you bark at another dog.'
And that is Reason Ninety-Gajillion of why I don't use corrections or sanctions with a dog who is barking and lunging out on walks.
