Dog training with Ray, for all your woofing needs

12/12/2025

Operant conditioning series
ARTICLE 4 – Negative Punishment

The Art of Taking Things Away (Without Turning Your Dog Into a Sulky Teenager)

If the four quadrants were characters in a sitcom, Negative Punishment would be the exasperated parent who quietly removes the Wi-Fi password until the children behave. Not angry. Not harsh. Simply… taking away something the other party wants.

Negative Punishment is widely used in dog training, especially among modern trainers, but also widely misunderstood. Many owners use it unknowingly. Many trainers use it too much. And dogs often learn more from it than their owners realise.

Handled properly, it’s a brilliant way to teach self-control.
Handled badly, it frustrates dogs, damages engagement, and slows learning to a crawl.

So let’s break it down clearly, no jargon, no confusion, and definitely no sulking Labradors.

1. What Negative Punishment Actually Means

Negative = you remove something
Punishment = behaviour decreases

So Negative Punishment means:

You take away something the dog wants →
The behaviour decreases.

Remove → Dog loses access → Behaviour drops.

It’s the training equivalent of:

“If you can’t play nicely, you don’t get the toy.”

Not cruel.
Not aggressive.
Simply consequences.

2. Every Dog Owner Uses Negative Punishment (Without Realising)

Negative Punishment is probably the most common accidental training method among pet owners.

Here are classic examples:
• Dog jumps up → you turn away.
• Dog grabs the lead → you stop walking.
• Dog plays too roughly → you remove the toy.
• Dog whines for attention → you leave the room.
• Dog paws, nudges, or demands fuss → you withdraw your hands.

You’ve removed something the dog wanted:
• your attention
• forward motion
• access
• opportunity
• play
• interaction

Behaviour decreases over time.

Negative Punishment, plain and simple.

3. Dogs Are Masters of Negative Punishment

Dogs naturally use this quadrant in their own social world.

Watch:
• A dog freezes and turns away when another dog is too rude.
• A mother dog walks off when a puppy gets over-aroused.
• A confident dog disengages from a pushy youngster.

The rude behaviour decreases because the dog lost access to something:
• social contact
• attention
• play
• interaction

Dogs do Negative Punishment far more cleanly than humans, no drama, no lectures, just a quiet removal of privilege.

4. Why Negative Punishment Is So Useful in Training

When used well, Negative Punishment:
• teaches self-control
• improves manners
• reduces demand behaviours
• teaches patience
• encourages calm choices
• decreases pushy, mouthy, or rude interactions
• builds clarity without conflict

It’s especially effective for:
• jumping
• mouthing
• whining for attention
• over-arousal during play
• rude adolescent behaviour
• impulse control sessions
• crate manners
• household boundaries

Negative Punishment, when applied calmly, is basically teaching your dog:

“If you want something, you must offer the behaviour I’m asking for.”

It’s clarity through consequence.

5. But Here’s the Catch: Negative Punishment Can Backfire Quickly

Negative Punishment is the easiest quadrant to overuse without noticing.

Overuse leads to:
• frustration
• resentment
• loss of engagement
• trainer or owner becoming boring
• dogs giving up and shutting down
• slower learning
• increased whining or reactivity
• emotional fallout

Badly used, Negative Punishment becomes the training equivalent of:

“Nope. Not that. Try again. Wrong. Nope. Still wrong. Try again. Still wrong.”

Nobody thrives under constant removal of reward.

Especially not sensitive dogs.

6. Where Owners Accidentally Misuse Negative Punishment

These are everyday mistakes owners make without realising they’re punishing:

Mistake 1: Using it for fear-based behaviours

Dog barks in fear at another dog.
Owner turns away and walks off.

The dog loses support, safety, and structure, not helpful.

Negative Punishment should never be used on fear, anxiety, or panic.

Mistake 2: Removing attention constantly

Dog tries to engage.
Owner ignores.
Dog tries again.
Owner ignores again.

Eventually, the dog stops trying altogether.

This is how you crush engagement.

Mistake 3: Stopping the walk every time the dog pulls

Yes, removing forward motion reduces pulling.
But if overused?

Dogs learn nothing except:
“Walks are boring and slow. Why bother trying?”

Forward motion must be reinforced, not constantly removed.

Mistake 4: Removing play too early

Some trainers punish any roughness by ending play instantly.

This teaches dogs:

“Play is unpredictable and stressful.”

Instead, guide them, don’t shut them down.

7. Proper Use of Negative Punishment: The Golden Rules

Rule 1: The dog must understand the desired behaviour.

You can’t take something away if the dog doesn’t know what you want instead.

Rule 2: The removal must be brief.

A few seconds is plenty.

You’re not grounding a teenager for a month.

Rule 3: Reinforce the correct behaviour immediately after

Negative Punishment must be paired with Positive Reinforcement or the dog learns nothing.

Dog jumps → you turn away → dog sits → reward.

Simple and clear.

Rule 4: Stay calm

The dog should experience clarity, not tension or frustration.

If you’re angry, you’re no longer training.

8. Real-World Examples for Owners, Handlers & Trainers

Dog Owner Example: Jumping on Guests

Dog jumps → owner turns away → dog puts four paws on floor → owner greets calmly.

Jumping reduces.
Calmness increases.

Working Dog Handler Example: Barking in the Van

Dog barks in van → handler removes access to air flow or visibility
Dog stops barking → access returns.

The dog learns:
Quiet = reward.
Noise = removal.

Trainer Example: Over-Aroused During Heelwork

Dog starts mouthing the lead in excitement.
Trainer pauses the session for 3 seconds.
Dog settles → work resumes.

The dog learns:
Calm behaviour = training continues.
Over-arousal = training stops.

This is Negative Punishment used elegantly.

9. The Magic Combo: Negative Punishment + Positive Reinforcement

Negative Punishment alone is incomplete.
Used by itself, it just tells the dog:

“Not that.”

Positive Reinforcement tells the dog:

“This instead.”

Together, they give the dog:
• clarity
• boundaries
• confidence
• choice

Example:
• Dog jumps → lose attention.
• Dog sits → gain attention.

This is how you build manners without conflict.

10. Final Thoughts: The Subtle Quadrant with Big Impact

Negative Punishment is gentle, effective, and widely used.
It’s not about being harsh.
It’s about teaching your dog what behaviours remove access to what they want and what behaviours restore it.

When used:
• fairly
• sparingly
• clearly
• and ALWAYS paired with reinforcement

…it becomes a powerful tool for impulse control and manners.

Overused or misunderstood, it becomes a source of frustration and confusion.

The skill lies in balance:
• Remove the privilege for the wrong behaviour.
• Reinforce the privilege for the right behaviour.
• Stay calm.
• Keep sessions short.
• Give the dog a chance to win.

Handled properly, Negative Punishment doesn’t create sulky teenagers.

It creates calmer, clearer-thinking dogs who understand how to earn the things they want.

10/12/2025

Operant conditioning series
ARTICLE 3 – Positive Punishment

The Quadrant Everyone Pretends They Don’t Use (But They Do)

If the quadrants of operant conditioning were family members, Positive Punishment would be the one everyone insists they never invite to Christmas… yet he always ends up there somehow, usually sitting at the end of the table next to the dog, eating trifle and pretending nothing happened.

Positive Punishment is the most controversial of the four quadrants, not because it’s inherently cruel, but because it’s the most frequently misunderstood, misapplied, and mislabelled. People hear the word “punishment” and immediately imagine brutality, harshness, or old-school dominance nonsense.

But in behaviour science, “punishment” doesn’t mean cruelty.

It means reducing behaviour.

And “positive” doesn’t mean “nice”.

It means you’ve added something.

So let’s strip away the myths and break down what Positive Punishment really is and how to understand it in a calm, ethical, realistic way that actually makes sense to dog owners, handlers, and trainers.

1. What Positive Punishment Actually Means

Positive = you add something
Punishment = behaviour decreases

So Positive Punishment means:

You add something the dog doesn’t like →
The behaviour becomes less likely.

Add → Dog dislikes → Behaviour reduces.

That’s it.

There’s no talk of dominance, force, or intimidation in the definition. Just the addition of something unpleasant enough that the dog chooses another behaviour next time.

2. Everyday Proof You Already Use Positive Punishment

Here’s the bit many trainers don’t like to admit:

Every dog owner on the planet uses Positive Punishment, whether they know it or not.

Examples:
• You say “No!” when the dog jumps up.
• You clap your hands to interrupt barking.
• You move the dog away from the bin.
• You shut the back door when they refuse to come in.
• You block access with your body when they try to bolt past you.
• You interrupt naughty behaviour with a sound, movement, or spatial cue.

These are all additions designed to reduce behaviour.

Which means… Positive Punishment.

Now, are these examples cruel?
Of course not. They’re as normal as making a cup of tea.

Punishment simply means:
“Please stop doing that.”

3. Dogs Use Positive Punishment Constantly

Dogs punish each other far more often and far more effectively — than humans do.

Examples:
• A dog growls to stop another dog stealing a toy.
• A mother dog gently corrects a pushy puppy.
• A dog snaps the air when another dog invades personal space.
• A stable dog gives a cold stare to stop rude behaviour.

These are additions meant to reduce behaviour.

Not dominance.
Not aggression.
Just canine communication.

4. Positive Punishment Isn’t Always Physical

This is where people misunderstand the term entirely.

Positive Punishment can be:
• sound (a firm “Ah-ah”)
• movement (stepping forward to block jumping)
• touch (a gentle muzzle tap or leash touch)
• environmental change (closing access, removing space)
• social pressure (a dog turning away, growling, or snapping the air)

The intensity is what determines fairness, not the quadrant itself.

A whisper can punish.
A raised eyebrow can punish.
With some Spaniels, simply saying “Really?” is enough to crush their soul.

5. Ethical Positive Punishment: The Core Principles

To use Positive Punishment fairly and safely (if and when you choose to), you must follow four golden rules.

Rule 1: The punishment must be mild.

If it frightens the dog, hurts the dog, or overwhelms the dog, it’s too much.

The goal is information, not intimidation.

Rule 2: The timing must be precise.

It must happen within one second of the unwanted behaviour.

Any later, and the dog learns nothing useful.

Rule 3: The dog must know the correct behaviour.

Never punish a behaviour the dog cannot avoid or does not understand.

Punishment without clarity creates anxiety and confusion.

Rule 4: Punishment must be consistent, not emotional.

A calm “ah-ah, stop that” is effective.
A frustrated human meltdown is not a training method.

6. Examples in Real Training Situations

Dog Owner Example: Jumping Up at Visitors

Dog jumps → you step forward gently → dog backs off.
Behaviour decreases.

You added spatial pressure → dog didn’t like it → problem reduces.

Positive Punishment.
Fair. Calm. Effective.

Working Dog Handler Example: Breaking Stay Line on Track Start

Dog breaks the stay before cue → handler calmly resets → dog loses the chance to begin tracking for a moment.

You added a consequence (resetting the behaviour).
The premature breaking reduces.

Not harsh. Not forceful.
Just clarity.

Trainer Example: Mouthy Adolescent Spaniel

Spaniel grabs your sleeve with enthusiasm reserved only for Spaniels.

Trainer says “Ah-ah” → stops interaction for a moment.

You added a sound the dog didn’t like.
Behaviour decreases over time.

Simple, clean, effective.

7. When Positive Punishment Goes Wrong

Positive Punishment only becomes harmful when:

It’s too intense

Fear replaces learning.

It’s too frequent

Dog shuts down or becomes confused.

There’s no clarity

Dog doesn’t know what to do instead.

It’s used for emotional behaviours

You can’t punish fear, anxiety, or panic out of a dog.

It’s driven by human frustration

The dog learns nothing except “humans are unpredictable”.

This is where Positive Punishment becomes problematic, not because punishment is inherently bad, but because humans are often emotional creatures with questionable timing.

8. Where Positive Punishment Works Beautifully

Used correctly, Positive Punishment is:
• subtle
• brief
• predictable
• clear
• paired with valid alternatives

Examples:
• Interrupting dangerous behaviour (eating something harmful).
• Preventing resource guarding from escalating.
• Stopping rude behaviour around children.
• Interrupting reactivity before it spikes.
• Teaching household manners.
• Stopping working dogs breaking position when safety is involved.

It’s not about dominating the dog.
It’s about communicating boundaries.

9. But Here’s the Key: Punishment Doesn’t Teach What TO Do

Punishment reduces behaviour.
Reinforcement builds behaviour.

Punishment alone is incomplete.
It stops the “wrong thing” but doesn’t teach the “right thing”.

You need both.

This is where professional trainers shine, pairing correction with clarity and alternative behaviours.

Example:
• Dog jumps → mild interruption (Positive Punishment)
• Dog sits → reward (Positive Reinforcement)

Boundaries AND guidance.
Structure AND opportunity.

This is balanced training in its simplest form.

10. Final Thoughts: The Most Honest Quadrant

Positive Punishment is not the villain of dog training.
It’s not cruelty.
It’s not dominance.
It’s not abuse.

It is:
• normal
• widely used
• incredibly common
• part of natural dog communication
• more effective when mild, fair, and paired with reinforcement

Most importantly…

You already use it, you just didn’t call it by its scientific name.

Used ethically and sparingly, Positive Punishment provides clarity.
Used carefully, it creates boundaries.
Used appropriately, it prevents dangerous behaviours.
And in skilled hands, it’s no more frightening than a raised eyebrow.

10/12/2025

Don't fight against it, work with it!⚡
There is a zone.
It's not mystical or magical, it's neurological and simply the best time to teach.

The "perfect" technique means nothing if we don't respect just how a dog is feeling before we start.
This is a little tricky to explain and seems a bit contradictory to many, but good dog trainers simply won't persist to teach when a dog is not in a true learning state.
That does not mean we give up, it just means we change the conditions first.
We attempt again after we have used those little tricks we know to reduce over arousal, anxiety or we have figured out just what this dog needs.
Even then, we may only get a few golden moments of engagement in.

Then we wait for the next opening.
We see it's coming, we see that arousal settling or that confidence builds again and "bam" we will get another few minutes in.
That's when we can really make a difference.
Those little moments we had together become more frequent and that relationship is building for us both. Perfect!

Find those little moments.
Find what makes your dog "spark" in those moments.
But, respect that sometimes those moments may be few and far between when a dog is either hyper or hypo.

Another point here. This is individual.
It doesn't mean that dogs wont engage with you when they are in those extremes.
There are always dogs that will, and happily!

The zone is there, it just shifts for each individual dog.

09/12/2025

This might go down well for some but. For anyone suggesting I am just bagging other trainers or their methods, that is not the case. What I am critical of is the “there is only one way to train a dog, and if you do not follow our way, you are abusive” mindset. All training methodologies have their place, and yes, shock horror, that includes positive only and force free approaches, even though I see both terms as misnomers because neither is truly possible in the real world. These labels were created to appeal to emotions, not accuracy. I am open to using whatever method best suits the individual dog and the desired outcome. Locking every dog into a one method fits all box is not showing them the respect they deserve, nor providing the best possible help for their psychological or behavioural issues. What I will bag is when trainers lock themselves into a methodology box, and when a dog is not responding to their approach, they refuse to step outside their comfort zone to help the dog or the owner succeed.

In their world there are only two extremes, a positive trainer or an aversive or punishment trainer. This is completely ridiculous and nothing more than emotional manipulation. Just as you cannot successfully train a dog using only positive reinforcement, you also cannot successfully train a dog using only aversives or punishment. Real training sits in the balance between the two, and a true, knowledgeable practitioner understands how to navigate both sides with skill and clarity. The word punishment or consequence doesn’t have to mean something painful or fearful, it can be as simple as withholding a treat for the wrong behaviour, taking your attention away for misbehaviour, stopping play if the dog nips your hands, a tight leash if you stop moving when the dogs pulling, stopping access to the sofa or bed if the dog growls etc it’s not a word to be associated with pain.

09/12/2025

09/12/2025

‼️Here’s how to tell if you have a low rank dog!!

Is your dog the happiest, waggiest, sweetest easiest, affable, obedient, compliant, loving and interactive dog you could imagine??
Do they have a “nice but dim” nature and are never gonna win an obedience title but they will entertain you by being a clown 🤡 ?? Do you call them an airhead or a moron???
Well you have a low ranking dog then - I call them Mansells (after Nigel Mansell 😆😆)

Low ranking pack members have 0 responsibility - just feed them and cuddle them and they’re happy!
You know if you own one - they lull you into the false sense of security that you’re a great owner and a brilliant dog whisperer!!
Then for your next dog you get a high ranking decision maker and your dreams are shattered 😆

Low ranking dogs are born that way - just here for the sausages and cuddles. Their innate rank determines their character!

If you meet a Mansell you’ll fall in love with their goofy character and they’ll make you feel happy but they’re awful to try and train
😆
Let’s see your photos of your Low ranking dogs!

09/12/2025

Operant conditioning series
ARTICLE 2
Negative Reinforcement

The Most Misunderstood Quadrant in Dog Training

If the four quadrants of operant conditioning were guests at a dinner party, Negative Reinforcement would be the one sitting quietly in the corner while everyone argues about what he actually does for a living. Some trainers insist he’s terrible. Others swear he’s essential. Most dog owners have no idea he exists. And if you ask social media? You’ll be told he’s either the devil or an angel depending on who’s typing.

It’s time to clear the fog.

Negative Reinforcement is neither sinister nor inherently “aversive”. It’s simply misunderstood, usually because the name sounds like something you’d give a dog when he’s been late with his homework.

Let’s break it down properly.

1. What Negative Reinforcement Actually Means

Negative = Something is removed
Reinforcement = Behaviour increases

So Negative Reinforcement means:

You remove something the dog finds unpleasant →
The dog’s behaviour increases.

That’s it.

Remove → Relief → More Behaviour.

Relief is the reward.

To be perfectly blunt, Negative Reinforcement is essentially the dog thinking:

“Ahh, that feels better… I’ll do that again.”

2. The Everyday Example You’re Already Using

Ready for the big shock?

Loose lead walking uses Negative Reinforcement.
Every owner, every handler, every trainer, regardless of method, uses it.

Here’s how:
• Dog pulls → pressure on the lead.
• Dog returns to your side → pressure disappears.

You removed the pressure.
The behaviour (walking at your side) increases.

You didn’t hurt the dog.
You didn’t punish him.
You simply removed the thing he didn’t like, pressure, the moment he made the correct choice.

That is textbook Negative Reinforcement.

3. Why Trainers Get This Quadrant Wrong

Because people read the word negative and assume it must be something harsh.
In reality:
• Negative Reinforcement does not mean punishment.
• It does not mean corrections.
• It does not mean being “negative” to your dog.

It means using pressure ethically and fairly, then removing it at the right moment.

Unfortunately, many trainers misunderstand it and either:
• misuse it
• overuse it
• or deny using it while doing it accidentally

For balance trainers, it’s a core tool.
For positive-only trainers, it’s something they’re using without realising.

Everyone does it.
Few acknowledge it.

4. The Key Ingredient: Pressure and Release

Negative Reinforcement works through pressure and release.

Pressure doesn’t always mean physical.
It can be:
• spatial pressure (handler steps into the dog’s space gently)
• leash pressure (gentle tension)
• environmental pressure (sound, movement, body blocking)
• social pressure (another dog approaching)
• mechanical pressure (harness or collar tension)

Pressure ON → behaviour changes → pressure OFF.

The dog learns which behaviour switches the pressure off.

This is why timing is absolutely everything, release too late, and you reinforce the wrong behaviour. Release too early, and you muddy the picture.

5. Examples for Dog Owners, Handlers & Trainers

Everyday Dog Owner Example: Recall With Long Line

Your dog hits the end of the long line.
There’s tension.
You call him.
He turns and runs back.
Tension disappears the moment he commits to you.

Pressure → behaviour → release.

You’ve used Negative Reinforcement to improve recall.

Working Dog Handler Example: Tracking Start Line

Handler applies slight lead tension at the start line.
Dog lowers head and takes scent.
Handler releases the tension.

The dog learns:
“I drop my head → track begins → tension goes away.”
Negative Reinforcement strengthens the indication and commitment.

Trainer Example: Teaching Heel Position

A dog forges ahead.
There’s gentle leash pressure.
Dog moves back into position.
Pressure disappears.

You haven’t corrected or punished.
You’ve simply shaped the behaviour using release as the reinforcer.

6. Why Negative Reinforcement Is Not a Dirty Word

Dogs naturally use this quadrant with each other.

Watch two dogs interact:
• One dog leans into another.
• The second dog moves away.
• Pressure ends.
• Behaviour (moving away) is reinforced.

Dogs do this all day long.
They communicate using pressure far more subtly and fairly than humans often do.

Negative Reinforcement is not cruel.
Cruelty depends on intensity, duration, and intent, not the quadrant itself.

7. Where Negative Reinforcement Goes Wrong

Negative Reinforcement only becomes unfair or unethical when misused.
Here are the most common errors:

Mistake 1: Too Much Pressure

If the handler applies far too much pressure, the dog shuts down instead of learning.

Negative Reinforcement should feel like a tap on the shoulder, not a shove.

Mistake 2: Poor Timing

If you release pressure at the wrong moment, you reinforce the wrong behaviour.

Dog lunges at another dog → owner panics → releases lead pressure.
Dog learns:
Lunge → pressure goes away.
Congratulations, you’ve reinforced reactivity.

Mistake 3: Pressure Never Stops

If the dog can’t work out how to switch off the pressure, stress rises, learning collapses.

Dogs must have a clear path to success.

Mistake 4: Handler Loses Patience

If the handler becomes frustrated, pressure becomes punishment.
The quadrant changes.
Learning suffers.

8. Ethical, Effective Use of Negative Reinforcement

When used properly, Negative Reinforcement:
• builds clarity
• strengthens boundaries
• improves responsiveness
• reduces conflict
• adds calm structure to sessions
• helps with leash manners
• teaches controlled behaviours under distraction

It’s not about forcing.
It’s about guiding, shaping, and releasing.

Negative Reinforcement is simply:

Apply the mildest pressure required →
Dog offers correct behaviour →
Release the pressure immediately.

Done well, it builds confident dogs who understand exactly how to succeed.

Done badly, it creates confusion and stress.

9. Real-World Behaviour Change Example: Reactivity

Negative Reinforcement plays a quiet but essential role in reactivity work.

Scenario: Dog reacts to another dog.

Most owners accidentally use positive punishment (yanking the lead) or negative punishment (removing the dog).
But many trainers use Negative Reinforcement skilfully:
• Dog sees trigger
• Dog focuses on handler
• Handler steps back or loosens lead
• Pressure reduces

The dog learns to choose calm focus because it ends pressure and tension.

Relief reinforces emotional stability.

10. Final Thoughts: The Quadrant Nobody Talks About (But Everyone Uses)

Negative Reinforcement isn’t the enemy.
It isn’t cruel.
It isn’t synonymous with punishment.
It isn’t a dirty word that needs sanitising before use.

It is:
• simple
• effective
• completely natural
• used constantly by dogs themselves
• essential for balanced, fair, real-world training

When applied ethically, lightly, and with good timing, Negative Reinforcement becomes one of the most powerful clarity-building tools in your training toolbox.

Owners use it.
Handlers rely on it.
Trainers fine-tune it.

Most simply don’t realise it.

09/12/2025

⚠️10 Things you must know about your dog’s Pack Rank (that nobody else will tell you!) ⚠️

1) Everydog is born with a pack rank with a pre determined role! It’s innate ( from birth)
2) You don’t decide which rank your dog is!
3) Their pack rank determines their character as much as breed does!! 😳
4) Decision makers are the highest rank and they’re here to run the pack - they’re very difficult to live with!
5) Protector enforcers are the second in command - the “fun police” they keep everything under control and need a strong leader! (Which should be You! 😂)
6) Mansells - Are low ranking and lots of fun - they’re just here to make up the numbers!
7) If you have multiple dogs you must understand the rank of each for the dogs to live in harmony
8 ) Dogs will see any human/canine/feline/equine members of the household as their pack - same as we see dogs as family.
9) 2 Dogs of same rank and gender will NOT get on and will NOT live together unless there are several other differing factors like age, size, breed!
10) A pack is a hierarchy and honestly most of the issues we see in dog behaviour today comes from people not accepting how a pack structure works!!!

If you have any questions about your dog’s pack rank, or pack issues I will answer them below

08/12/2025

Starting today, over the next few days we’re going to take a proper look at the four quadrants of operant conditioning. We’ll break them down one by one, explore how each quadrant influences our dog training, and discuss the part they play in shaping behaviour, clarity, and communication. Whether you believe in using all four or prefer to avoid certain ones, the truth is simple: every owner, handler, and trainer uses all four quadrants in everyday life, even when they’re adamant they don’t. Dogs use them too, it’s just how the world works. And on the final day, we’ll bring everything together in one in-depth article that shows how the quadrants interact and why understanding them properly makes you a far more effective trainer.

ARTICLE 1 – Positive Reinforcement

The Golden Child of Dog Training (But Not a Magic Wand)

If dog training quadrants were siblings, Positive Reinforcement would be the well-behaved, straight-A student who always remembers birthdays, brings biscuits to meetings, and somehow manages to look angelic even when doing absolutely nothing. Trainers rave about it, owners love it, and dogs… well, they’d probably vote it Prime Minister if they could.

But beneath the halo, Positive Reinforcement is more than “give the dog a treat and everything will be fine”. When used properly, it’s one of the most powerful tools in behaviour change. When used badly, it becomes bribery, confusion, chaos, or the fast train to a Spaniel who believes you exist solely to pay him in sausages.

Let’s break it down properly.

1. What Positive Reinforcement Actually Means

Positive = You add something
Reinforcement = Behaviour increases

So, if you add something the dog finds rewarding, and that reward makes the behaviour more likely to occur again, you’ve used Positive Reinforcement.

Reward → More Behaviour.

Simple. Sort of.

In reality, the skill lies not in the reward… but in the timing, the delivery, and the clarity of what the dog thinks he’s being rewarded for.

Dogs are experts at learning the wrong thing enthusiastically.

2. Examples Owners, Handlers & Trainers Will Recognise

Everyday Dog Owner Example

Your dog sits. You give him a biscuit. He sits more in future. Job done.

But…

Your dog jumps up. You push him off and then offer a treat to “settle him”.
Congratulations, you’ve just reinforced jumping because that’s what got the food.

Dogs are fast. Humans are slow. Timing matters.

Working Dog Handler Example

A tracking dog touches the ground with focus, nose deep, following scent.
You mark “Yes!” and reward on the track.

Behaviour strengthens.
The dog becomes keener, more accurate, and more committed.

But reward just off the track?
You’ll teach a hardworking dog to wander off the line looking for the biscuit shop.

Trainer Example

You ask for heel position.
The dog offers a glance and a step.
Mark → reward → beautiful heeling begins to form.

But ask for heel and then hand the reward in front of the dog?
You’ve reinforced forging ahead.

Again, it’s never the behaviour you think you rewarded.
It’s the behaviour you actually marked.

3. Why Positive Reinforcement Works So Well

It taps into the dog’s dopamine system

Rewards trigger tiny releases of dopamine.
Dopamine makes behaviour feel good.
Feeling good makes behaviour repeat.

Simple biology, not magic.

It creates enthusiasm

Dogs trained this way often show joy, eagerness, and strong engagement.

It builds a dog who wants to work with you

Done well, it strengthens the bond, relationship, and overall attitude toward training.

It reduces conflict

No arguments, no friction, no confusion, just clarity and reinforcement.

4. Where Positive Reinforcement Goes Wrong

Positive Reinforcement is brilliant, but it gets misused more often than a retractable lead at the side of a road.

Here are the biggest mistakes:

Mistake 1: Bribery

If the dog sees the treat before the behaviour, it’s a bribe, not reinforcement.

“Look, I’ve got chicken! Please sit!”
The dog learns: Sit only when the buffet is open.

Mistake 2: Using the Wrong Reward

Not every dog cares about your carefully selected grain-free, ethically-sourced, artisanal biscuit.

Spaniels: food
Shepherds: toys and work
Collies: movement, control
Huskies: chaos and opportunism

Match the reward to the dog.

Mistake 3: Rewarding the Wrong Behaviour

The classic.

Dog barks. You give a treat to quiet him.
Dog learns: Bark → Food.
Congratulations, you’ve just sponsored Barkathon 2025.

Mistake 4: No Reward Schedule

New behaviours need constant reinforcement.
Trained behaviours need intermittent reinforcement.
Most owners do the opposite:
• They reinforce heavily at first (good).
• The dog learns the behaviour (great).
• The owner stops rewarding altogether (oh dear).
• The dog stops performing (cue: “He’s being stubborn!”).

He’s not stubborn.
You just closed the salary department.

5. Practical Ways to Use Positive Reinforcement Properly

A. Use marker words or clickers

A marker creates split-second clarity.
It tells the dog: That behaviour, right there, earns a reward.

Clarity → faster learning → better reliability.

B. Reward the position, not the reaching for the treat

Always feed in place.

If you want heel, feed at the hip.
If you want a down, feed between the paws.

C. Keep sessions short and fun

Dogs learn more from five 2-minute sessions than one 10-minute slog.
Especially Spaniels, who learn perfectly well… then go mad if bored for more than six seconds.

D. Reinforce calm, not chaos

A calm dog is a thinking dog.
Reward quietness, stillness, eye contact, and soft behaviour, not the zoomies.

6. Real-World Examples Across Training Disciplines

Pet Dog Example: Loose Lead Walking

Reward the dog at your side for checking in.
Reward the dog behind you if they drift back to reconnect.
Never reward ahead or you’ll reinforce pulling.

Working Dog Example: Indication in Scent Work

A dog freezes, stares, or offers the trained indication.
Immediate mark → reward at source.
This builds accuracy and reliability under high arousal.

Behavioural Example: Reactivity

Your dog sees a trigger → stays calm → makes eye contact → reward.
You build an “I see that → I check in with you” pattern.

Not a bribe.
Not a distraction.
A conditioned emotional response.

7. When Positive Reinforcement Isn’t Enough

Some trainers preach that rewards can fix every problem under the sun:
• Reactivity
• Aggression
• Lunging
• Resource guarding
• Fighting genetics
• Working-line drive
• Stress
• Adrenaline
• Arousal
• Overload

Unfortunately:

You cannot reinforce a dog out of biology, adrenaline, or chaos.

Positive Reinforcement is powerful but it’s not the only quadrant available, and not the only quadrant dogs understand.

For behaviours driven by fear, frustration, arousal, or conflict, you often need:
• clarity
• boundaries
• structure
• environmental management
• balanced use of the other quadrants

Positive Reinforcement is a tool.
A fantastic one.
But using it exclusively is like trying to build a house with nothing but a hammer.

8. Final Thoughts: The Most Misunderstood “Positive” in Dog Training

Positive Reinforcement is brilliant, ethical, and essential.
But it works best when:
• timing is precise
• the reward matches the dog
• the behaviour is clear
• the reinforcement schedule is smart
• the dog is in the right emotional state

Used well, it builds happy, motivated, reliable dogs who enjoy their work.
Used badly, it produces confused, entitled dogs who think rules are optional and trainers exist to hand out snacks.

Master it, really master it and your training becomes smoother, faster, more enjoyable, and infinitely more effective.