Between 2 Pines Dog Training

05/25/2026

Thank you yp those who gave their all...
Happy Memorial Day

05/16/2026

05/10/2026

Happy Mother's Day to all those out there provinding love and care to 2-legged and 4-legged creatures, their own and others.

05/06/2026

This is really fun-lots of booths, venders, food trucks and fun things to see and buy. We are not going to be in a booth this year--don't go to find a new trainer. Stay!....with us-we give the best treats!

05/04/2026

Bo says thinking when playing games is hard work...time for a nap

04/19/2026

Hope this week is wrinkle free for you!!! If not. maybe it's time for a little
training.

04/13/2026

Yesterday I watched a young dog being walked on a check chain, repeatedly yanked back into position. It’s something many of us have seen over the years - and it raises an important question about how behaviour is shaped, not just in dogs … but in us.

🔬 The science of behaviour is very clear
Learning is governed by consequences. When a behaviour leads to a result that works, it is more likely to be repeated. This applies to dogs - but just as powerfully, it applies to humans.

⚖️ Punishment “works” … but not in the way we think
If a handler yanks a lead and the dog momentarily stops pulling, that outcome reinforces the handler’s behaviour. The brain encodes: “that action was effective.”
Over time, this strengthens the likelihood that punishment will be used again - and often more quickly, more frequently, and with greater intensity.

This is known as negative reinforcement of the handler’s behaviour. The dog’s behaviour may pause, but the human’s reliance on force is what is truly being reinforced.

🧠 What’s happening in the dog?
While punishment can suppress behaviour in the moment, it does not teach the dog what to do instead. More importantly, it can activate stress pathways:

• Increased cortisol (stress hormone)
• Activation of the amygdala (threat processing)
• Suppression of exploratory and learning behaviours
• Heightened risk of fear, avoidance, or defensive responses

Over time, this can alter how a dog perceives the environment - not as a place of learning, but as something to navigate cautiously.

🌱 Behaviour suppression vs behaviour learning
There is a critical difference between stopping a behaviour and teaching an alternative.

A dog that stops pulling because of discomfort hasn’t learned loose lead walking - they’ve learned to avoid a consequence.
A dog that is reinforced for staying near their handler chooses that position because it predicts safety and reward.

💡 The slippery slope
Because punishment can produce an immediate change, it is incredibly reinforcing to the person using it. This is why it can quietly become habitual:

• What began as a “last resort” becomes a first response
• Threshold for using it lowers over time
• Other training options are used less and less

Not because people intend harm - but because learning laws are doing exactly what they are designed to do.

🌿 A different path
When we focus on reinforcement-based training, we are not just shaping the dog’s behaviour - we are shaping our own habits as trainers.

• We look for what we want and build it
• We create clarity instead of conflict
• We reduce stress, improving learning capacity
• We strengthen trust, which underpins all reliable behaviour

🐾 The question isn’t “does punishment work?”
The better question is: What is it teaching - to both ends of the lead?

Because the habits we build in ourselves will ultimately shape the dogs in our care.

- Donna Williams,
Emerald Park Border Collies.
www.emeraldparkbc.com

"My mission is to make life better for at least one dog today!"

Emerald Park Border Collies - ethical breeder of purebred Border Collies puppies in Australia providing health-tested dogs, advanced puppy curriculum, early training and ongoing support for every family.

04/05/2026

Happy Easter!

04/05/2026

Happy Easter!!!