06/23/2025
Positive reinforcement is presented as a behavioral panacea. Something with only upside and zero downside.
Absolutely incorrect, irresponsible, and horrifically damaging messaging that destroys our dogs as it parades as a morally superior, intellectually and emotionally “evolved” approach.
Imagine a car with only a gas pedal and no brakes, a child who only hears “yes”, a society which rewards good behavior and ignores all dangerous, anti-social behavior.
It doesn’t take a genius to see where that leads. Here’s the the thing most don’t understand: the messaging isn’t actually about what’s best for the dog, the messaging is about what kind of non-reality-based world can be fabricated in order for it to align with a group of people’s beliefs which disapprove of the unpleasantness of reality (and to be more precise, human power dynamics over dogs which are simply the dislike of what they perceive as unfair and unacceptable power dynamics in general — dogs are just convenient proxies), and wish to see this unacceptable reality altered to better suit them.
Dogs and owners are simply the collateral damage in the beliefs battle. (Read The Righteous Mind for more.)
99% of dogs who come to us for training have had a ton of positive reinforcement training — but are still chaotic, problematic, unreliable messes. Why? Because they’re missing the critical balancing force of negative consequences/aversive control. Once we add that, voila. You get these “magically” transformed dogs. But It ain’t magic. It’s wildly simple, common sense being applied thoughtfully. Stuff we all knew up until 5 minute ago.
What’s even more heartbreaking? Take the shelters around the country. Almost every single one only allows positive reinforcement and zero punsihment/aversive control. And so perfectly amazing dogs quickly become unglued maniacs whose behavior (which quickly unravels in the “asylum”) makes the majority of them unadoptable.
Walk into any skilled balanced trainer’s kennel, regardless of how large and how many dogs, and you’ll find it calm, relaxed, and quiet. Why? Because they know how to properly use punsihment to help the dogs in their care to be comfortable, relaxed, healthy.
I often daydream about having the opportunity to take over a busy shelter for a week. The peace I could create, and the basic foundational manners that could be taught in 7 days — and how that would impact the state of mind of the dogs there, and the rate of adoption would be mind blowing.
But, alas, dogs must continue to suffer for our utopian, fantasy-based desire for a world devoid of punishment (and “unfair” power dynamics) shared intelligently and kindly by skilled humans, and instead we must allow reality to dole out the harshest and most cruel punishment.
