Science Over Opinion: The Truth About Dog Training Methods
Originally published on 3/4/2019 in Edition Dog Magazine
As a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant, I talk with many people about different methods used to train their dogs. Being a trainer that works on scientifically supported methods of building confidence, creating replacement behaviors, and decreasing anxiety and aggression with reward-based training, I am firmly against any use of force and intimidation.
I often hear the following comment from people:
“Everyone has their opinion about how to train dogs.”
I want to address this comment. An opinion is something that is supported by weak, or often, no evidence at all. A scientific fact is one that has a vast amount of supporting evidence. This evidence has been proven in numerous peer-reviewed, controlled studies and experiments.
Basic Principles
Psychology 101 teaches students about B.F. Skinner’s work with Operant Conditioning and the four quadrants. Don’t get overwhelmed — I’ll discuss just two of those four quadrants here to help explain the difference between opinions and facts, which is the focus of this blog post.
If you want to dive deeper into all four quadrants and how they apply to dog training, feel free to leave a comment and I’ll write a follow-up post.
The four quadrants of operant conditioning are:
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Positive Reinforcement
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Negative Reinforcement
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Positive Punishment
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Negative Punishment
In this post, we’ll focus on Positive Reinforcement and Positive Punishment.
Definitions:
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“Positive” means something is added (not necessarily something good).
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“Reinforcement” means the behavior is more likely to happen again.
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“Punishment” means the behavior is less likely to happen again.
Why “Positive” Isn’t Always Good
Let’s start with Positive Reinforcement, the foundation of my training work. This means adding something the dog enjoys — like a treat — to increase the chance of a behavior happening again. For example, giving a treat when a dog comes when called.
On the other hand, Positive Punishment means adding something the dog finds unpleasant in order to stop a behavior. Tools such as shock collars, prong collars, and choke chains fall into this category. The goal is for the dog to avoid whatever caused the discomfort or pain — thus avoiding the behavior that led to it.
Supporters of these tools often claim:
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“It only tickles.”
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“It’s just annoying.”
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“It doesn’t really hurt them.”
But that logic doesn’t hold. For positive punishment to work, the consequence must be strong enough to deter the dog from repeating the behavior. If it truly were just a tickle, the dog would ignore it. The tool must create enough discomfort or fear to suppress behavior — and that means pain. And pain is something every living creature wants to avoid.
It’s Science
So, when someone tells me that my stance against these tools is “just an opinion,” I clarify:
It’s not an opinion — it’s a scientific fact.
There is both physical and emotional pain associated with these tools. In contrast, positive reinforcement teaches dogs what you want from them in a way that fosters trust, engagement, and a love for learning.
This isn’t just my stance — it’s backed by leading international organizations, including:
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The International Association for Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC)
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Certification Council for Professional Dog Training (CCPDT)
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International Canine Behaviourists
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International Companion Animal Network
All of them advocate for science-based, force-free methods.
