How to Avoid the Second Biggest Dog Training Mistake: Negative Reinforcement

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By Eric Letendre
eHow Contributing Writer

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There are many ways to obedience train a dog. Some trainers believe that the best way to train is to use treats to teach the dog. Others think that treats should never be used. In any case, using too much negative reinforcement is the second most common dog training mistake that I see. Negative reinforcement can develop into aggression problems. Here I will show you how to avoid the Number 2 training mistake.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Leash
Collar
Treats

Step 1

Spend time reinforcing behaviors rather than punishing behaviors. In America, dog aggression is a big problem, largely due to negative reinforcement. Spend 12 months punishing your dog’s behavior with overuse of an electronic collar, scruff shakes and harsh tones and see how your dog responds; you'll be amazed at how grouchy he becomes. Don’t be surprised if your dog develops a serious aggression problem.
Step 2

Start training young. By starting young and training your dog with a lot of positive reinforcement the chances of your dog developing an aggression problem are greatly reduced.
Step 3

Spend 8 to 12 months reinforcing your dog’s behavior with treats, praise and toys. You’ll be amazed at how your dog responds and remembers the commands.

Tips & Warnings

Once a dog has developed an aggression problem, it is very difficult to change the behavior.
Never train when you are stressed or tired.
Aggression is a serious problem and can become very stressful on you to have a dog that has the potential to bite people or attack other dogs.

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