How Science is creating new dog training methods

As knowledge about dogs and their cognitive abilities grows, dog trainers adapt their methods to be more effective. Owners have trained their dogs in the past using techniques such as positive or negative reinforcement, or alpha-theory, which could leave their pooch feeling anxious or stressed. New dog training methods, like operant conditioning, are backed by science and help you build a relationship with your pup that will last a lifetime.

Operant Conditioning

Many of the latest dog training methods fall under the classification of operant conditioning. This coaching technique uses both positive and negative reinforcement and punishment to teach your pet how to think through situations and solve problems.

Operant conditioning has four quadrants that impact pet behavior: positive reinforcement, positive punishment, negative reinforcement, and negative punishment. By combining these four quadrants into basic obedience training, you can communicate precisely how you would like your dog to behave.

Here is how you could teach your dog to walk beside you using operant conditioning. First, provide positive reinforcement as praise when they walk beside you. If your dog forges ahead and pulls their leash tight, the tightness of the collar on their neck acts as positive punishment. If you then turn your back to your dog and walk in another direction, your lack of praise is negative punishment. When your dog stops pulling and comes back to your side, they’ll feel the pressure from the tight leash release on their neck, a form of negative reinforcement.

 This example clearly explains to the dog that they should be walking beside you with a loose leash. As they maintain a loose-leash heel, they’ll continue to get praise. However, if they charge forward, they’ll be corrected when their leash pulls taut.

 One of the fundamental parts of this training is that your corrections (negative reinforcement and positive punishment) should be very mild. The goal is not to frighten or hurt your dog. A gentle tug on a leash or kind, verbal correction is all you need to indicate to your dog that they’ve done the wrong thing so they can decide to change their behavior.

This new dog training method is perfect for teaching your pup anything from leash manners to basic obedience and new skills.

Benefits of operant conditioning over to other training methods

When training your dog, it’s essential to be efficient and precise with what you do. Dogs can get bored or stressed out when training sessions are long, so ensuring that you’re effectively teaching your dog helps them pick up skills faster.

One of the critical benefits of operant conditioning is that it eliminates potential vagueness in other training methods. Many people enjoy using strictly positive reinforcement to train their dogs. However, by only teaching your dog what is right to do, they can struggle to understand what behaviors they shouldn’t do. This training technique can cause frustration between pooch and owner when undesirable behaviors persist.

 Negative reinforcement has similar problems when it comes to training your pet. Dogs can develop low self-esteem if they are consistently punished or reprimanded for the bad things they do without being rewarded for good behavior. A pup with low confidence can become anxious, depressed, and resent training sessions, taking longer to learn new things.

 The power of operant conditioning is that it combines the useful parts of both positive and negative reinforcement to help your pup feel secure and confident in their training.

Socialization as a passive training method

Your dog will learn the most about the world around them when you’re not actually training them. If you have a new puppy, socialization is the most important thing you can do to make sure they’re well adjusted and prepared for day to day experiences. 

Consider how your dog approaches other people or animals on a walk. A poorly socialized pup may be fearful or lunge in aggression when they encounter strangers. In their anxiety, they may forget obedience training and start pulling on their leash or acting erratically.

By adequately socializing your dog, you can prevent these negative behaviors. Make sure to expose your dog to various experiences so that they can feel confident when encountering them in the future.

Keep in mind that socialization doesn’t end when your dog is fully grown. You can continue to teach them that new situations are nothing to fear by approaching each unique circumstance with confidence and excitement.

 The new dog training methods mentioned above can help you communicate to your dog the skills they need to become a good canine citizen. Dog experts have designed these new practices due to scientific breakthroughs in canine cognition. By implementing robust socialization practices and using operant conditioning as your primary training method, you and your dog will find working together more enjoyable than ever before.