Punishments & Aversives In Dog Training

 

Punishments & Aversives In Dog Training

The word “aversive” can be described as “tending to avoid or causing avoidance of a noxious or punishing stimulus. (1) Punishment, in the world of science, “means the chances of a behavior happening again have decreased as a result of an event that followed the behavior.” (2)

There is a never-ending debate on the optimal way to train animals. Many credible studies have been performed over multiple decades of research in multiple fields of study. Many studies have been published on mammals, such as rats, dogs, monkeys, and humans. Most mammals share strikingly similar physiological responses. Much of our current understanding had its roots within rats and other animals.

I will list many of the well-documented fallouts of using aversives/punishment in training. These studies are of dogs. However, many more studies have demonstrated negative consequences in other mammals.

A study was performed on dogs where the floor had an electric current running through it. Dogs were placed in different contexts. Dogs who could escape the shock quickly learned how to do so. Dogs who were restrained during the time of the punishment eventually learned what is termed “learned helplessness”. This is when an animal gives up and no longer attempts to escape the aversive situation. This leads to animals who may appear calm, but who are physiologically “shut down” and “just take it” after learning that they do not have any control over the environment. (3)

“If aversives are a common consequence of many kinds of behavior, the result may be a suppression not only of the punished behavior but of behavior in general.” Even if punishment appears successful, we are only suppressing the emotional root. The “problem” wasn’t resolved. –Chance, P., 2008, Learning and Behavior, 5th Edition, 208.

Dogs trained using punishment-based methods showed no effectiveness above positive reinforcement methods but also led to other problematic behaviors. “When asked whether their dog exhibited any of 16 common problematic behaviors, the number of problems reported by the owners correlated with the number of tasks for which their dog was trained using punishment (P< 0.001), but not using rewards (P = 0.17).” (4)

Dogs show more signs of physiological stress when trained using punishments, even outside of training sessions! (5) While dogs who are trained using positive reinforcement show fewer behavioral problems. (6)

Confrontational training methods can lead to aggressive responses from dogs. (7) This state of conflict is detrimental to your relationship with your dog, damaging feelings of trust and safety.

While high levels of punishment have resulted in adverse effects on a dog’s behavior, positive reinforcement can improve the dog’s ability to learn. ( 8 )

This study on shock collars resulted in detrimental effects on animal welfare. (9) Here is a second study on the same subject, with similar outcomes (11). Shock collars have also been shown to produce below-average success rates in herding dogs. (12) Find many more studies on shock collars specifically. (15)

Another study has shown a correlation between punitive training techniques and an increase in aggression in dogs. (10)

This scientific review shows the link between punishment-based training and the decline of the dog's physical and mental health. (13)

A Final Point:

Punishment is reinforcing to the punisher! The person who applies the aversive is strongly reinforced when it succeeds. Applying punishment easily becomes habitual, and easily escalates. (14) This should be enough of a reason besides the obvious welfare and well-being effects.

Two Common Arguments:

“I only have to use the beep/vibrate”.

There is a reason that the beep, vibration, or placing the collar on a dog can have an immediate behavior change. Threat… The dog has learned via association that the collar, its beeps and vibrates can lead to discomfort or pain. So while you may not deliver the stimulus (the shock), they are in a constant state of threat.

The example I give is if I had my hand in my pocket and said “Give me your money or I will stab you!” You do not have to see the knife, or even have my hand leave my pocket, to feel the detrimental effects this can have.

“I do what works best for the dog.”

To me, personally, this is nonsensical. I can’t understand how you can simultaneously promote animal welfare knowing you’re delivering unwanted effects to your dog. See above for loads of evidence.

How Do I See It?:

Would you train without discomfort or pain if you could? The answer here for a large majority of people is “yes”. Most people have good intentions around their dogs.

There are thousands of animal trainers working worldwide in all areas of sports and recreation who do not use these methods and still achieve top ranks in their respective fields. This not only includes things like nosework and agility but also protection work. See “Incredimal - Nando Brown & Fizz” & Denise Fenzi for their protection work (based on positive reinforcement) in action!

You can also see positive reinforcement’s power in situations where you’d be surely challenged to use punishment!

Using Positive Reinforcement For Voluntary Blood Draws Off An Alligator!: **https://www.facebook.com/.../permalink/6896671883757606/**

Positive Reinforcement With A Lion!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCQaBAE9SCs

Gaining Blood Draws From An Elephant?!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ryb1r-_TLMQ

A Gerenuk - giraffe gazelle - Allowing For Husbandry & Welfare Care:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO8HDL8Wbx4

How About Cheetas?!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwd24ogYASg

Black Bears!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qwm87I50W8

You get the idea…

The World Leaders Follow The Science:

The top leaders in the dog training and behavior world have all adopted approaches to minimize the use of punishment in training. These groups include:

• Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT)
• The International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC)
• The Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT)
• Canadian Association of Professional Dog Trainers (CAPDT)

Many Countries Are Getting Involved Due To The Evidence, BaNNING PUNISHMENT-BASED TOOLS:

• Austria
• Germany (including their police dog program)
• Denmark
• Norway
• Slovenia
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Quebec
• Wales (2010)
• Scotland
• England (2024)
• France (shocks and prongs)
• Iceland
• Portugal
• The Netherlands
• Australia (partially)

Further Reading and Studies:

”What You Should Know Before You Use A Shock Collar.”: https://www.facebook.com/groups/holisticdogtraining/posts/2948210851912993/

”Fallout from the Use of Aversives”: https://eileenanddogs.com/fallout-aversives-punishment-negative-reinforcement/

Ban Shock Collars (Canada)

https://banshockcollars.ca/

Dr. Karen Overall (PEI) Webinar on E-Collar Training. Multiple studies and theory broken down in an easy to understand way!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLOQZwYEx6E

Sources:

(1) “Aversive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aversive. Accessed 24 Jan. 2024.

(2) Verbal Beginnings. ABA Behind the Scenes: Punishment and How Behavior Changes. Verbal Beginnings. Published June 18, 2019. Accessed January 24, 2024. https://www.verbalbeginnings.com/.../aba-behind-the.../... ABA%2C punishment means the,result of what happened after. ‌

(3) Overmier, J. Bruce, and Martin E. Seligman. “Effects of inescapable shock upon subsequent escape and avoidance responding.” Journal of comparative and physiological psychology 63, no. 1 (1967): 28.

(4) Hiby, E. F., N. J. Rooney, and J. W. S. Bradshaw. “Dog training methods: their use, effectiveness and interaction with behaviour and welfare.” Animal Welfare 13, no. 1 (2004): 63-70

(5) “Training dogs with help of the shock collar: short and long term behavioural effects.” Applied Animal Behaviour Science 85, no. 3-4 (2004): 319-334.

(6) Blackwell, Emily J., Caroline Twells, Anne Seawright, and Rachel A. Casey. “The relationship between training methods and the occurrence of behavior problems, as reported by owners, in a population of domestic dogs.” Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research 3, no. 5 (2008): 207-217.

(7) Herron, Meghan E., Frances S. Shofer, and Ilana R. Reisner. “Survey of the use and outcome of confrontational and non-confrontational training methods in client-owned dogs showing undesired behaviors.” Applied Animal Behaviour Science 117, no. 1-2 (2009): 47-54.

(8) Rooney, Nicola Jane, and Sarah Cowan. “Training methods and owner–dog interactions: Links with dog behaviour and learning ability.”

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

132, no. 3-4 (2011): 169-177.

(9) Cooper, Jonathan, Nina Cracknell, Jessica Hardiman, and Daniel Mills. “Studies to assess the effect of pet training aids, specifically remote static pulse systems, on the welfare of domestic dogs: field study of dogs in training.” (2013). Government report: DEFRA AW1402a.

(10) Casey et al.Casey, Rachel A., Bethany Loftus, Christine Bolster, Gemma J. Richards, and Emily J. Blackwell. “Human directed aggression in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris): Occurrence in different contexts and risk factors.” Applied Animal Behaviour Science 152 (2014): 52-63*.*

(11) J. Cooper, N. Cracknell, J. Hardiman, H. Wright, D. Mills. Open Source version of the DEFRA studies above. 2014.

(12) Arnott, Elizabeth R., Jonathan B. Early, Claire M. Wade, and Paul D. McGreevy. “Environmental factors associated with success rates of Australian stock herding dogs.” PloS one 9, no. 8 (2014): e104457.

(13) Ziv, Gal. “The effects of using aversive training methods in dogs—A review.” Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research 19 (2017): 50-60.

(14) Powell, Russell A., P. Lynne Honey, and Diane G. Symbaluk. Introduction to learning and behavior. Cengage Learning, 2016*,* 358. Sulzer-Azaroff, Beth, and G. Roy Mayer. Also: Behavior analysis for lasting change. Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1991, 489.

(15) Banshockcollars.ca. Studies. Banshockcollars.ca. Published 2015. Accessed January 24, 2024. https://banshockcollars.ca/studies.php