Positive reinforcement is a buzz phrase used by many to describe how dogs learn. You can read about Positive Reinforcement in most of the contemporary books that have been written on dog training. What is it and how does it work?

 Back in the 1940’s, a man by the name of B. F. Skinner developed a “four part learning theory” known as Operant Conditioning.” One of those four parts has been referred to as “positive reinforcement.”  The word reinforcement is a word that behaviorist use which refers to “increasing the likelihood” or “strengthening a behavior.”

Let me give you an example of Positive Reinforcement. Let’s say that you want to teach your dog to “sit.” You could use a treat that was motivational to the dog. Ask your dog to sit by placing the treat in front of his nose, as you move the treat up in the air the dog should follow the treat and “sit” at which point you would reward your dog for complying with the request. You reward the obedient behavior.

 It is important to note that the treat needs to be given to the dog immediately so that he can associate the treat with the action of sitting. If you wait 10 or 20 seconds to reward your dog for sitting, he may not make the proper association that the sitting results in the reward.

So, when we want to teach a dog how to do something, we can reward the dog using a treat. Treats are not the only form of “positive reinforcement.” For some dogs’, Petting and praise seem to be more motivational than treats. A special toy that the dog is fond of may serve as a “positive reinforcement” also.

 Keep in mind that “positive reinforcement” is one part of a four-part learning model. To read some books or to talk to some trainers, you would think that dog training consisted of “Positive Reinforcement” only. There was an old preacher and writer by the name of Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones who said ”There is nothing more likely to lead to error than to begin with the part rather than the whole.”

 Positive reinforcement will never inhibit or stop a bad habit. Adopting a training method that employs only one part of a four-part learning model will result in frustration and failure. Better than 75 % of the dogs that are surrendered to a shelter or rescue group have some unresolved behavior issue. If a dog could be trained using love, affection and treats alone, we would not have the shelter problems that we have today.

Our society has adopted an attitude that everything positive must be good and that everything negative must be bad. Dr. Jones would say that everyone wants to know about heaven but nobody wants to go to that mean old nasty hell. We can preach and teach that everything in life is positive to maintain some “political correctness,” but in the end some issues will go unresolved without some form of correction.

 A nationally known trainer Danny Thomason and acquaintance of mine has written an article known as “The Quest for Balanced Training” which I think you would find to be of interest. You can read this article on my website at www.smartdogtrainer.com . Click under articles and then look for “The Quest for Balanced Training.”

 I think that the majority of dog training needs to be positive. Dogs learn faster when motivated, however not all dogs learn the same way. Do you have an unresolved behavior issue? If so, please read “The Quest for Balanced Training.”

Contact Information

Tom Beitz is the owner of the Academy for Puppies and Dogs and is an authorized dealer for Pet STOP Hidden Dog Fences. Tom can be reached at (716) 628-0651 to answer your questions or he can be found on the web at www.smartdogtrainer.com . E-Mail: Tom@Smartdogtrainer.com

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