Many people like the sound of positive reinforcement even if they aren’t sure exactly how it works. If you’re one of those people, you have great instincts!

In the most basic terms, this is how positive reinforcement training works: we reward behavior we want to see again. If a dog gets a treat every time they sit, they’re going to start sitting a lot (which is great, I love to encourage polite begging!). Dogs, along with all living species, learn very well this way. When we use positive reinforcement, we’re able to show them what we want them to do and motivate them to keep doing it.

It’s very hard to teach a dog not to do something. If you’ve ever tried simply saying “no” when a dog jumped on you, you probably know this. When a dog is doing something we don’t want them to do, it’s more effective to ask them to do something else instead. The next time a dog jumps on you, try asking them to sit instead. If you repeat that often enough and reward the pup consistently for doing so, your dog will learn to sit, rather than jump, when greeting someone.

Perhaps the most important effect of positive reinforcement training is that it strengthens the bond between human and canine because that relationship is built on trust and mutual respect. Studies show that training using positive reinforcement also reduces stress in dogs.

Does that make sense? If not read Dog Training Using Positive Techniques by Pat Miller and watch Ian Dunbar: Dog-Friendly Dog Training TED Talk.

If you still have questions about positive reinforcement, please reach out!