Punishment refers to the use of arousal that reduces the likelihood that a behavior will not be repeated. The timing must coincide with the unwanted behavior and should be sufficiently unpleasant to discourage dogs from repeating the same behavior. Remember that you are penalizing the behavior, not the dog. The use of punishment can be a successful way to reduce undesirable behavior if the dog is consistently and immediately ceases to behave when punished and the behavior is diminished until it’s not repeated. But, punishment shouldn’t be utilized during training as it’s intended to cause unpleasant outcomes and may cause fear and even avoidance. Additionally the idea of punishment should not be contemplated unless the pet has the ability to meet its natural needs and nature. For instance, a chewing dog must be provided with adequate exercise and attractive toys to chew before any efforts to penalize unintentional chewing is initiated. If, however, we can teach our pets to do what they’re supposed to do, and provide ways to meet their needs and desires, it won’t be necessary to penalize inappropriate behavior.
How do you think punishment can be used to correct problems with behavior?
The secret to a successful punishment is to link a negative consequence with unacceptable behavior. The punishment must be administered during the time that the behavior is taking place to ensure that the pet is taught what is causing the undesirable outcome, and ultimately learns how to stop the behavior or avoid it altogether.
Punishment that is direct or indirect is not recommended as pets can become scared of their owner or be near the owner in certain circumstances. Pets can be prone to becoming aggressive when exposed to punishment, which can lead to violent responses. In addition, even if the behavior stops when the owner is present, however, it may continue even when the owner is not present. Particularly, if hands are used to impose punishment, be it hitting, pining, or grasping the collar, it could result in fear of the hand. This is not a good thing because the hand is supposed to be associated with something positive, and not with anything negative.
The use of punishment tools could be better suited and efficient, as these are not likely to become linked with the owner and are more precise and immediate than the owner’s voice, or physical manipulation.
A lot of these devices are used to disrupt or interrupt undesirable behavior to ensure that the dog is instructed to follow proper behavior. This could not be an effective kind of punishment. For instance, a dog that is barking can be stopped with a shaker or an air horn and be taught immediately to walk towards the owner to play with the toy they prefer. However, it is if the pet is afraid to repeat an action because the environment has been created (booby-trapped) to discourage the animal owners, they do not have to be present in order to stop the behavior.
“Many gadgets actually function to
stop or interrupt the undesirable behaviour.”
The use of punishment should not be used to teach the pet. Pets must be taught what we want them to understand by shaping and reinforcement instead of trying to teach them to do things we do not want they to be doing. It’s illogical to wait until a pet has a problem and then apply some unpleasant punishment. Inflicting punishment on the pet could cause fear for the pet’s owner, fear of being handled, or of specific triggers (approach or reaching out, pulling the leash), and could lead to the real risk of aggression. If the punishment works, it may at best deter the behavior from happening again at the same location but it won’t end the behavior (e.g. chewing or ejecting) from repeating at different times or places. If the owner initiates punishment The pet will eventually be able to stop the behavior when the owner is present (and carry on the behavior even when the owner is not present). However, when punishment isn’t enough unpleasant, it can be used as an incentive (attention). If the pet does not stop the behavior after two or three instances of punishment, it’s ineffective and should be stopped.
Inflicting punishment on the pet even if the owner is out of view is a more effective method of teaching the pet how to stay away from the behavior completely regardless of whether the owner is there or not. This is referred to as remote punishment (punishment that is administered by the owner, while away from view) and requires a large amount of time, preparation, and thought. The most practical use that can be used is to trap booby-trap the region (sometimes called environmental punishment) to ensure that the dog will be punished even when the owner is absent.
What exactly is Direct Interactive Punishment and how does it function?
If you notice your pet and cat engaging in improper behavior, make to make a loud noise, like shaking your hands or shouting the loud “no”. Reprimands must be given when the behavior is occurring and ideally, at the time it starts, but never immediately after. Most pets are frightened when they hear these sounds and will stop their behavior temporarily. One of these devices is the “shaker is a can.” It is a soda can with just a few pennies within it, and is then taped shut. When shaken vigorously it produces a loud sound that can be disruptive to your puppy’s behavior. Other devices that produce the sound of a loud horn are ultrasonic trainers and battery-operated alarms as well as air horns. But caution must be exercised when exposing the pet to loud noises or other methods of punishment that can cause panic, as sure pets may become overly stimulated and turn their anger towards an animal or a pet at home. The use of physical force as a means of punishment must be avoided.
What are the methods of remote punishment?
To make remote methods effective, there must be two main factors. First, the pet owner needs to be able to watch the dog’s behavior to know the time when the behavior becomes unacceptable and then apply the “punishment” without being away from the dog’s sight. A long-range water gun or a citronella-style collar with a remote or a long lead in the dog’s halter usually works. To determine when the issue is beginning, be attentive to your dog but keep them out of your sight (from the corner, or perhaps through a glass in case the dog is out). A one-way mirror, an intercom or a motion detector may be useful methods for monitoring behavior remotely. When your dog gets into the area or starts to engage in unwanted behavior, the remote device will be activated. If your dog is able to find the sound or spray unpleasant and fails to identify where it’s being emitted from, it will immediately learn to stay clear of the location, whether the owner is there or not.
What can I do to booby trap the surrounding environment to discipline my pet?
Disciplined punishment without the owner being in the distance is not practical if the pet owner is not at home or is not able to oversee the behavior. Booby traps are a method of teaching your pet to stay clear of the area or even the behavior itself. Innovative ways to deter the dog from entering an area where undesirable behavior is likely to occur (garbage chewing, raiding or getting into rooms) is to make the space less attractive by placing balloons that are set to pop or a pyramid of empty containers set to fall over or a bucket filled with water that is set to empty upon entering the space. Motion-activated alarms as well as sprayers, double-sided tape, as well as vinyl or plastic carpet runners that have the nubs up or unpleasant odors and maybe an indoor spray collar, could be effective in keeping pets out of troublesome areas.
“To become effective it must be the initial exposure to a new product
should be as repellent as humanly feasible as
that the dog is instantly attracted to the scent of
or has a taste of the product.”
The use of taste deterrents can also be beneficial for destructive chewing if they’re unpalatable enough to discourage the behavior. Some products like bitter apples, bitter lime, or Tabasco sauce are frequently recommended, but a lot of dogs don’t mind or even enjoy the flavor. A tiny amount of water mixed with cayenne pepper oil of eucalyptus non-toxic mentholated products or one of the many commercial anti-chew sprays generally works better. For a product to achieve the desired effect, first exposure to the product has to be as repellent as humanly possible, and the dog immediately feels repelled when it comes across the product. Don’t leave any object or area untreated until your dog has learned to remove the object or place to itself. Punishment by itself will not be effective unless the dog’s need and desire to chew is satisfied with the right toys and other objects.
Is there a negative form of punishment and how can it be used?
The methods of punishment mentioned above are examples of positive punishment that is, the application of a painful stimulus lowers the chances that the pet will repeat the same behavior. Another kind of punishment happens when a reward is taken away in response to an act. Also that taking away something nice is punishing the pet since it is learning that positive things will be removed in the event of repeated behavior. For instance, if a puppy is playing and it gets to the point of biting, and then you end the game and go away that is known as negative punishment.
How do I proceed if discover a problem that has already been spotted?
If you discover something your dog has committed (destruction or elimination) however you weren’t able to find him guilty take it off the table and promise to keep an eye on your pet better the next time. Don’t take your pet and drag them to the mess Then yell and physically punish him. Be aware that you must take action to correct the behavior you would like to change. If you haven’t seen your pet chewing on the object or go away from space the only thing you’re doing is punishing your pet for looking in a mess that has accumulated that has been left on the ground. Since that isn’t clear for your dog, discipline can cause fear and anxiety that could result in an increase in aggression and avoidance of the owner.
If I can’t be punished for my pet after the incident has taken place What should I do?
There’s no reason to keep the punishment of undesirable behavior after it is over. In addition to putting in place suitable booby traps for your environment, the only thing one can take to stop undesirable behavior is to monitor your pet whenever you are present and also to block the possibility of problems arising even when you’re not there to monitor. Leash attachment to a head halter dog or a harness connected to the body harness of cats allows you to ensure that you are in control and to stop issues immediately while you are in the vicinity and supervising. Be aware that issues such as chewing or other types of destruction could be normal play. Make sure you have play toys that will entertain your pet to ensure that he doesn’t desire to damage your belongings. For more information, refer to the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior guidelines for punishment at avsabonline.org.