Why I Choose Positive Reinforcement

I got blogged about. One evening, while searching for some training stuff, I found myself out there in the Internet in an aversive trainer’s blog about how positive reinforcement training doesn’t work. At first, I was a bit taken aback. I had no idea this trainer had included me in their thoughts and it had been out there now for how long?  And then I took delight! Delight in knowing that I have made it clear about how I train.

I love positive reinforcement. For kids and for animals, I’ve seen such huge advancements in really bad behavior through this. But from a perspective that is mine only, I emotionally, physically, morally, and ethically can’t hurt a living thing with intent, even from a commitment to changing behavior. And the more I see an animal or human struggling in a situation, the more I want to add a positive movement to their life, not punish them for their struggle.

Punishment works. But if spanking, shocking, and popping makes me feel like a badger is burrowing in my gut, it’s not for me and there are other ways. And if I can’t do it, how and why would I expect my clients to do it too.

I have a 3 and 6-year-old. If they are way out of line, I still give them a hug and tell them that they *are* wonderful, great children through their tears or tantrum however they are *acting* inappropriate and there are consequences for their actions. Then I explain the choice they made was poor and explain what will happen next for a consequence. We are on the exact same page when a [pain and fear free] punishment is delivered. I can’t have the conversation with a dog.

And the reason I am writing this blog is because this story happen:

My 3-year-old has been swimming for 2.5 years. He just loves it. He graduated to new day and after a couple weeks, he started fighting me to go to swim. Throwing tantrums on the side of the pool, refusing to leave the house. My toddler is extremely communicative, but I couldn’t get anything more than, “I do not want to go to swim today.” So now I’m thinking this must be a 3-year-old phase or he is utilizing his ability to control his environment with the power of “no.”

After 7 weeks of fighting, I finally get him to tell me that the water is too cold. His new class had been changed to Mondays, which is the day when the water exchange happens in the pool. The water changes temperature from 92 degrees to backyard hose cold. But guess what happen because it took 7 weeks to get this information from a human who can actually tell me what the problem is? He began to associate discomfort of cold water with his coach. He began to dislike his coach (who was a great coach!) when he would just see her around the pool. And his coach had blue hair and he began to become adverse to anyone with blue hair. I had to ask a Target employee where something was and as I’m approaching, my son starts freaking out, “don’t go that way Mommy! No!” What? Why? “He has blue hair.” Now, absolutely nothing to do with cold water in the middle of Target and he has a negative association to someone in his environment because of repeating negative experience of cold water in his little world.

So now, take your dog. Your dog can’t speak human. You can’t speak dog. Your dog trainer, in his blue shirt, sprays your dog with water or shakes a coin can each time dog does something unwanted. These are viewed as a minor, insignificant, and painless way to get your dog’s behavior to change. And your dog, who cannot speak to you, starts to have visible reactions out in the world on walks, etc. What you don’t know, because your dog can’t tell you, is that the fear is of blue things. Blue clothes, blue balloons, blue cars because dog has made negative associations with something that brings him discomfort: A trainer wearing a blue shirt.

Or your dog has a prong or e-collar on. Now, they receive a pop or shock when they see another dog or a squirrel. Their association may be made with mild pain (Yes it hurts. If it didn’t hurt, it’s not working) and now your dog develops an aversive reaction to dogs or squirrels or maybe all things that scamper. This is not true for all dogs, of course, I already said punishment works and can fix behaviors in the hands of a skilled trainer. However, in the hands of an owner, I have a whole different blog for that!

Many trainers swear by using tools that will not be found in my own training tool box. Parents swear by spanking or yelling as a method to change behavior. I do not choose to parent my own children this way. In this same manner, I will not use pain or fear to teach any animal any skill. Are there consequences? Absolutely. Does the consequence hurt? Never. Is the consequence scary? No. So I will continue to train with science-based and extremely effective positive reinforcement training because it’s who I am. And I feel GREAT!