What is Positive Reinforcement Dog Training? And How Does It Work?

You’re probably familiar with the term “positive reinforcement,” but it’s important to clear up what it actually means before getting into the technical details. Many trainers who use punishment or aversive methods in their training misunderstand positive reinforcement as pandering to your dog. They maintain that the dog doesn’t learn respect as effectively as when they receive a punishment. 

Put simply, positive reinforcement training involves adding something to the environment following a behavior to encourage a dog to repeat that behavior. It’s the most humane, effective method for teaching a dog the behaviors you’d like them to adopt and the cues you want to embed.

But while positive reinforcement is kind to your dog, it’s also effective for teaching manners and creating lasting behavior change.

Also known as R+ training, training a dog with positive reinforcement involves providing desirable or rewarding incentives for a particular behavior or cue, which may vary depending on the individual dog. One dog might enjoy a treat, while a less food-motivated individual may prefer some play with a tug toy.

Major certifying bodies, such as the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) and the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers (CCPDT) hold R+ dog training up as the Gold Standard: an approach that research has shown can get the training outcomes you want as a pet guardian without using punishment or fear-based methods.

DigUp only lists trainers who demonstrate understanding and experience in Least Invasive, Minimally Aversive (LIMA) methods, which aim to increase the use of positive reinforcement in dog training and reduce punishment from training methods.

How Does Positive Reinforcement Dog Training Work?

Positive reinforcement, also known as R+ training, is the practice of adding an incentive that your learner finds desirable following a behavior to increase the likelihood that the behavior will occur again. LIMA suggests that it should be the first approach a trainer uses, as it’s the method linked to the lowest rates of fear, aggression, avoidance, and attention-seeking behaviors.

For example:

• You ask your dog to sit. 
• They do
• You reward them with a treat or praise, which reinforces that action.
• They feel encouraged to sit on cue in the future. 

Positive reinforcement turns training from a “boot camp” experience into an enjoyable and motivating lesson for your dog, fostering a strong bond between you and your pet.

What other types of behavior change might a trainer use?

In the world of behavioral science, four main quadrants outline how dogs (and other animals) learn. 

These quadrants define whether you are adding something or removing something from the environment (positive or negative), and whether the behavior is more or less likely to occur in the future as a result (reinforcement or punishment). 

Positive Reinforcement (R+)

Definition: Adding something the dog finds rewarding to increase a behavior.

Example: When teaching your dog to “shake,” you give them a treat each time they place their paw in your hand. 

How it works: The treat acts as a positive reinforcer, making it more likely that the dog will repeat the behavior.

Negative Reinforcement (R-)

Definition: Removing an aversive stimulus to increase a behavior.

Example: Applying light pressure on a dog’s collar and releasing it when the dog stops pulling. 

How it works: This removal of pressure reinforces the dog to walk without pulling. Although it can result in an increased desired behavior, this method should be used with caution, as it typically involves introducing something aversive or uncomfortable into the environment. 

Positive Punishment (P+)

Definition: Adding something the dog finds aversive to decrease a behavior.

Example: Using a loud noise or spray to startle a dog when they bark excessively. 

How it works: The addition of an unpleasant stimulus aims to reduce the barking behavior. Positive punishment has the potential to create fear and damage trust.

Negative Punishment (P-)

Definition: Removing something the dog enjoys to decrease a behavior.

Example: If your dog jumps up for attention, turning away and ignoring them removes the attention they seek. This discourages the jumping behavior. 

Understanding the Humane Hierarchy

Skilled trainers recognize that relying solely on one quadrant in all situations may not adequately address every training need. This is why they often use methods like negative punishment in conjunction with positive reinforcement to effectively shape behaviors. 

The Humane Hierarchy helps trainers to decide which methods to deploy or factors to consider first. You might be surprised not to see positive reinforcement at the top of the list. 

That’s because the first steps in behavior change should always involve ruling out nutritional shortfalls or health problems that might be causing the behavior or shaping the circumstances around the dog to reduce the chances of the behavior occurring (known as antecedents).

1. Physical, health, and nutritional factors: A licensed vet should check the learner for signs of underlying health problems or address dietary issues. For example, low levels of thyroid hormone, known as hypothyroidism, can cause aggression in some dogs, so managing the condition might help to reduce the behavior.
2. Antecedents: This refers to environmental circumstances or factors that contribute to the dog’s behavior. For example, if a dog chews furniture while you’re out of the house, putting baby gates between the dog and the room with furniture may reduce the risk of this behavior.
3. Positive Reinforcement (R+): As discussed above, these approaches establish a predictable consequence for a specific action to increase the likelihood of the learner performing this action in the future.
4. Differential Reinforcement of Alternative Behavior: This involves removing the stimulus that reinforces the target behavior and reinforcing an acceptable alternative behavior.
5. Negative Punishment, Negative Reinforcement, or Extinction: These are in no particular order. Where necessary, trainers may use other quadrants. Extinction means permanently removing a reinforcer for the target behavior, causing it to decrease over time. 
6. Positive Punishment: This is at the bottom of the hierarchy, and involves actively introducing aversive or undesirable stimuli in response to a behavior you want to see change. 

This doesn’t mean that you’ll never move further down the hierarchy than positive reinforcement. “Strategies like negative punishment are sometimes used as part of a larger training plan,” explains certified professional trainer and DigUp founder Amy Cowan, CPDT-KA. “For example, if we’re trying to teach a dog to appropriately greet guests coming in through the front door, we might be positively reinforcing every time the dog greets someone without jumping up, teaching a go to place cue, and also having the humans remove attention when the dog does jump up.” 

A skilled trainer can advise you about the appropriate situations in which to use the different quadrants based on your individual dog and household.

What Does Science Say About Positive Reinforcement Training?

Dog behavior authorities, such as AVSAB, widely accept positive reinforcement training as a scientifically supported method for modifying behaviors without relying on physical force or undesirable stimuli.

This is not only because it’s kinder, but it also increases the fun and excitement of training your dog. Studies have also shown that positive reinforcement training for dogs is more effective than positive punishment. 

For example, one study involved 63 dogs with off-leash behavior issues, such as not responding to recall. They received 150 minutes of training across five days. One group of trainers used electronic collars (a form of positive punishment), while the other used R+ methods to enforce desirable behaviors.

The group using positive reinforcement saw significantly better responses to “Sit” and “Come” cues, and the dogs in this group also responded in far less time than the group using e-collars. The R+ group also used fewer hand signals than the e-collar group.

The authors state that positive reinforcement dog training is better than aversive methods for both dog welfare and the human-canine relationship.

Another study found that aversive methods also increased a dog’s expectation that bad things would happen in an ambiguous situation. The study authors divided the dogs into two groups: one that received rewards-based training and another whose guardians used two or more aversive methods.

The dogs then learned to distinguish between a location where they’d receive a reward and one where they wouldn’t. Then, the authors had them approach an area where they were unsure of the outcome. If a dog approached slowly, the authors took that as a sign they didn’t expect food to be present—in other words, they were more pessimistic.

The group trained with two or more aversive methods took longer to reach all ambiguous locations. Aversive training may therefore harm a dog’s mental well-being and welfare. 

The Pitfalls of Positive Punishment

At the bottom of the Humane Hierarchy sits positive punishment. And while some guardians debate the effectiveness of this method, there are several reasons why skilled trainers prefer to use alternative methods before considering it. 

Amy identifies the main issues with positive punishment.

Punishment can lead to superstitious behaviour.

Humans can’t always specify precisely what they’re punishing a dog for, so this can lead the dog to make incorrect connections between the outcome and the action. 

“An example would be if you punish your puppy for peeing in the house,” explains Cowan. “They may learn instead that it’s scary to go to the bathroom in front of humans, rather than not to pee in the house.”

Punishment is usually surface-level.

It doesn’t get to the root of a problematic behavior. “Punishment often only addresses the behavior, which is a symptom of an underlying emotion,” advises Cowan. “It only teaches our dogs what not to do, instead of addressing the underlying emotion causing the behavior or teaching what we would like them to do instead.”

Punishment also doesn’t educate a dog on what to do in a behavior’s place. Where positive reinforcement is instructive (it shows the exact behavior to repeat), punishment can create confusion.

Punishment is stressful.

Punishment creates stress for a dog. “This can make behavioral problems worse and damage the dog-human relationship,” cautions Cowan.

For example, if you apply an aversive treatment, such as a shock collar, with incorrect timing, it can have significant consequences for their emotional state. 

They may be looking at you when the shock occurs, meaning they avoid you, as your presence creates stress for them. Alternatively, they may be looking at another dog, which increases the risk of aggressive behavior toward other dogs.

A dog may not know when a shock is coming if the timing of punishments isn’t perfect. This can contribute to an ongoing state of anxiety, as they don’t know when a shock may be coming. Cortisol, the hormone that circulates in response to stress, may stay elevated for up to 72 hours after punishment.

Mistakes in positive punishment training are tough to reverse.

In dogs who don’t have strong emotional resilience, punishment can lead to generalized anxiety, more aggression or reactivity, or long-lasting negative associations with training. It may even result in physical injury without care.

Dogs respond less to punishments over time.

For many guardians, increasingly severe punishments (such as higher-level shocks) may be necessary as dogs become numb to aversive measures over time. Eventually, a dog may not respond at all.

3 Reasons to Choose A Trainer Who Practices Positive Reinforcement

The benefits of positive reinforcement and the drawbacks and dangers of positive punishment mean that when you’re picking a trainer, choosing one who abides by LIMA principles and the Humane Hierarchy can help enhance your relationship with your dog and help them learn  safely and effectively.

Amy suggests three vital reasons why picking a certified trainer is best for your dog:

Positive reinforcement is a trust builder. Amy also suggests that R+ training can strengthen the trust and bond between dog and human.

Positive reinforcement is instructive. “R+ training centers around what we want our dog to do, instead of only focusing on what we don’t want them to do,” she advises. For example, suppose your dog begs for food at the dinner table. In that case, a good R+ trainer will help you think through what you want your dog to do during dinner time (such as sit nicely in their place) instead of only focusing on eliminating the unwanted behavior. “Good dog training focuses on the motivations of a dog’s behavior,” emphasizes Cowan. “It tries to find ways to fulfil a dog’s needs in a way that is more harmonious for the human world they live in instead of just focusing on suppressing specific behaviors.”

R+ training is mentally enriching for dogs. “It encourages them to problem solve and builds confidence,” affirms Amy. 

How to Tell If A Trainer Uses Positive Reinforcement

The best way to determine if a trainer is educated in and practices R+ methods is to verify their certification, check that they follow LIMA guidelines, and confirm that they use force-free training methods. 

Certifications and accreditation

Although no standardized dog trainer qualification system is available, some certifications mean that a school has instilled positive reinforcement methods.

These include:

• Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Knowledge Assessed (CPDT-KA)
• Certified Professional Dog Trainer – Skills Assessed (CPDT-KSA)
• Certified Behavior Consultant Canine – Knowledge Assessed (CBCC-KA)
• Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner (KPA-CTP)
• Animal Behavior College Dog Trainer (ABCDT)
• Associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (ACAAB)
• Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB)
• Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC)
• Fear-Free Certified Professional (FFCP)
• Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer (CSAT)
• Certified Separation Anxiety Pro Behavior Consultant (CSAP-BC)
• Family Paws Parent Educator (FPPE)
• Certificate in Training and Counseling (CTC)
• CATCH Certified Dog Trainer (CCDT)
• School for the Dogs Certified Professional Trainer (SFTD-CPT)
• Pat Miller Certified Trainer (PMCT)

Any trainer listed on DigUp will hold one of these certifications and undergo rigorous assessment by our lead trainer, Amy Cowan, CPDT-KA. 

On DigUp, you’ll also find various types of dog training services, including boarding and training facilities, group sessions, and playgroups that focus on socialization. Trainer suitability may vary depending on your dog’s needs and learning style, but they all practice positive reinforcement.

LIMA principles

Ask a trainer about their methods before you start training your dog. Clarify whether they use any aversive methods and which circumstances mean the trainer would resort to them, and check whether they adhere to LIMA standards and the Humane Hierarchy.

A trainer’s DigUp profile page will highlight whether they offer free consultations to find out if they’re the right fit for you and your dog.

Force-Free Training

Force-free trainers avoid techniques that inflict pain, fear, or intimidation. Instead, they focus on creating a positive and safe environment where dogs can learn without stress.

You can also ask your vet for referrals to R+ trainers if you need a guiding hand.

Positive Reinforcement FAQs

People often ask these questions about R+ dog training.

At what age can you start positive reinforcement training?

Positive reinforcement puppy training can begin as soon as a puppy comes home, around eight weeks of age. Good socialization is also a form of positive reinforcement, as you can add food and praise when a pup shows good manners around new stimuli.

Is a dog ever too old for positive reinforcement training?

While it’s never too late to teach new behaviors after a puppy reaches adulthood, the foundations of a dog’s sense of trust develop in the first three to four months. 

If a dog has had negative experiences with humans or experienced aversive methods early on, this can affect how difficult it may be for them to learn new skills later on.

However, positive reinforcement can still be effective at any age.

Which treats work best for positive reinforcement?

Keep in mind that individual dogs find different rewards to be reinforcing, and the different things may be reinforcing depending on the situation. 

Chopped-up vegetables or biscuits may be reinforcing for lower-difficulty challenges, such as performing a favorite trick when no distractions are present. 

However, something soft and stinky, like cheese or chicken, might be the most motivating reward for learning something new or in a stressful situation.

Does the positive reinforcement always have to be food-based?

Not at all. The most impactful reinforcer depends on what the dog loves. Dogs enjoy food, toys, and attention to varying degrees, so keep track of what motivates them and use that to communicate when they’re getting something right.

Oh no! I reinforced the wrong behavior! What now?

It’s easy to reinforce the wrong behavior. For example, if a dog wants attention, telling them to “get off me!” while they’re jumping up can accidentally provide the attention they’re seeking, making it more likely they’ll jump up next time.

Think back to the humane hierarchy and consider speaking to a certified trainer that can help with behaviors that are ingrained.

What if my dog is anxious or has behavioral problems – is positive reinforcement still suitable?

Dog behavioral problems have a range of causes. While positive reinforcement can help address surface behaviors, these are often symptoms of an underlying problem, such as anxiety or health issues, that you may need to address before progress with problem behaviors becomes evident.

However, R+ methods are suitable for any dog and remain the most humane and effective way to encourage more appropriate behaviors without exacerbating behavioral problems.

Takeaway

• Positive reinforcement (R+) dog training involves a trainer or guardian adding something to the environment  that increases the likelihood of a specific behavior happening again. 
• Conversely, punishment can exacerbate fear and emotional issues in dogs, ultimately affecting the human-dog relationship and sometimes worsening behavior problems.
• R+ is one of four quadrants of training approaches and is the first behavior change method Humane-Hierarchy-adherent trainers use after ruling out medical issues and altering the environment to prevent the undesirable behavior. 
• Research has shown that R+ is more effective and better for canine well-being than punishment-based methods. 
• Every trainer on DigUp has recognition from a certifying body that shows they’re educated in and practice R+ methods.