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Why train your dog POSITIVELY?

Writer's picture: Josie ShahabeddinJosie Shahabeddin

Updated: Sep 21, 2018

We're going to explain to you WHAT 'positive training' really is and WHY we don't use punishing techniques or equipment!


Prong Collar: the prongs push into a dogs neck when they pull on the lead, causing pain and injury

Positive Training

Positive training incorporates several philosophies, techniques and levels of understanding of dog behaviour through scientific research to find effective ways to train animals. Dogs, dolphins, mice, birds, bears... you name it - we can train it using these highly effective and humane techniques. There are 4 main pillars we base our techniques on when training dogs:



What is POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT?



Positive reinforcement has been scientifically proven to be the most effective, long-lasting and human method of training animals!


This method of training means that the dog in this case, gets rewarded for behaviours that we like, whether that be treats, a game of tug or whatever else they love to do! Because they have been rewarded, they want to do it again to get another reward. Through practice and positive association, the behaviour becomes more likely to be repeated again. The reward helps us to communicate with our dog that they have done something good. We can they put it on cue to ask them to do it when we'd like them to and reward them for that good behaviour. We can help them make the right choices through this type of training.




This type of training creates an amazing bond between dog and owner based on mutual respect as opposed to fear which can result from using punishment techniques.





Punishing my dog gets results so why don't you think it works?


Well... here's the thing - do you want your dog to be scared of you? Do you want them to fear the moment you come home from work? No, of course you don't! But that's what the use of punishment such as fear force and shock results in.


Using punishment as a way of training dogs only suppresses their behaviour whilst the punishment is being given. For example, if you use a prong collar on a dog to get them to walk nicely at heel with you down the road, the only reason they walk next to you is because it HURTS if they walk anywhere else. They become to scared to sniff the lamp post or even look in another direction, because it HURTS. If they see another dog on your walk and you yank the lead so their collar dogs in, they begin to associate other dogs with pain. They are not learning to walk without pulling you down the road, they're learning that other dogs equal pain which then results in your dog being reactive and aggressive towards other dogs because he is fearful.


Through POSITIVE training, we take the time to teach our dogs how to walk politely at heel on their lead through showing them what to do and rewarding that good behaviour. We walk them to keep them fit and give them stimulation so we let them have a sniff of a lamp post because it's enriching for them and we respect that. Because the behaviour is reinforced, they want to do it because it feels good for them, not because they fear what will happen if they don't.


For help on training your dog through positive reinforcement, contact josie@positivelypawfect.com or use our GET IN TOUCH page on our website!

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