Stop reinforcing undesirable behaviours in dogs by using negative punishment

I watch my young German Shepherd grow up. As a dog trainer, I look at her behaviours differently. I notice positive signs (green flags), but I also see warning signs (red flags), which could lead to problems later on. When these red flags appear, I know exactly what to do. Instead of choosing the easy option, I take the more challenging route. This may seem like a long way at first, but it helps avoid many future problems, both in training and in living with my dog. I will share my experience and give you an example!

When I’m on a work trip with my dogs, I notice that they begin to anticipate my actions. For instance, when we stop near an open field, they get excited because they associate that spot with toilet breaks and exercise. This anticipation can lead to heightened excitement in my dogs, especially my German Shepherd puppy, who becomes overly excited, jumping up and barking repeatedly. 

The simple solution in this situation is to open her kennel door and let her out. Doing so would stop her from barking and jumping. While this behaviour may seem innocent, I personally dislike it and want to address it. If I allow this pattern to continue, it could eventually become a habit. In a year, when she is much bigger, it will be more challenging to change her behaviour. Since this hasn’t become a habit yet, I see this as an opportunity to teach her what I would like to see.

To address this behaviour, I will use a strategy called negative punishment. This means I will take away something she wants. Her goal is to get out of her kennel as quickly as possible. When she starts barking and jumping, I will wait. If her behaviour escalates further, I will simply close my car door again. However, if she calms down and stops barking, I will open my car door and her kennel.

This means we are setting clear expectations and rules around this behaviour. The quickest way for her to get out of her kennel is to be calm and quiet. Once she understands this, she will learn that remaining calm is the fastest way to achieve her goal. Letting her out when she is calm means we are reinforcing her calm behaviour. Tackling the issue immediately helps prevent it from turning into a habitual response.

If I had ignored it for a year and then wanted to change the behaviour, it might have taken longer for her to understand what was expected. 

Being consistent and persistent can significantly help in training dogs.