Shooting Times & Country Magazine
NEGATIVE PUNISHMENT
‘negative’ often brings up thoughts and assumptions of something unpleasant. However, negative does not necessarily have to mean bad. Negative reinforcement means the removal of something negative when the correct behaviour is achieved. It is an effective tool if used correctly and with care.
A simple example is using a slip lead or gentle leader (a type of head collar). Both devices will go tighter when the dog puts pressure on to pull and walk in front or away from the handler. The very second the dog offers to remove that pressure the devices will go loose and become more comfortable.
Another example might be when a dog’s bottom is pushed to the ground to encourage the sit, and the hand is only removed once the dog is sitting.
So this is not the introduction of something unpleasant or negative but something that is already there for the dog to choose how it behaves.
This approach is certainly the least used in the UK and rightly so. The issue arises because, in order for there to be something unpleasant to remove, it needs to be introduced in the first place. A little research and you will find that this training approach is more commonly used in the US, with ear pinching, force-fetch and electric collars considered the norm.
While I do not deny that results are achieved, I would rather use a balanced combination of the other three approaches. In an ideal world all any gundog trainer would require is positive reinforcement; however, for the vast majority this is not practical or possible.
Combinations
With my team of dogs, I am fortunate that their lines are naturally very biddable and willing to please. This means that I can primarily use a combination of positive reinforcement — introducing something pleasant — and negative punishment, withholding something pleasant, to teach them the skills they need.
I continue to use these two throughout training. You will see examples of both in the vast majority of my articles. For example, using a ball dropper: I ask the dog to hunt and leave it hunting for a short time before dropping a ball for them to find as a reward for holding the area and continuing on to hunt.
However, if the dog leaves the area or stops hunting I will withhold the ball. Obviously with positive punishment — introducing something aversive — and negative reinforcement, having something negative in place that you remove once the desired behaviour is achieved, should only be used with great care when any other approach is not available. I have written before about how important the bond is between dog and handler and these two approaches can easily damage that.
When training your dog it is important you understand these methods and how they are applied. Even more important is that you understand each individual dog and what approach would best suit them, not you. If you can achieve that, you are going to get the best out of your dog and in the most pleasurable way possible.