Day FIFTEEN-21 Day Positive Training Kickstart Challenge

When it comes to training, the biggest issue is that punishment, discipline, & corrections can lead to aggression, apathy, generalized fear, & escape/avoidance behaviors. This isn’t a list of things that most folks want for their companion animals.

punishment

Aggression can be the result of aversive techniques as learners become frightened & frustrated.
Apathy may be the result of punishment as learners realize that “it’s just no use” & thus shut down…to all learning.
Generalized fear is a potential side effect of corrections as learners might always be frightened of “men” or “people wearing hats” based on interactions with the people imparting the corrections.
Finally, escape/avoidance may come about as a result of discipline techniques as the learner learns to fear & attempt to avoid the person with whom they regularly associate punishment.
Psychology Today reports that although positive reinforcement techniques have continued to become widespread, the use of confrontational methods unfortunately also continues to grow in part as a result of popular culture’s dissemination via television shows.

Hopefully as you are reading & learning your way through this challenge you will confirm your commitment to science based training & teaching which nets maximum results & is fun for the learner as well!

ACTION: Make the choice today to use a positive option when training &/or teaching! Decide to reinforce good choices rather than punish bad ones & see how much better both learner & coach feel 🙂