How Do You Train A Dog Using Operant Conditioning?
Operant conditioning is also known as training an animal with consequences. There are both positive and negative consequences and with proper training, a dog knows what to expect. Although this type of training uses punishment as a way to get a dog to behave, the punishment doesn’t inflict pain in any way. Operant conditioning is the humane way to train your dog. Use positive reinforcement. Dogs respond to rewards for good behavior. Training with positive reinforcement serves to strengthen the behavior that produced the reward. Follow up with negative reinforcement. Contrary to positive reinforcement, rather than praise the dog when he sits, pull up on the collar a bit when he doesn’t sit. In other words, the dog feels the negative effect of disobeying the command. Utilize punishment for unwanted behavior. By punishing a dog, the unwanted behavior diminishes. For instance, if you want to break your dog’s habit of snatching food from the kitchen table, make a sharp noise when the dog is
