Why Avoid Punishment?

You may have heard of training methods that use punishment—like shouting or using things that scare, hurt or cause discomfort to stop unwanted behaviors. While this might work in the short term, it often causes more harm than good. Punishment can create fear, anxiety, aggression and confusion in dogs, and it doesn’t teach them what to do—only what not to do.

Think about it this way: if you were learning how to play the piano and every time you hit the wrong note, someone yelled at you, how would you feel? You’d probably start to dread playing the piano and might even avoid it altogether. Dogs feel the same way when they’re punished—they become afraid to try new things, and their stress can lead to more behavioral problems.

Training doesn’t have to be about control or dominance—it’s about teaching dogs how to live confidently in our world, and helping owners feel confident in supporting their dogs along the way. Check out our other posts about our positive, humane, ethical methods.