Average Reading Time: 1 minute, 56 seconds

©Scott Sheaffer, CBCC-KA, CDBC, CPDT-KA, USA Dog Behavior, LLC

Zachary R. submitted the following question:

"Why do some people have such a problem with punishment styles of behavior modification in dogs? I'm specifically talking about some of those used by Cesar Millan in his controversial TV shows. Seems like he has fixed the dog by the end of the episode and the owners are happy. What’s the problem?"

If you have a question you’d like me to answer, please use this contact form.

Hi Zachary,

You are right that Cesar Millan’s methods can be controversial. At the heart of the controversy is his use of punishment in behavior modification. There seem to be two camps when it comes to working with dogs. One group says that punishment training (e.g., shock collars, prong collars, leash snaps, etc.) is “old school” and works faster and better while the other says that positive rewards training (e.g., treats, play, praise) is more science based, humane and works better in the long run.

“Old school” training techniques for dogs that include different types of punishment are deeply embedded in our culture and are resistant to change despite evidence to the contrary. I’ve listed a few of the reasons below why I don’t subscribe to those techniques:

Most serious dog behavior issues are based on the dog’s underlying fear and punishing the dog will sometimes suppress unwanted behaviors temporarily. However, these behaviors frequently reemerge a few weeks later and are worse because punishment had been used to treat the dog’s fear. Not a great recipe. The truth is that many dogs with serious behavior issues that are “fixed” on TV dog training shows are really not better.
Dog behavior work is never quick. All dog behavior issues have to be resolved in 30 minutes on TV because that’s how long the episodes last. The truth is that legitimate behavior modification in animals takes weeks if not months. I like to tell my clients the real world of behavior modification is actually boring if it is done correctly. Done properly, behavior modification using positive rewards is much more likely to produce real and long-lasting results.
Much of the punishment model of working with dogs is based on wolf-pack hierarchies. We don’t look at gorillas to learn how to be better human parents. Why would we think wolf-packs equate to domesticated dogs? They don’t.
There is no current scientific evidence that supports the use of punishment for the effective treatment of behavior issues in animals. Most behaviorists and behavior consultants consider these techniques abusive to the animal.

In summary, the reason I support positive rewards training for all types of dog training and behavior modification is that it works better in the long-term and is humane. It can produce real and long-lasting behavior changes.

Thanks for your question Zachary.

For More Information:
Cesar Millan, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Why I'm Not a Big Fan of National Geographic's Dog Whisperer