There is a list created by a well-known ‘positive’ trainer that cites 12 reasons why you shouldn’t use punishment. One of the objections is this…

“Punishment doesn’t actually teach the animal anything, it stops behavior from happening.”

On the surface this looks like a credible objection. It is parroted by literally thousands of dog trainers and major ‘experts’ in the behavior niche. In the broader, real world, it is lunacy. As with all skeptical views, I start with accepting the premise and then pick at it to sees if it still makes sense. This doesn’t.
Continue reading →