Home Horses and Dogs | First Posted: Sept 8, 2010 Jan 21, 2020 | |
Punishment and Animal Trainingby Debora Johnson The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has posted a statement from their American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) about the use of punishment for behavior problems in animals. It most particularly speaks to dogs. PDF Files on Training and Animal Behavior "'A major problem with using punishment is that it suppresses behavior temporarily but does not necessarily modify the underlying cause of the behavior,' said Dr. John Ciribassi, AVSAB president. Also, punishment may interfere with the human-animal bond. Owners tend to punish pets inconsistently and as a consequence of anger, so punishment may occur long after the bad behavior and may be intense. Dr. Ciribassi said, 'We can have a problem with the pet not trusting the owner because it is unable to consistently anticipate what the owner is going to do in any given situation.' The pitfalls and possible adverse effects of punishment include the following:
The AVSAB's position is that punishment is not appropriate as a first-line or early-use treatment for behavior problems. Modification should focus on reinforcing desirable behaviors, removing reinforcement for inappropriate behaviors, and addressing the emotional state and environmental conditions driving undesirable behavior."
The AVSAB position statement and guidelines are available at American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior |