Why Positive Reinforcement Is the Key To Effective Training and a Happier Pet
Ellen Schneiderman using positive reinforcement training with a dog.
Picture a dog who comes when called not because they're afraid of what happens if they don't, but because they genuinely want to. A dog who leans into learning instead of shrinking away from it. That's not a fantasy — it's simply what happens when training is built on trust instead of fear. It's the whole idea behind positive reinforcement, and it's why it sits at the center of every training session we do at Sploot.
This post is about why we mean that, not just say it: what positive reinforcement actually is, what happens when training relies on fear instead, and what the research has consistently shown for years now.
Three Main Training Philosophies
Dog training is a crucial part of raising a well-behaved, confident, and happy canine companion. The main training styles include positive reinforcement, balanced training, and aversive training.
Positive reinforcement training
Rewards the behaviors you want — with treats, toys, praise, or play, so your dog chooses to repeat them. It's the foundation of force-free training, and it builds partnership and confidence rather than compliance out of worry.
Balanced training
Combines some rewards with aversive corrections, using tools like prong collars or e-collars to discourage unwanted behaviors. It's often described as a middle ground, but pairing rewards with corrections tends to leave dogs confused about which signal to trust.
Aversive training
Relies on discomfort, force, or fear — shock collars, choke chains, physical corrections, to stop behavior. It can suppress what you see in the moment, but it doesn't teach a dog what to do instead, and it comes with real welfare costs.
Knowing the difference matters because to the casual observer, all three can look similar from across the dog park. They are not the same, and the outcomes for your dog's well-being and your relationship aren't the same either.
Why Aversive Training's "Results" Often Don't Last
Aversive tools can appear to work quickly — a shock or a sharp correction can stop a behavior in the moment. But that's usually fear doing the work, not learning. A dog who complies to avoid discomfort often stops complying the second that discomfort isn't a threat anymore, because the behavior was never actually taught, only suppressed. That suppression can also spill over into other things: increased anxiety, new avoidance behaviors, or even aggression that wasn't there before. Positive reinforcement asks a different question; not "how do I make my dog stop," but "what do I want my dog to do instead, and how do I make that the easiest, most rewarding choice?"
The Science Behind Positive Reinforcement Training
This isn't just philosophy — it's backed by a genuinely large body of research, and the direction of that research has been consistent for two decades:
A 2020 study in PLOS ONE found that dogs trained with aversive-based methods showed more stress-related behaviors, higher post-training cortisol, and more pessimistic outlooks than dogs trained with rewards — even outside the training session itself.
Research comparing training with and without remote e-collars found that trainers who focus on positive reinforcement got equal or better obedience results than experienced e-collar trainers — refuting the idea that aversive tools are necessary for real results.
A 2014 study in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior found that reward-based training led to fewer stress behaviors and a better dog-owner relationship compared to methods relying on negative reinforcement.
One of the earliest e-collar-specific studies, Schilder & van der Borg (2004), documented both short- and long-term stress signals in dogs trained with shock collars.
A 2017 literature review synthesizing the available research concluded that aversive-based methods are consistently correlated with markers of compromised welfare, including stress behaviors, elevated cortisol, and increased fear and aggression.
Two of the field's leading professional organizations — the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB) and the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists (ACVB) — have both published position statements supporting reward-based training and cautioning against aversive tools. This isn't a fringe opinion. It's the direction the entire field of applied animal behavior has been moving for years, championed by pioneers like Karen Pryor (who helped bring clicker training and positive reinforcement into the mainstream) and Jean Donaldson (founder of the Academy for Dog Trainers, built entirely on evidence-based, force-free methods).
The Global Shift Away From Aversive Tools
The research has translated into policy, too. Shock collars are currently banned or heavily restricted in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Slovenia, and Wales, along with Quebec and several Australian states and territories — and the list keeps growing (Colombia banned them in 2025; Belgium's Flanders region has a ban taking effect in 2027). England's own attempt to ban e-collars didn't pass in 2024, which is a good reminder that this is still an active, evolving legal landscape rather than a settled one everywhere — but the direction of travel, backed by the welfare research above, is clear.
What Positive Reinforcement Actually Looks Like
At its core, positive reinforcement training rests on a few simple principles:
A reward-based system.
You catch your dog doing something right and reward it immediately — a treat the instant they sit, praise the moment they check in with you on a walk. Good choices lead to good things, consistently.
Consistency and timing.
Rewarding the same behavior every time it happens, and rewarding it right away, helps your dog connect the dots quickly. Wait too long or reward inconsistently, and the message gets muddy.
Treats, praise, and play; used thoughtfully.
Food rewards are often the most efficient, especially early on. Verbal praise builds connection and works well once a behavior is established. Playing fetch, tug, or a favorite game can be just as reinforcing as a treat for the right dog. Mixing it up keeps training engaging instead of routine.
Positive reinforcement training can strengthen your bond.
Benefits of Positive Reinforcement Training
Dogs trained this way tend to be more confident, more willing to try new things, and more securely bonded to the people who trained them, because they've learned that trying is safe, and that their person is a reliable source of good things. That's not just a nicer way to train. It's a more effective one, and it's core to what Fear Free, enrichment-first care looks like at Sploot.
If you're just getting started or you're rethinking how you've trained up until now, we'd love to help. Reach out and let's talk about what your dog needs to thrive.
