Why You Should Choose Positive Reinforcement Dog Training w/ Holly Ovington | Pupford
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In today’s episode, we are going to discuss why you shouldn’t use aversives like shock collars, prong collars, or choke chains… even if “some” trainers try to convince you otherwise!
INTRODUCTION OF HOLLY
Holly has been passionate about dogs from the get go! Holly was part of 4-H dog clubs from a young age, learning to train and show her own dogs.
Holly is certified with the Karen Pryor Academy, a Fear-Free Certified Trainer, an Instructor for Dog Biz Dog Walking Academy and Walks N' Wags First Aid Certified and runs Positive Paws Training in the Vancouver area.
Holly's next goal is to complete a certification in separation anxiety.
OVERVIEW OF WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT DOG TRAINING
FIRST AND FOREMOST, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT AND POSITIVE PUNISHMENT? (Starts at about 2:11)
Simply put, in dog training terms positive means adding something to your dog’s environment.
Punishment means doing something to reduce the frequency of a certain behavior
Reinforcement means doing something to increase the frequency of a certain behavior
So… positive reinforcement is about adding a reinforcer (like treats or play) when your dog does something good so that they will be more likely to do that again in the future!
And positive punishment is adding some type of punishment (a shock from an e-collar, a tightening of a choke chain, etc.) to try and decrease the likelihood of the behavior happening again
SO WHY DO YOU RECOMMEND FOCUSING ON POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT? (Starts at about 4:30)
Holly recommends using positive reinforcement because that is what scientific studies have shown to be extremely effective AND not harmful to your dog
Positive reinforcement is also a more enjoyable experience for both the dog and the human
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF USING POSITIVE PUNISHMENT LIKE CHOKE CHAINS, E-COLLARS, ETC? (Starts at about 7:05)
With punishment based methods, you only focus on the ‘bad’ behaviors… you aren’t actively teaching your dog what you want them to do
Because of this, your dog can end up living/acting in a state of fear and often suppress their emotions and feelings which can lead to even more problems
It’s hard for our dogs to ever know what we do want them to do, if all we ever focus on is the negative
WHAT WOULD YOU TELL SOMEONE TO SAY IF A TRAINER OR FRIEND RECOMMENDS AN AVERSIVE METHOD TO THEM? (Starts around 10:05)
Holly doesn’t recommend fighting on social media about this stuff… because that never works ;)
If people genuinely want to know, she always likes to talk about the scientific studies that show the positive side of of positive reinforcement
One point Holly made is NOT to shame people for using aversives… some pup parents just might not yet know about positive reinforcement
WHAT IS A PIECE OF ADVICE YOU HAVE FOR PUP PARENTS WHO MAY BE STRUGGLING TO TRAIN THEIR DOGS? (Starts around 14:05)
Be patient! Your dog is trying to learn brand new things
And most importantly, shift your mindset from all the “bad things” your dog is doing to instead focusing on rewarding the good that your dog does!
USING POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT WITH YOUR DOG(S)
Not only can aversive methods be physically dangerous for your dog, they can cause strain and trouble for your relationship and communication. Positive reinforcement dog training is scientifically proven to be the most effective while also being the least harmful for your dog.
My dog will take one treat after a positive re-enforcement but then won’t want to do what I ask even for 10 treats. I have tried all kinds of different treats. I think petting her works better but it can only go so far and when trying to work on her recall it’s hard to do that because she’s not coming in the first place. What else do you recommend I do?
J
John01/26/2025
Thank you for this positive reinforcement of my own focus on positive reinforcement training. I’d say I’m doing fairly well with it, overall, but I struggle to have patience sometimes when my puppy pulls on the leash, or does something in the house that he knows not to do. I’ve also been advised to use a choke collar when walking – even given my trainer’s old choke collar – but I haven’t used it yet, and think I can teach him to walk well without it, if I can just hang in there and consistently reward good behavior.
I guess, overall, thanks for reminding me to stick with it, and that the results are worth the effort!
V
Vanessa Widen01/26/2025
I have two 4month old labs. We live on a farm so there’s lots of room for them to roam but there’s also a busy road nearby. I’m working on the come command and I understand a long lead for training that for longer distances. But how do I teach boundaries? Especially scary things like the road and cars?
T
Team Pupford01/26/2025
Great ideas shared here! Thank you!
W
West Crosby01/26/2025
Whenever someone walks by, give your dog peanut butter treats.
Eventually, he/she will start looking at your everytime someone comes walking down the street. Used boiled chicken if you need results fast, otherwise, nice and slow with dog treats.
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26 comments
Leave a CommentMy dog will take one treat after a positive re-enforcement but then won’t want to do what I ask even for 10 treats. I have tried all kinds of different treats. I think petting her works better but it can only go so far and when trying to work on her recall it’s hard to do that because she’s not coming in the first place. What else do you recommend I do?
Thank you for this positive reinforcement of my own focus on positive reinforcement training. I’d say I’m doing fairly well with it, overall, but I struggle to have patience sometimes when my puppy pulls on the leash, or does something in the house that he knows not to do. I’ve also been advised to use a choke collar when walking – even given my trainer’s old choke collar – but I haven’t used it yet, and think I can teach him to walk well without it, if I can just hang in there and consistently reward good behavior.
I guess, overall, thanks for reminding me to stick with it, and that the results are worth the effort!
I have two 4month old labs. We live on a farm so there’s lots of room for them to roam but there’s also a busy road nearby. I’m working on the come command and I understand a long lead for training that for longer distances. But how do I teach boundaries? Especially scary things like the road and cars?
Great ideas shared here! Thank you!
Whenever someone walks by, give your dog peanut butter treats.
Eventually, he/she will start looking at your everytime someone comes walking down the street. Used boiled chicken if you need results fast, otherwise, nice and slow with dog treats.