Does training method matter? What four studies say
Ask ten dog owners how to stop a dog from pulling and you will get ten answers. Some will say treats. Others will say a firm correction on the leash. For a long time it was opinion against opinion. It no longer is: researchers have been measuring what different methods do to dogs, and the results point in the same direction.
1. Owners who reward report more obedient dogs
In 2004, Hiby, Rooney and Bradshaw surveyed 364 dog owners in the UK about how they trained and how their dogs behaved. Dogs trained mainly with rewards were rated as more obedient. The more an owner used punishment, the more problem behaviours the dog showed.
A survey cannot prove cause and effect. But it was an early, clear signal.
2. A review of the evidence: more stress, no extra benefit
In 2017, Gal Ziv reviewed the published studies on aversive methods: leash jerks, shock collars, physical corrections. His conclusion was that these methods are associated with stress and fear in dogs, and that there is no good evidence they work better than reward-based training.
3. An experiment with e-collars
China, Mills and Cooper (2020) ran a controlled study with 63 dogs that had recall or chasing problems. One group was trained with e-collars by experienced trainers, the others with a focus on positive reinforcement. The reward-based training was at least as effective, and on some measures more effective, without the stress signs seen in the e-collar group.
4. What happens inside the dog
The most detailed study so far comes from Vieira de Castro and colleagues (2020). They followed 92 dogs from seven training schools. Dogs from schools using aversive methods showed more stress behaviours during training and a larger rise in cortisol, a stress hormone, afterwards. In a separate test at home, they also judged ambiguous situations more pessimistically. In other words: the effect of the method did not stay in the training class.
The question is no longer "does punishment work?" It is "why would we use it, when something kinder works as well or better?"
What this means for your dog
- Rewards are not bribes. They are information: "yes, that is what I wanted."
- No reward-based trainer means "anything goes". Structure, routines and clear limits are part of the method.
- Stress blocks learning. A frightened dog may stop a behaviour in the moment, but it is not learning what to do instead.
References
- Hiby, E. F., Rooney, N. J., & Bradshaw, J. W. S. (2004). Dog training methods: their use, effectiveness and interaction with behaviour and welfare. Animal Welfare, 13(1), 63–69.
- Ziv, G. (2017). The effects of using aversive training methods in dogs: a review. Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 19, 50–60.
- China, L., Mills, D. S., & Cooper, J. J. (2020). Efficacy of dog training with and without remote electronic collars vs. a focus on positive reinforcement. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 7, 508.
- Vieira de Castro, A. C., Fuchs, D., Morello, G. M., Pastur, S., de Sousa, L., & Olsson, I. A. S. (2020). Does training method matter? Evidence for the negative impact of aversive-based methods on companion dog welfare. PLOS ONE, 15(12), e0225023.