Category: Common Problems ¤
  Author: Lana Mitchell ¤
   Title: Punishment and the Recall ¤

Elizabeth TeSelle wrote:

>  "The dog shouldn't
> think he has a CHOICE to come/retrieve/whatever."  The reason why
> most of us are interested in/use clicker training/R+ training is
> precisely because we want to GIVE the dog a choice -- and make that
> choice so overwhelmingly attractive that the dog's brain will
> automatically MAKE that choice when it counts.
>
>  Since punishment suppresses behavior - it does NOT
> extinguish it -- I'm at a loss to figure out what people think they
> are accomplishing from using PP (P+) on a recall, other than
> instilling fear in the dog, which may eventually backfire on them.

In my opinion, you have hit the nail on the head with this post. There is no, can
be no punishment for not coming when called. If a dog is running at the streat, is
going to be run over by a car, and doesn't come when called, whatever punishment
the dog receives should be for running at the street rather than for not coming.
When taught in a positive environment where the dog is never given a reason for
refusing a recall, then reinforced in the presence of distraction, the recall will
always be performed.

Teaching the recall with aversives only leads to unrealibility in that behavior
and creates suspicion (baggage) in the dog.

Dogs (all animals) must experience failure in order to fully recognize success.

--
Lana Mitchell
CLICK! for Success