And for owners who simply want a robot-like dog who does A, B, and C when commanded, aversives can deliver. That being said, pain and intimidation can deliver outward results.

It results in a relationship grown from seeds of distrust and hurt. Any relationship based on fear is a stunted and broken one. Morality aside, resorting to fear and intimidation to manage anyone’s behavior – whether in relation to a pet, child, or partner – generally does not bode well. Using punishment can have an outward desired effect on a dog’s behavior, just as beating a child for sneaking out at night may prevent the behavior from repeating. The same applies to dogs! The dangers of using fear and intimidation to control behavior Most parents no longer consider this a suitable child-rearing strategy because they realize that using these fear-based intimidation strategies can damage their relationship with their offspring. It was once commonplace to spank children or “whip out the belt” when a child misbehaved. The concept of child psychology, the individual experience of children, and the idea that as a society we should protect children is fairly novel, with pediatric psychology only becoming popularized in the mid-1900s. It wasn’t so long ago that the concept of “childhood” didn’t even exist, and children were expected to work and earn their keep like any adult. Our society’s evolution of feeling in relationship to animals mirrors our progress of understanding children as well. We value their feelings and experience, and want them to have a positive relationship with us.

How our empathy for animals reflects acquired empathy for childrenįor one, as our society’s empathy for animals grows, we feel less comfortable inflicting pain on our companion animals.ĭogs share our homes and many times our beds. There are a few reasons why this trend is growing. The issue is, many modern dog trainers no longer support the use of aversives and positive punishment in dog training.

Inward spike dog collar