Dog training methods broadly fall into two categories: reward-based (positive reinforcement/negative punishment) and aversive-based (positive punishment/negative reinforcement). While earlier studies have linked aversive techniques to unwanted behaviors, their direct impact on dogs’ emotional states had been less clear.
Casey and colleagues (2021) investigated this by applying a judgement bias task, a cognitive test that evaluates whether animals interpret ambiguous situations optimistically or pessimistically. Dogs were trained to differentiate between rewarded and unrewarded locations, and their responses to intermediate, ambiguous spots were then measured.
The results were striking: dogs whose owners reported using two or more aversive techniques were consistently slower to approach ambiguous locations. This delay was significant, particularly for middle and near-positive positions, suggesting that these dogs perceived uncertainty more negatively. In contrast, dogs trained with reward-based methods showed greater optimism in the same tasks.
The study concludes that coercive training not only risks behavioral fallout but also induces a negative underlying mood state. These findings reinforce welfare concerns and highlight the importance of adopting positive reinforcement techniques to safeguard both dogs’ behavior and emotional health.
Source: Casey, R., Naj-Oleari, M., Campbell, S., Mendl, M., & Blackwell, E. (2021). Dogs are more pessimistic if their owners use two or more aversive training methods. Scientific Reports, 11.
