Dog training

Dog training is the process of teaching dogs behaviors and responses through practice and reinforcement. It can build practical skills, modify unwanted behavior, and support communication between dogs and people.

Operant conditioning: A learning process in which behavior changes according to its consequences. Training uses consequences such as rewards and withheld rewards to shape voluntary behavior.
Conditioned reinforcer: A stimulus that gains reinforcing value through association with another reinforcer. A click or praise word can signal that food or another reward is coming.
House training: Teaching a dog to eliminate in an appropriate place and avoid soiling indoors. Routine, supervision, and timely reinforcement establish reliable toileting habits.
Positive punishment: Adding a consequence after a behavior to reduce the likelihood that the behavior will recur. It contrasts with reward-based methods by adding an aversive consequence to suppress behavior.
Animal welfare: The physical and psychological well-being of animals, including their health and ability to experience positive and negative states. Training methods can affect stress, safety, and a dog’s opportunity to make choices.
Positive reinforcement: Adding a consequence after a behavior to increase the likelihood that the behavior will recur. Giving a dog something it values after a desired response is a common training method.
Discriminative stimulus: A cue that signals when a particular behavior is likely to be reinforced. A verbal or visual cue tells the dog which response is currently relevant.
Loose-leash walking: Teaching a dog to walk beside a handler without pulling on the leash. Reinforcing slack-leash movement makes ordinary walks safer and more manageable.
Negative reinforcement: Removing an aversive stimulus after a behavior to increase the likelihood that the behavior will recur. It is often confused with punishment, but its defining effect is to strengthen behavior.
Fear-free training: An approach that seeks to teach and handle animals while minimizing fear, anxiety, and stress. It emphasizes emotional well-being alongside the acquisition of behavior.

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