Are you reinforcing unwanted dog behaviors by mistake?

What are you reinforcing - good or bad dog behaviors? 

Most of us have heard of positive reinforcement dog training.  This is operant conditioning, a reward based method, which means the behavior is likely to occur again.  This is the key - more likely to occur again!  

I often talk with people about their dog’s bad behaviors or witness these behaviors firsthand.  We ask our dog to sit, then say “good boy” and it's followed by a treat.  The treat rewards the dog and reinforces the behavior.  Which is what we want.  Did you ever think about the unwanted behaviors you are reinforcing?  It's happening, you are reinforcing unwanted behaviors by mistake. And yes, this is why it occurs again.  Here are several scenarios of mistaken reinforcement:

Are you creating a demand barking monster?

My dog barks at me, and I need him to stop so I give him a treat to quiet him.  Think about it…this is reinforcing the dog’s behavior.  Your dog relentlessly barks at you, he gets a treat which rewards him and reinforces his barking.  It is a vicious cycle - you could be creating a demand barking monster!  Great for your dog, but not so much for you.

Even something as simple as a dog that continues to bark out the window at a neighbor’s dog walking by can turn into a frenzy.  Because it continues to happen, the behavior is reinforced over and over.  The passing dog goes by, so in your dog’s mind he is rewarded when his continued barking makes the dog go away. 

Dog window barking at other dogs

It will continue to happen.

When you arrive at home and come through the door,  your sweet, 100 lb lab enthusiastically leaps all over you.  Luckily, you can somehow remain standing, but it wasn’t easy.  It makes you very happy to see your dog, but it would be a lot better if he had 4 on the floor when greeting you.  So you yell no, down, off, flailing hands, gently try to push him down, moving, circling etc. all in an attempt to get him to stop jumping on you. Again, an unwanted behavior is mistakenly reinforced. The movements, sound of voice, eye contact, etc. are all reinforcing the attention he seeks.  His reward is your attention. Yes, likely to happen again.

A jumping dog will keep doing it if it is reinforced.

Your dog is excited to go outside and jumps all over the door.  The door is opened, and he runs outside in delight.  Because the door is opened, the behavior is reinforced, and he is rewarded by going outside.  Yep, you got it, likely to happen again.

Then there is bad dog behavior followed by good behavior, or as we call it “back chaining”.

Performed by a very intelligent dog who learns he can do a bad behavior followed by a good behavior and earn a reward. It is complicated and for a blog all by itself, but many people mistakenly reinforce this as well.

Dogs are smart, opportunistic and will do what works for them.  Next time you find yourself in one of the scenarios ask yourself if you are adding fuel to the fire.

The first step in correcting these behaviors is to Stop Reinforcing Them!  A certified trainer (Canine Calling) can work with you to effectively modify these types of unwanted dog behaviors.