An expert dog trainer has explained when and how he would recommend “punishing” a puppy.
Canine behaviourist Will Atherton has more than 900,000 followers on TikTok, where he shares dog training tips and advice on which breeds are suitable for different people, depending on lifestyle and temperament.
In one of his more recent videos, which has already been viewed more than 7,000 times, Will responded to the question: “Is it okay to punish my puppy?”
He highlighted how the word “punishment” invokes “very negative connotations and negative emotions”. But in reality, the word can refer to any action that leads to a bad behaviour occurring “less frequently”.
Will said that action could be “anything”, such as a “noise going off” that makes a behaviour happen less frequently. “Technically, that behaviour has been punished,” he explained.
Will went on: “And I believe that as canine leaders, as owners of dogs bringing dogs into our home, that we have a responsibility and a duty of care to teach them what we do want we do want from them.
“But just as importantly, help them understand what it is that we don’t want from them, in a language that they understand, in a way that is as kind as possible.”
Explaining more in the caption of his video, Will said it’s important to help dogs learn what we want from them “with rewards and reinforcement”, and what we don’t want from them “by challenging those behaviours in as fair and consistent a way as possible”.
In his experience as a canine behaviourist, he said he’s come across thousands of dogs that “know what’s expected of them and have great obedience, but they’ve never been taught what not to do”.
This means dogs can end up “riddled with frustration, anxiety and fear” as the relationship with their owner breaks down. He said the key is to “quickly communicate to the dog that ‘I’m steering the ship now’ and they don’t have to worry anymore.”
Will insists this will lead to both dog and owner becoming “way happier”.
