# "turning off affection" as negative punishment



## Bugsy (Jul 2, 2009)

I've read a few training articles and sometimes they say ignore or turn off affection as a form of negative punishment if your dog is doing something you don't like, like biting (for puppies). I don't think that works at all on my puppy, because if I ignore him, he just goes and entertains himself. He doesn't care. Same thing with throwing lavish praise when he does something good. I don't think he cares either, and in fact if I do pet him, sometimes after a few seconds he just wants to go away.

Maybe I'm not a good petter?... For most of my life I was not fond of dogs, and during childhood I was really scared of dogs so maybe I'm not doing the same thing that a person naturally good with animals would do. I have a cockapoo puppy (4.5 months) and I thought he'd be more affectionate and/or lap dog-like... Maybe I don't give him enough treats? Any ideas? Or this is just normal and I'm being a crazy human obsessing over his first pet.


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## FourIsCompany (Apr 18, 2009)

If it's not effective in lessening the behavior, then it's not effective punishment. Sometimes it takes more than positive reinforcement and negative punishment to change a behavior. Like something from the other two quadrants. They have a bad rap that they don't deserve, IMO.


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## Independent George (Mar 26, 2009)

Back when I first adopted, I decided to turn around and ignore my dog when she jumped on me after coming home from work in order to teach her "off". This was working fine, right until the day I turned around, heard some rustling behind me, followed by what I thought to be a dog fart. 

I turned back to face her, and she was pooping right in the middle of the living room.

One the one hand, she did learn "off", but the collateral damage was a bit disconcerting.


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## Curbside Prophet (Apr 28, 2006)

Bugsy said:


> I've read a few training articles and sometimes they say ignore or turn off affection as a form of negative punishment if your dog is doing something you don't like, like biting (for puppies). I don't think that works at all on my puppy, because if I ignore him, he just goes and entertains himself.


If this is all you do for biting, I can explain where your problem is... You don't get behavior from punishment. So you have to answer the question, _what behavior do I prefer, and how do I reinforce it? _You can only get behavior through reinforcement. So if the dog is biting you what behavior do you want him to replace it with? I would suggest reinforcing appropriate biting, like on a chew toy. And if that doesn't help I would also suggest letting your dog know his teeth hurt by yelping, and if you're like me, you might even call the dog a bloody cur to drive home your disapproval. 

Read _The Bite Stops Here._



> Maybe I'm not a good petter?


Or petting is not a conditioned reinforcer. 



> I have a cockapoo puppy (4.5 months) and I thought he'd be more affectionate and/or lap dog-like... Maybe I don't give him enough treats?


Your problem is you have a puppy, who's formative, and who needs lifelong guidance. Other than that, be patient. 



> Or this is just normal and I'm being a crazy human obsessing over his first pet.


Dogs, like people, are individuals. They have preferences like we do, except, they go through life 7 times faster than we do, so their preferences can seem to change in a minute. Be patient and persistent.


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## TooneyDogs (Aug 6, 2007)

Bugsy said:


> I've read a few training articles and sometimes they say ignore or turn off affection as a form of negative punishment if your dog is doing something you don't like, like biting (for puppies). I don't think that works at all on my puppy, because if I ignore him, he just goes and entertains himself


That's only half of the correction. Turning away says, "I don't like that...and I'm not going to play with you (if you bite or jump etc.". 
Dogs are pretty good at understanding that but, you must very quickly praise any good behavior.

For example, he stops biting and is standing there quietly in shock that you rebuffed him...you must immediately praise any good, quiet behavior.
If you continue to stand there with your back to him you're rebuffing him for the good/non-biting behavior...why?...he stopped the biting!. he must be rewarded. You left him with no option but to walk away from you and now he's confused to boot.


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## Bugsy (Jul 2, 2009)

Thanks for the clarification guys..


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