One of the four quadrants of operant conditioning, positive punishment occurs when something the dog dislikes is added after a behavior, making that behavior less likely in the future. "Positive" means something is added, and "punishment" means the behavior decreases.

Examples include leash corrections, yelling, or the shock from an electric collar. While these can suppress a behavior in the moment, they carry serious risks. Studies have linked this kind of training to increased fear and aggression, and it can damage the trust between you and your dog.

For these reasons we never train with positive punishment. To reduce an unwanted behavior, we rely on management to prevent it and on positive reinforcement to teach your dog what to do instead. See "Gear and Methods to Avoid" for more.