What is positive reinforcement?
Updated By PetymFacts checked against official sources on
Quick answer
Positive reinforcement is a training method in which a pet gets something it likes, such as a treat, toy, play or praise, straight after doing a behaviour, so that behaviour becomes more likely. It is the core of reward-based training, which the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior recommends for all dog training and behaviour problems.
Also called reward-based training, force-free training, positive training, R+ training.
Key facts
- AVSAB recommends reward-based methods for all dog training, including behaviour problems, and says aversive methods should not be used. American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior
- There is no evidence that aversive training is necessary for dog training or behaviour change. American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior
- Dogs from aversive-based schools showed more stress behaviours and bigger cortisol rises during training, and were more pessimistic, than dogs from reward-based schools. PLOS ONE (2020)study
- Physical punishment, including prong and electric shock collars, almost always makes aggression worse. Merck Veterinary Manual
- In cats, scent marking and soiling should never be punished, and scratching on the right surface should be rewarded. AAFP and ISFM (Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2013)study
How does positive reinforcement work?
Behaviour that pays off is repeated. If sitting calmly at the door earns a treat, a dog sits at the door more often.
In learning theory, positive means adding something and reinforcement means the behaviour increases. So positive reinforcement is adding something the pet values, at the moment it does the right thing. Timing matters: the reward needs to come within a second or two, which is why many trainers use a marker word such as yes, or a clicker, to pinpoint the moment, then deliver the treat.
Reward-based training does not mean letting a dog do whatever it likes. AVSAB stresses that animals learn best with structure, routine and clear guidelines, taught without fear, intimidation or pain. Unwanted behaviour is handled by managing the environment so the pet cannot practise it, and by teaching and rewarding an alternative, such as sitting instead of jumping up.
What counts as a reward?
Whatever your pet values most in that moment. A street with community dogs needs a better reward than your living room.
Most powerful
Food
Small, soft, tasty pieces that can be eaten fast. Count them within the daily treat allowance or use part of the meal. WSAVA
Toys
Play
A quick game of tug or a thrown ball, for dogs that love toys. American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior
Life rewards
Going through the door, sniffing a lamp post or greeting a friend, given in return for a calm sit or loose lead.
Praise and touch
Calm praise and a stroke, for pets that enjoy it. On its own it is usually weaker than food for new or hard tasks.
What do people get wrong about reward-based training?
You may have read
Rewards only work for easy tricks; serious problems need corrections.
Myth
What the sources say
AVSAB says there are no exceptions: even aggression should be treated with humane, reward-based methods. American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior
You may have read
A shock collar is the only way to get a reliable recall.
Myth
What the sources say
Studies found no advantage for remote shock collars over reward-based training for recall, and reward-trained dogs responded faster. American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior
You may have read
Dogs need an alpha or pack leader.
Myth
What the sources say
AVSAB advises against trainers who use dominance, pack leader or alpha ideas. American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior
You may have read
Aversive tools do no lasting harm.
Myth
What the sources say
Dogs trained with aversive methods were more stressed in training and more pessimistic outside it. PLOS ONE (2020)study
Going away soon? Tell us your dates.
A checked local sitter feeds, walks and keeps your pet company at home, follows your care sheet to the letter and sends a photo every day. Petym is opening city by city: send your dates and we will tell you when a sitter can take them.
- Meet your sitter first, free
- PAN-checked, first-aid trained
- A photo every day
- Pay through Petym, never cash
Questions owners ask
Is positive reinforcement better than punishment?
- The evidence says yes. Reward-based methods are at least as effective, and dogs trained with aversive methods show more stress, more pessimism and more behaviour problems. AVSAB recommends only reward-based methods for all dog training, including aggression. Punishment can suppress behaviour briefly but adds fear.
Will my dog only obey when I have treats?
- Not if you phase them out well. Use treats every time while a skill is new, then reward less predictably, mix in play and life rewards, and keep paying well for important behaviours such as recall. Carrying a few treats on walks is normal, not a weakness.
Does positive reinforcement work for cats?
- Yes. Cats can learn with food, play and attention as rewards. Feline guidelines say cats should never be punished for marking or soiling, and should be rewarded for scratching on the right surface. Short, frequent sessions work best.
How do I find a reward-based trainer in India?
- Ask how they handle unwanted behaviour. Look for someone who uses treats, toys and clear cues, and avoid anyone who uses choke, prong or shock collars, leash jerks, alpha rolls or dominance language. Ask your vet for a recommendation and watch a class before signing up.
Keep reading
Related terms
More in training
- Clicker trainingClicker training is reward-based training that uses a small hand-held clicker to mark the exact moment a pet does the right thing, followed every time by a reward. The dog first learns that the click means a treat is coming. Because the click is fast and always sounds the same, it tells the dog precisely which action earned the reward.
- Crate trainingCrate training is teaching a dog to rest calmly in a crate, with treats and gradual steps, so the crate feels like a safe den rather than a cage. Used well it helps with house-training, keeps puppies safe and eases travel. It is never a punishment, never for long hours, and not a fix for separation anxiety.
- DesensitisationDesensitisation is a way of reducing a pet's fear by exposing it to the scary thing at a level so low it stays calm, then raising it very slowly. It is usually paired with counter-conditioning: something the pet loves, such as a treat, arrives with the sound or sight, so the fear is replaced by a pleasant expectation.
- House-trainingHouse-training teaches a dog to toilet in the right place, usually outdoors or on a chosen spot. It works by taking the puppy out often, especially after sleep, meals and play, and rewarding it straight away when it goes. Accidents are cleaned up without punishment. Puppies do not have full bladder capacity until about 12 months old.
- Loose-leash walkingLoose-leash walking means your dog walks beside you with a slack lead instead of pulling. It is taught with rewards: you stop the moment the lead goes tight, wait for slack, then reward and move on. Painful gear such as choke chains is not needed, and on busy Indian roads a calm, slack-lead dog is far safer.
- RecallRecall is a dog's trained response to come straight back to you when called, every time, whatever else is happening. It can save a dog's life near traffic. A reliable recall is built with high-value rewards, a dedicated cue word, short easy practice that gets slowly harder, and a long line for safety, never with punishment or shock collars.
- SocialisationSocialisation is the gentle, positive introduction of a young animal to the people, animals, sounds, places and handling it will meet as an adult. The main window is short: about the first three months for puppies and roughly two to seven weeks of age for kittens. Animals that miss it are more likely to be fearful later.
Keep exploring
Sources
Each source was opened and read on the date shown. How Petym checks its sources
- American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior: Position statement on humane dog training (2021) (opens in a new tab)
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Behavior problems in dogs (opens in a new tab)
- WSAVA: Frequently asked questions and myths (Global Nutrition Committee) (opens in a new tab)
- American Association of Feline Practitioners: AAFP position statement: declawing (2017) (opens in a new tab)
- PLOS ONE (2020): Does training method matter? Evidence for the negative impact of aversive-based methods on companion dog welfare, Vieira de Castro and others (opens in a new tab)
- AAFP and ISFM (Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2013): Feline environmental needs guidelines (opens in a new tab)