Dog training is one of the most hotly debated and emotionally charged topics in the vast world of pet care and animal behavior. And, it’s no surprise. The way we train our dogs has a profound and long-lasting impact on their behavior, trust, and relationship with us as a whole. One of the most controversial and highly polarizing approaches is something commonly referred to as “balanced dog training.” And let me be absolutely clear from the very outset: I don’t believe in it. Let me tell you what a balanced dog trainer does so you can make an informed decision for yourself.
What Is Balanced Dog Training?
Balanced dog training is often described as a seemingly logical and “middle ground” approach to training dogs. It incorporates both rewards (like tasty treats or enthusiastic praise) for desired behaviors. But it also adds punishments (such as leash corrections, sharp prong collars, or stern verbal scolding) to discourage or completely eliminate unwanted behaviors. Proponents of this approach argue that balanced training is particularly effective because it uses a combination of both positive and negative consequences to shape a dog’s behavior.
On the surface, this methodology might sound somewhat reasonable. After all, the concept of balance often implies fairness, moderation, and common sense. But if you dig a little deeper into the nitty-gritty details, you’ll find that so-called “balanced training” is riddled with glaring problems. It can ultimately undermine a dog’s emotional and psychological well-being and damage the precious trust between a pet and its owner.
So, Is Balanced Dog Training Bad?
Yes, and here’s why: this practice heavily relies on the consistent or sporadic use of aversive methods. Many of these are well-documented to cause significant stress, fear, and anxiety in dogs. Tools like shock collars, restrictive choke chains, and painful prong collars—all staples of many balanced trainers—can cause both severe physical and emotional harm! Even if these devices are claimed to be used “sparingly” or only as a “last resort,” their mere presence introduces the constant potential for harm and mistrust.
It Doesn’t Address the Root Problem
Punishment-based methods often suppress unwanted behaviors without addressing the core root cause. For example, a dog that growls when it feels threatened might stop growling if it is punished harshly. However, the underlying fear or discomfort remains. And without that critical growl as an early warning sign, the dog may escalate straight to biting without any warning.
Balanced training frequently fails to address the underlying “why” behind problem behaviors. It opts instead for quick, superficial fixes that can have dangerous long-term consequences.
What Studies Say
Research overwhelmingly and repeatedly shows that aversive training methods directly increase stress in dogs. For instance, a pivotal 2020 study published in PLOS ONE found that dogs trained with aversive methods exhibited much higher levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) and were far more likely to display persistent fear-based behaviors compared to dogs trained with purely positive reinforcement. In other words, balanced dog training can create a fearful, stressed-out dog. This is true even if you think you’re being relatively “balanced” or humane.
What Is a Balanced Dog Trainer?
A balanced dog trainer is someone who uses a combination of reward-based and punishment-based techniques to train dogs. They may often advertise themselves as flexible, pragmatic, or highly results-oriented. Unfortunately, they frequently appeal to overwhelmed or frustrated dog owners who feel exasperated by their pet’s behavior or believe that purely positive methods don’t work.
The problem is that “balanced trainers” often carefully downplay or intentionally sugarcoat the use of aversive tools. They may use euphemistic terms like “corrections” or “discipline” instead of “punishment.” This notion makes it seem less harsh or harmful than it truly is. They might also argue, often without substantial evidence, that dogs “need” these tools to clearly understand boundaries. This approach seems to conveniently ignore the overwhelming wealth of evidence supporting humane, force-free alternatives.
The Cost of Balanced Training
While balanced trainers may achieve impressive-looking short-term results, those outcomes often come at a significant cost. A dog that complies out of fear is not a truly happy or confident one. And in many cases, these so-called “results” are superficial. Although the dog may appear outwardly well-behaved, it is actually suppressing its natural instincts out of sheer fear of punishment.
What Is the Most Effective Type of Dog Training?
I believe the most efficient and humane approach to dog training is positive reinforcement, and this belief is backed by science. It is widely known as a core and non-negotiable component of force-free training. Reinforcing dog behavior positively focuses entirely on rewarding desired behaviors to encourage consistent repetition. For example, suppose your dog sits on command. Rewarding them with a high-value treat or enthusiastic praise encourages them to sit again next time.
One well-known study by Hiby, Rooney, and Bradshaw (2004) found that rewarding dogs with praise or treats makes them behave better than punishing them. It also shows that using rewards leads to fewer behavior problems in dogs.
Unlike balanced training, which relies on fear and intimidation to discourage unwanted behaviors, positive reinforcement works differently. It builds trust and actively encourages a dog to think, problem-solve, and make good choices. So, it’s a win-win: you get a well-behaved, eager-to-learn dog, and your pet gets to learn in a way that’s fun, rewarding, and completely stress-free.
Balanced Dog Training vs. Positive Reinforcement
The most significant and glaring difference between balanced dog training and positive reinforcement lies in their use of punishment.
- ❌ Balanced training incorporates punishment as a tool to stop bad behavior. For example, let’s say your dog frequently jumps on guests coming into your home. A balanced trainer might recommend using a sharp prong collar to correct the dog each time they jump. Their hope would be to teach them that jumping results in immediate discomfort.
- ✅ Positive reinforcement avoids punishment altogether, focusing instead on proactively preventing and redirecting unwanted behaviors. A positive reinforcement trainer, on the other hand, would teach the dog an alternative behavior (like sitting politely). Then they would reward them generously for doing so. In this case, they successfully prevent jumping in the first place.
Would you agree that this positive approach is not only vastly more humane but also far more beneficial in the long term? In fact, dogs trained with positive methods are far more eager to learn and engage with their owners. They respond enthusiastically to training. Others, subjected to punishment, often become fearful, anxious, or worse still: unpredictably aggressive.
The Difference Between Force-Free and Balanced Dog Training
✅ Put simply, force-free training is exactly what it sounds like. It’s a highly ethical and entirely dog-centric training approach that avoids the use of force, intimidation, or harmful aversive tools. Instead, it emphasizes using carefully timed rewards, clear communication, and proactive management. This approach teaches dogs what is expected of them in any given situation.
❌ Balanced dog training, on the other hand, routinely includes the use of aversive methods alongside rewards. Some balanced trainers may argue that they use punishment “sparingly” or “responsibly.” But the very nature of force-free training rejects the idea that force, fear, or intimidation is ever necessary or ethical.
The key difference here is this: force-free training prioritizes a dog’s mental and emotional well-being. It establishes a trusting relationship based on mutual respect. In contrast, balanced training consistently risks eroding that trust by introducing fear and discomfort into the equation.
The Experiment
More than 1,250 people responded to a thorough questionnaire that researchers issued to dog owners. They inquired about how the owners handled their pets, how frequently they participated in training or play activities, and if they used punishment-based or reward-based training approaches. Here’s what they found:
- Punishment-Based Methods: Overall, dogs trained using physical punishments or scolding became more reactive, aggressive, and hyperactive. These methods resulted in more negative behavior issues rather than increased obedience.
- Reward-Based Methods: Dogs rewarded with praise and treats became more obedient and showed fewer behavioral problems like aggression or fear. These favorable outcomes were reinforced by owners’ consistent, predictable, and steady responses.
The researchers also examined if the dogs’ sizes—small or large—had an impact. Interestingly, smaller breeds were particularly impacted; when reprimanded, they showed higher levels of anxiety and fear than larger ones.
Final Thoughts on Why I Don’t Believe in Balanced Dog Training
A balanced dog trainer incorporates punishment into the training process, which risks creating unnecessary fear, anxiety, and mistrust in our dogs. The science is overwhelmingly clear: aversive methods are not only significantly less effective than positive reinforcement, but they also actively harm the animal’s mental and emotional health.
Please always use positive reinforcement training; without the use of force it is not only nicer, but it is also clearly the smarter way to go! While balanced training may offer short-term, dazzling solutions, what are the long-term costs? Personally, I’m not willing to risk any dog’s happiness or trust.
The next time someone suggests a so-called balanced approach, remember this: the only way forward is force-free. Let’s leave the outdated punishments in the past, exactly where they belong.
See Also:
- How to Fix Behavior Problems in Dogs: A Guide to Gentle Methods
- Crate Training a Puppy the Nice and Easy Way
- 10 Basic Dog Training Tips for Beginners to Master
References:
- Vieira de Castro, A. C., Fuchs, D., Morello, G. M., Pastur, S., de Sousa, L., & Olsson, I. A. S. (2020). Does the training method matter? Evidence for the negative impact of aversive-based methods on companion dog welfare. PLOS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0225023
- Hiby, E. F., Rooney, N. J., & Bradshaw, J. W. S. (2004). Dog training methods: Their use, effectiveness, and interaction with behavior and welfare. Animal Welfare, 13(1), 63–69. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0962728600026683
- Arhant, C., Bubna-Littitz, H., Bartels, A., Futschik, A., & Troxler, J. (2010). Behavior of smaller and larger dogs: Effects of training methods, inconsistency of owner behavior and level of engagement in activities with the dog. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 123(3–4), 131–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2010.01.003
