The philosophy at Crossroads Pet Resort, home of Best Behavior Training, is that training should focus on reinforcing desired behaviors, removing any reinforcement for undesired behaviors and changing the emotional state of the dog that is driving any undesirable behavior. This approach is supported by the American Veterinary Society of Veterinary Behavior (AVSAB) in their Position Statement on the Use of Punishment for Behavior Modification. In this Statement, the AVSAB suggests that such an approach “promotes a better understanding of the pet’s behavior and better awareness of how humans may have inadvertently contributed to the development of the undesirable behavior”. Although punishment may have its place and it can be very effective in specific cases, it should not be used as a first-line treatment in training due to its potential adverse effects.
To read the full AVSAB Position Statement: http://avsabonline.org/uploads/position_statements/Combined_Punishment_Statements.pdf