Science proves we shouldn't scold dogs

Scolding pets does not help them fix bad habits or train good reflexes.

According to BGR, research by scientists from Portugal showed that pet training methods by giving rewards when they do well are more effective than punishment with negative behavior.

When a dog behaves badly, such as gnawing on the objects in the room, most people will shout at them loudly. The animal will stop, the owner thinks that it is afraid and will not repeat it in the future.

This is an instinctive reaction, can bring certain efficiency but also cause unintended effects.

According to research by Ana Catarina Vieira de Castro and colleagues, the method of raising dogs by scolding them when they do wrong is not as effective as offering rewards with positive behavior.

Training dogs by giving rewards when they are right is more effective.(Photo: BGR).

The authors observed the behavior of 92 dogs from 7 different centers. They are trained in either of these two ways. Each child's stress behavior after training is recorded.

The results showed that the group of dogs trained by the method of yelling at doing wrong shows stress - such as licking lips, yawning, scratching their feet - more than the group rewarded for doing the right thing. This happens during and after the training. Even when they got home, the dogs yelled at were still annoyed.

The statistical results are important findings, but to be sure, the researchers took additional hormone levels related to stress expression on each individual during monitoring them. Cortisol levels in dogs trained by scoldings increased markedly.

In the next experiment, the researchers placed 2 bowls on either side of the room, only one containing food. After training, the dogs know that if the bowl lying on this side has a reward then the other will not. Then the bowl positions are randomly swapped to see how they react.

Dogs trained by scolding have a lower rate of finding food bowls than the rest. According to the authors, these individuals tend to be tense and discouraged in performing the task.

They are more pessimistic, so they are also less successful than their peers trained by reward.

1. How to train a dog?
2. Find a way to control your dog without whistling, waving or giving orders