I thought I'd tackle the uncomfortable area of punishment in dog training.

I hate to say it but we all use some sort of negative reinforcement at some time when we're training dogs.Let me explain. Even when you train using a clicker or other positive reinforcement method, you are by default being negative when you click intermittently or reward inconsistently.

However the crossover between negative clicking and inconsistent rewarding is far outweighed by the inlficting of pain using positive punishment.

Issuing punishment can lead to all kinds of emotions for both dog and handler.

Let's take one of the modern approaches to training. The dog is exhibiting an undesirable behaviour. There is a line of thought that thinks the best way to stop a behaviour is to punish the act at a maximum level for a minimum period of time.

Some trainers would stick an electric collar on a dog, wait for him to display the "bad" behaviour and zap him until the pain or discomfort is so great that he is distracted from what he is doing. The theory is that dog learns that exhibiting this behaviour results in him getting hurt. He usually stops the behaviour when he realises the consequences of his actions.

Here's where it all gets a bit nasty for me. I think some handlers get too focused on achieving results. Sometimes achieving the result overrides their awareness of the pain they're inflicting on their so-called best friend. This is particularly common and somewhat historic in gundog training but I'm witnessing it more and more with owners of guarding breeds like Rotties, Dobermans and GSDs.

The advent of the electric collar has heightened the potential misery. The use of an electric collar in inexperienced hands has made invisible pain administration possible.

A word on electric collars. I'm not in favour of shocking dogs. I don't own an electric collar and I've no intention of aquiring one. However, I have a collegue in the US who has trained her dogs to a very high standard using the electric collar as a communication device.The dogs have been trained to turn left or right based on the number of vibrations they recieve via the collar. The collar is operated with a very low intensity that merely tickles the dog. Unfortunately, this is an exception to the rule. Electric collars are generally viewed as quick fix mechanisms that can be used by novice trainers. If electric collars are used as a substitute for skill and patience, they are inhumane and nothing short of invisible torture. They simply take the visible brutality out of the equation.

The kennel club is campaigning to ban the use of electric collars, mats and leads in the UK. I think people need to form relationships with their dogs instead of bullying them into submission. You do not form a bond with a dog by inflicting pain.

My training methods deal with the conditioning of the brain to reward an acceptable behaviour not the punishing of the body to stop an unwanted behaviour.

I prefer to train a rewardable replacement behaviour rather than punishing the original misdemeanour. The size of the dog should have little relevance.

My view is that a dog’s brain works in the same way whether it resides in a 140lb Rottie or a 3lb toy poodle.

A good analogy is the child stealing sweeties. You can smack the kiddie for stealing sweeties but when you’re not looking, the sweeties may vanish. In other words, the punishment is only relevant when you are in the position to administer it. You have more chance of permanently stopping the thieving if you can condition the child to understand that he will be amply rewarded for exercising restraint and leaving the sweeties in the tin. The aim is to modify the child's behaviour so that the he or she makes the decision to conform to an acceptable behaviour. This is referred to as counter conditioning.

Too many people are hell bent on punishing to stop bad things. I often hear statements like "I just want him to stop eating my flowers in the garden." The other side of the coin is "I want him to lye beside me when I'm sitting in the garden?" The end result is the same, the means by which it is accomplished is radically different.

Of course, I'm an advocate of clicker training and I genuinely think that a clicker-trained dog absorbs much more than a traditionally trained dog. Clicker training encourages the dog to be creative and certainly promotes confidence.

Clicker trained dogs seam have an increased aptitude for learning new behaviours. Clickers work with old dogs, young dogs, nervous dogs etc. The clicker is not a magic wand and it does require good timing but the more you use it the better you'll become.

I have no doubt that some trainers get results using negative reinforcement and positive punishment. I've been through the rough stuff and witnessed the fear and uncertainty it produces. Punishment is not necessary for the average pet owner who wants a happy, confident, obedient pet.

Remember, you have a lifetime to train your dog. You don't need to train him in 4 weeks. It doesn't matter if he's a slow earner or if you make a mistake and have to go back a few steps. If you win more than you loose, you will end up with a good dog.

Some professional trainers use punishment to achieve fast, short-term results. I find that in domestic dogs, the use of punishment can normally be related to a lack of skill, inconsistency and patience.

There should be no timescales involved in educating a pet dog. Take time to teach him new skills. Be patient and desensitise your dog to the things that make him nervous or aggressive.

Take a leaf out of the marine trainers book. They have no option but to train positively and they appear to do OK. These trainers should be an inspiration to us all.

Set your dog up for positive success at an early stage and reap the rewards for a lifetime.