Positive and negative reinforcement have become buzzwords for animal behaviorists. But, they are also concepts that you can use as a dog parent to help your pup develop into a well-behaved canine ...

Whether you have a brand-new puppy or recently adopted an older dog, you’ve likely come across the term “positive reinforcement” when looking up training techniques. But, what is positive ...

If you consult Merriam-Webster, the word “aversive” means “tending to avoid or causing avoidance of a noxious or punishing stimulus.” Does that sound like a training method you’d want to use on your ...

Ask a group of experts why it is hard to lose weight, and you'll likely hear some of the following answers: Diets don't work because people can't stick to them. Our metabolism fights back, causing ...

Some of the most common tools parents and teachers use for managing children’s behaviors are rewards and punishments. While these methods tend to lose effectiveness as a child ages, there are times ...

When you are trying to teach a new skill, whether it's teaching your dog to sit or getting yourself to stop doomscrolling before bed, rewarding good behavior is often better than punishing mistakes.

Another one of my pet peeves is the fact that many people – civilians and scientists alike – use the phrase “negative reinforcement” to mean “punishment.” The two are not at all the same; in fact, ...