A renowned dog trainer has shed light on the circumstances in which he would "punish" a puppy. Canine behaviourist Will Atherton, who boasts more than 900,000 followers on TikTok , regularly imparts dog training tips and offers advice on suitable breeds for his followers, based on lifestyle and temperament. In one of his latest videos, which has already garnered more than 7,000 views, Will addressed the query: "Is it okay to punish my puppy?" He emphasised that the term "punishment" often elicits "very negative connotations and negative emotions".
However, in actuality, the word can denote any action resulting in a decrease in undesirable behaviour. Will explained that this action could be "anything", such as a "noise going off" that reduces the frequency of a certain behaviour. "Technically, that behaviour has been punished," he clarified.
Will went on: "And I believe that as canine leaders, as owners of dogs bringing dogs into our home, that we have a responsibility and a duty of care to teach them what we do want we do want from them. "But just as importantly, help them understand what it is that we don't want from them, in a language that they understand, in a way that is as kind as possible." Further elaborating in the caption of his video, Will stressed the importance of helping dogs comprehend what we expect from them "with rewards and reinforcement", and what we disapprove of "by challenging those behaviours in as fair and consistent a way as possible".
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