Operant Conditioning: Housebreaking a Puppy

Operant Conditioning: Housebreaking a puppy

The use of operant conditioning, or a punishment-and-rewards system, is perhaps most obviously used in everyday life when housebreaking a puppy. Whenever the puppy needs to relieve itself, such as early in the morning, or after a meal, the dog will be taken outside where it is supposed to 'go to the bathroom.' The owner will say "good dog" when the dog obeys this impulse, and praise the dog lavishly. To initially encourage the dog to go to the bathroom in the yard, the puppy's owner will likely praise any effort by the dog to use the outside environment, such as when the dog squats, lifts its leg, or sniffs its usual 'spot.' This praise is the positive reinforcement demanded by the creator of this learning system, B.F. Skinner. The owner may also give the dog a small treat when it completes the act of relieving itself.

When the dog uses an unacceptable place to go to the bathroom, within the house, the owner reacts very differently, and uses negative reinforcement. "No!" says the owner, and perhaps makes a loud, unpleasant noise that the dog does not like to hear. "Bad dog!" The dog receives no treat. However, given the puppy's short memory, this should only be done when the dog is caught in the act. The owner, ideally, should be alert enough so when the dog is seen squatting indoors, even before the dog can relieve itself, the owner has time to shout, "No!" Then he or she will rush outside with the puppy, wait for the dog to 'go' and praise the dog and reward the dog with a treat.