Extinction Bursts

Extinction Bursts

One of the most common narratives is "Force Free training doesn't work." The person will then go onto explain how they tried it and the behaviour worsened.

Or just generally people will claim despite training or training for a short period of time the behaviour worsened.

It really depends on the type of training methodology that your following.

Within Force Free training we don't recommend ignoring a behaviour. Instead we look to an alternative behaviour for an unwanted behaviour.

If you use a training methodology that involves ignoring unwanted behaviour you're going to struggle even more.

An extinction burst is when you see a behaviour worsen before it gets better. So for example, when your dog was a puppy and they jumped up you bent down and fussed them didn't you. Let's not deny it. We're all guilty of it. Because nobody can resist those cute little noses, floppy ears and pink pads.

But as time has gone on and the puppy looks have diminished, they have got bigger and your friends and family no longer enjoy the puppy novelty, it's now a problem.

The thing is it isn't a problem for your dog because they had the reward and reinforcement of cuddles and fusses. It's a human problem. But the issue is most humans decide one day right I'm ignoring this behaviour so the dog says "hang on this worked before, why am I being ignored. I'll up the ante."

Bang, you or someone else is then knocked over or nipped.

Arguments ensue or you are feeling annoyed.

But what's been done to teach the pup otherwise? Treat Bombs? An alternate behaviour? A change in the greeting process that rewards them?

So when you don't teach your dog to do something else of course they are going to work harder at getting your attention in previously learnt behaviours.

This is completely normal and it is going to get worse before it gets better.