E-Collar Dog Training Terms

🎯 Training Marker

A marker is a signal used to mark good behaviour at the exact moment it happens.

  • Example: a clicker sound or the tone setting on an e‑collar.
  • Purpose: lets the dog know “Yes, that’s what I wanted!” before the reward arrives.

🔄 Reinforcement

Reinforcement means increasing the likelihood of a behaviour happening again.

  • If you like what your dog did, reinforcement helps them repeat it.

➕ Positive Reinforcement

“Positive” means adding something to encourage behaviour.

  • Example: giving a treat when your dog sits on command.
  • Result: the dog learns sitting = reward.

➖ Negative Reinforcement

“Negative” means taking something away to encourage behaviour.

  • Example: stopping the vibration on an e‑collar once your dog comes when called.
  • Result: the dog learns responding quickly = discomfort goes away.

🚫 Aversives

An aversive is something unpleasant used to stop unwanted behaviour.

  • Example: bitter apple spray to stop chewing, or a water spray to stop barking.

➕ Positive Punishment

Adding something unpleasant to decrease unwanted behaviour.

  • Example: spraying water when a dog jumps on guests.
  • Note: “positive” here means added, not good.

➖ Negative Punishment

Taking away something the dog enjoys to reduce unwanted behaviour.

  • Example: ending playtime when the dog gets too rough.

🧠 Conditioning

Conditioning is how dogs learn through repetition and association.

  • Classical Conditioning (Associative Learning):
    Involuntary responses formed by association.
    Example: Pavlov’s dogs drooling when they heard a bell because they associated it with food.
  • Operant Conditioning (Learning by Consequences):
    Voluntary behaviours shaped by rewards or outcomes.
    Example: dog sits → gets a treat (reward). Dog pulls on prong collar → feels pressure (consequence).

✅ Key Takeaway

Dog training terms can sound technical, but they all boil down to how dogs learn through signals, reinforcement, and consequences. Understanding these concepts helps you use tools like e‑collars more effectively and humanely.