A puppy has ruined four pairs of shoes by chewing them up at times when the family is not home. Which of the following is the most effective way to use punishment to teach the puppy not to chew shoes?
A) Make a loud noise whenever you come home and find shoes chewed up, but then hug it and give it a bone so that it won't be afraid of you.
B) Make a loud noise whenever you catch it in the act of chewing shoes, but then hug it and give it a bone so that it won't be afraid of you.
C) Make a loud noise whenever you catch it in the act of chewing shoes, but not at other times.
D) Make a loud noise whenever you come home and find shoes chewed up.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Punishment must be immediate, so making a loud noise whenever you catch the puppy in the act of chewing shoes is more effective than waiting until you come home to find them already chewed. It's important to not scare or traumatize the puppy, so hugging it and giving it a bone directly after the loud noise will reinforce positive behaviors. It's also important to only punish the puppy in the moment of bad behavior, rather than when you come home and find the damage already done, as the puppy won't understand why it's being punished for something it did hours ago.

A Puppy Has Ruined Four Pairs of Shoes by Chewing